Fiskerton
FISKERTON: Military aerodrome
Note: The first two pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©. The area view from my Google Earth © derived database. In the 2003 picture traces of the original runways at the west of the airfield can be seen. Indeed, during prolonged dry periods, they are even much more visible.
Military users: RAF Bomber Command 1 Group
49 (Rhodesia), 150 & 576 Sqdns (Avro Lancasters)
1515 BAT Flt (Airspeed Oxfords)
Location: NE of Cherry Willingham & N of Fiskerton villages, 4nm E of Lincoln
Period of operation: 1943 to 1945
Runways: 08/26 1829x46 hard 13/31 1280x46 hard
05/23 1280x46 hard
NOTES: A very typical late addition aerodrome to the war effort almost temporary in nature with the standard runway lengths and hardstandings for 36 heavy bombers. Even so at best 1437 RAF personnel were stationed here plus 198 WAAFs in 1944.
WORTH A MENTION
So, perhaps a good point to mention that in the Spring of 1944 the RAF had about 80,000 people in service based in Lincolnshire alone and the airfields in this County covered roughly 30,000 acres.
AN ALL LANCASTER RAID
On the 18th November (my note. 1944?) squadrons from this airfield took part in the first major all Lancaster raid on Berlin, with 440 of the type being allocated to this raid. In fact 835 RAF bombers were in the skies over Germany that night, with a large diversionary force of mainly Halifaxes and Stirlings heading for Mannheim and Ludwigshaven.
It appears this raid on Berlin was mosty a failure as ‘Butcher’ Harris (as the supremme officer in charge) had decided to launch the ‘Battle of Berlin’ in the most unfavourable weather conditions. It does appear a consistent theme that Harris (or his subordinate officers) ordered so many raids in unfavourable conditions, both fair and foul.
Indeed, one might well ask today if he really understood the subject of how weather especially affected operations? On the one hand for the bomber aircrews a clear moonlit night was exceedingly dangerous whereas on the other hand a total overcast meant the chances of hitting the target were marginal at best. In totally unsuitable conditions so many RAF crews risked and of course lost their lives bombing open country - such an utter waste.
It is well worth mentioning that in 1943 alone 15,832 Bomber Command airmen lost their lives.
SET TO RIGHTS
Eventually this situation was realised, and in an amazingly short period of time there were several major advances to improve the bomber war, which was the only way to attack Germany of course. The boffins, bless them, came up with means to enable navigators to obtain a better 'fix' on the target, using radio navigation equipment, and this method was advanced with, eventually, improved technology.
Alongside this, a couple of highly gifted senior RAF officers, managed to convince the 'top brass' to establish 'Pathfinder' squadrons using the most capable crews, to accurately locate the target in advance of the main bomber force, and drop flares to enable the rest to bomb accurately. This was very successful, and without any doubt managed to bring the war to an end in a much shorter period of time.
Except of course, if they had concentrated their efforts on bombing key strategic targets such as fuel and arms production, key transport centres etc, as at least one American USAAF General had insisted was the most effective method, rather than hitting the cities more often than not, the war could have ended even sooner than it did.
BUT
Without any doubt whatsoever, after the first 'thousand bomber' raids, and the utter devastation of Hamburg in particular in July 1943, should have convinced the Nazi regime to surrender - the game was up. They were bound to lose. But those in control were by then fanatics and quite incapable of rational thought. And as a consequence the German civilian population had to endure, and watch helplessly, as all their major cities and towns were reduced to rubble.
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