RAF Goxhill: Difference between revisions

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RAF Goxhill is a former United States Army Air Force station in England. It is located just to the east of the town of Goxhill, on the south bank of the Humber River Estuary opposite the City of Kingston-Upon-Hull, in North Lincolnshire.

During World War II it was known as USAAF Station 345.

Origins

During WW I a Royal Flying Corps landing ground existed near the Lincolnshire village of Goxhill. In 1940 the Air Ministry returned to survey the land once again for its suitability as an airfield.

RAF Use

Goxhill was origionally built as a balloon barrage to protect the Port of Hull and the River Humber. In 1940, Goxhill was transferred to RAF Bomber Command and was planned and rebuilt as a Class-A bomber airfield. The base was equipped with three intersecting runways, the main runway at 1600 yards and two secondary runways of 1100 yards. Three hangars were built - two T2's, one J-Type and four blisters and fifty aircraft hardstands. Temporary accomodation was provided for 1700+ personel.

It's location, however, was too close to the air defences of Hull to be used for that purpose. Its first occupant was No. 1 Group that took up residence on 26 June 1941. The mission of No. 1 Group was towing practice targets with Lysanders, it's first operation beginning on 25 October.

In December 1941, RAF Fighter Command replaced the Bomber Command training unit with No. 12 Group, flying Spitfires from No. 616 Squadron at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey. Fighter Command operated the base until May 1942.

USAAF Use

The base was relegated to satellite field use by RAF Kirmington until August 1942, when it was taken over by the United States Army Air Force. The transfer ceremony was attended by General Dwight D.Eisenhower.

The facilities at Goxhill, however, had a lot to be desired. Three wooden barracks were supplemented by a number of metal fabricated buildings(tin cans) for living quarters. Typical of the RAF bases of that period, living quarters and mess facilities were 1-2 miles from the hangars and flight operations area.

The station was unofficially known by the USAAF units based here as "GoatHill".

The USAAF used Goxhill as a training base though the balence of the war, with several squadrons using it after their initial deployment to the UK, then moving on to a permanent facility for their operational missions.

Both the USAAF 8th and 9th Air Force utilized Goxhill. Units which trained here were:

Group	Aircraft	Date Arrived	Date Departed
1st Fighter Group	P-38 "Lightning"	10 June 1942	24 August 1942
52nd Fighter Group	P-39 "Airacobra"	26 August 1942	9 November 1942
78th Fighter Group	P-38 "Lightning"	December 1942	April 1943
353rd Fighter Group	P-47 "Thunderbolt"	June 1943	3 August 1943
356th Fighter Group	P-47 "Thunderbolt"	27 August 1943	5 October 1943
358th Fighter Group	P-47 "Thunderbolt"	20 October 1943	29 November 1943
496th Fighter Training Group	P-51 "Mustang" and P-38 "Lightning"	December 1943	December 1944

The 496th Fighter Group was a Combat Crew Replacement Center for 8th and 9th USAAF units. It consisted of the 554th Fighter Squadron with P-38x and the 555th Fighter Squadron with P-51s.

Current Use

On 20 Janurary 1945, the USAAF returned Goxhill to RAF control, being assinged as a satellite to RAF Kirton Lindsey. On 27 May it was assigned to RAF Maintence Command for storage of excess munitions. RAF Goxhill remained a storage depot until it was deactivated on 14 December 1953.

Goxhill airfield was leased to farmers for agricultural use until 29 January 1962, when it was finally sold by the Ministry Of Defense. The Technical Site and the aircraft hangars, however, was retained by the MOD for storage uses.

In Jul 1977, the MOD sold off the remaining parts of Goxhill to private owners for agricultural use.

Today, Goxhill is remarkably intact and has a 'Marie Celeste' feel about it. All the buildings in the Technical Site, with the sad exception of the Control Tower, demolished over the owner's objection in 2002, are still standing. The three hangars, two T-2s and a J type also are there, albeit in a state of disrepair. The perimeter track is almost complete and a large part of the main runway is still in place. To the Northwest corner of the site is a fantastic memorial incorporating a prop blade from a crashed P38.

Perhaps of its relative inaccessability, Goxhill looks very much like it did uring the war years.

External links

Template:Geolinks-US-cityscale

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''RAF Goxhill''' is a former [[United States Army Air Force]] station in England.  It is located just to the east of the town of [[Goxhill]] in [[Lincolnshire|North Lincolnshire]].
+'''RAF Goxhill''' is a former [[United States Army Air Force]] station in England.  It is located just to the east of the town of [[Goxhill]], on the south bank of the [[Humber River]] Estuary opposite the City of [[Kingston-Upon-Hull]], in [[Lincolnshire|North Lincolnshire]].
 During [[World War II]] it was known as USAAF Station 345.
-== RAF Bomber Command ==
+== Origins ==
+During WW I a Royal Flying Corps landing ground existed near the Lincolnshire village of Goxhill.   In 1940 the Air Ministry returned to survey the land once again for its suitability as an airfield.
-Goxhill was origionally built as a balloon barrage to protect the Port of Hull and the River Humber. In June 1941 it was transferred to RAF Bomber Command.  Its first occupant was No. 1 Group that took up residence on 26 June 1941.  The mission of No. 1 Group was towing practice targets with Lysanders, it's first operation beginning on 25 October.
-== RAF Fighter Command ==
+== RAF Use ==
+Goxhill was origionally built as a balloon barrage to protect the Port of Hull and the River Humber.   In 1940, Goxhill was transferred to RAF Bomber Command and was planned and rebuilt as a Class-A bomber airfield.  The base was equipped with three intersecting runways, the main runway at 1600 yards and two secondary runways of 1100 yards.  Three hangars were built - two T2's, one J-Type and four blisters and fifty aircraft hardstands.   Temporary accomodation was provided for 1700+ personel.
+It's location, however, was too close to the air defences of Hull to be used for that purpose.  Its first occupant was No. 1 Group that took up residence on 26 June 1941.  The mission of No. 1 Group was towing practice targets with Lysanders, it's first operation beginning on 25 October.
 In December 1941, RAF Fighter Command replaced the Bomber Command training unit with No. 12 Group, flying Spitfires from No. 616 Squadron at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey.   Fighter Command operated the base until May 1942.
@@ Line 14: / Line 18: @@
 == USAAF Use ==
-The base was relegated to satellite field use by RAF Kirmington until August 1942, when it was taken over by the United States Army Air Force.   The USAAF used Goxhill as a training base though the balence of the war, with several squadrons using it after their initial deployment to the UK, then moving on to a permanent facility for their operational missions.
+The base was relegated to satellite field use by RAF Kirmington until August 1942, when it was taken over by the United States Army Air Force.  The transfer ceremony was attended by General Dwight D.Eisenhower.
+The facilities at Goxhill, however, had a lot to be desired. Three wooden barracks were supplemented by a number of metal fabricated buildings(tin cans) for living quarters. Typical of the RAF bases of that period, living quarters and mess facilities were 1-2 miles from the hangars and flight operations area.
+The station was unofficially known by the USAAF units based here as "GoatHill".
+The USAAF used Goxhill as a training base though the balence of the war, with several squadrons using it after their initial deployment to the UK, then moving on to a permanent facility for their operational missions.
 Both the USAAF 8th and 9th Air Force utilized Goxhill.  Units which trained here were:
@@ Line 36: / Line 46: @@
 == Current Use ==
-On 20 Janurary 1945, the USAAF returned Goxhill to RAF control, and on 27 May it was assigned to Maintence Command for storage of excess munitions.   RAF Goxhill remained a storage depot until it was deactivated on 14 December 1953.
+On 20 Janurary 1945, the USAAF returned Goxhill to RAF control, being assinged as a satellite to RAF Kirton Lindsey.  On 27 May it was assigned to RAF Maintence Command for storage of excess munitions.   RAF Goxhill remained a storage depot until it was deactivated on 14 December 1953.
 Goxhill airfield was leased to farmers for agricultural use until 29 January 1962, when it was finally sold by the Ministry Of Defense.    The Technical Site and the aircraft hangars, however, was retained by the MOD for storage uses.
-In Jul 1977, the MOD sold off the remaining parts of Goxhill to private owners.
+In Jul 1977, the MOD sold off the remaining parts of Goxhill to private owners for agricultural use.
+Today, Goxhill is remarkably intact and has a 'Marie Celeste' feel about it. All the buildings in the Technical Site, with the sad exception of the Control Tower, demolished over the owner's objection in 2002, are still standing. The three hangars, two T-2s and a J type also are there, albeit in a state of disrepair. The perimeter track is almost complete and a large part of the main runway is still in place. To the Northwest corner of the site is a fantastic memorial incorporating a prop blade from a crashed P38.
-Today, nearly the entire airfield remains intact and is primarily used for agriculture.  Many of the World War II buildings remain and perhaps of its relative inaccessability, Goxhill looks very much like it did uring the war years.
+Perhaps of its relative inaccessability, Goxhill looks very much like it did uring the war years.
 == See also ==
@@ Line 50: / Line 62: @@
 == External links ==
-{{RAF-stub}}
+{{Geolinks-US-cityscale|53.6778|-0.3156}}
-{{US-mil-stub}}
 [[Category:Royal Air Force stations]]