RAF Waddington - Simply Planes

Image courtesy of Mile Hiley

Waddington Airfield opened as a Royal Flying Corps training station in 1916, its primary task to train new pilots. In 1920 the station was put on care and maintenance. During the next few years the station was enlarged and new buildings and hangars were added.

Waddington was also the home to No. 503 (Bombing) Squadron manned by part-time volunteers. It was equipped with the Fairey Fawn, which was a light day-bomber.

In 1929 the squadron re-equipped with the Handley Page Hyderabad heavy night-bomber, which was partially wooden

In 1933 the Hyderabad was replaced with the Handley Page Hinaidi, which was of all-metal construction

In October 1935, 503 Squadron changed its role once again and became a day-bomber squadron with the Westland Wallace aircraft.

These aircraft were then replaced with the Hawker Hind which the squadron operated until they disbanded in 1938.

No. 50 Squadron reformed at Waddington in May 1937 with the Hawker Hind biplane which were replaced by the Bristol Blenheim and were later replaced with the Handley Page Hampden in December 1939

As time went by the Hampdens were replaced with the Avro Manchester, in fact Waddington was the first station to operate the Manchester.

In December 1941 the Avro Lancaster entered service with 44 Squadron and one of their pilots, Squadron Leader John Nettleton, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in an attack on a German U-boat engine factory.

During 1943 concrete runways were laid and when these were finished two Lancaster squadrons from the Royal Australian Air Force arrived. After the Second World War had ended Waddington was home to other squadrons flying aircraft such as the Avro Lincoln and B-29 Washington.

In 1953 Waddington was yet again put on care and maintenance while being readied for new heavier aircraft

English Electric Canberras of 27 Squadron at RAF Waddington and English Electric Canberras of 27 Squadron at Nicosia in 1956. Images courtesy of RAF Waddington Heritage Centre – Crown Copyright

Waddington then became the home to Canberras from 21 and 27 Squadrons but both these squadrons were disbanded in 1957 when Waddington became a Vulcan base.

Avro Vulcan BI XA900 in a silver finish and an all-white Avro Vulcan B1A. Images courtesy of RAF Waddington Heritage Centre – Crown Copyright

The Avro Vulcan was stationed at Waddington for over twenty-five years and included No. 44, 50, 83 and 101 Squadrons.

No. 50 Squadron was the last squadron to operate the Vulcan. It reformed at Waddington on the 1st August 1962 and was still operating the Vulcan B2s at the time of the Falklands War. Two crews from 50 Squadron were selected for Operation Black Buck missions and with the continued need to operate flights to the south atlantic after the Falklands Conflict it was decided to convert six 50 Squadron Vulcans to single-point tankers, and these aircraft remained in service until No. 50 Squadron disbanded on the 31st March 1984

Images above,courtesy of RAF Heritage Centre/ Crown Coptright

The last flying Vulcan, XH558 continued to operate from Waddington, thrilling the crowds up and down the country with its spirited flying displays. In 1993 XH558 was herself retired to Bruntingthorpe in Leicestershire, but several years later after extensive engineering work was once back in the air thrilling the public at major air shows.

In 1995 Nimrod R1 aircraft of 51 Squadron arrived at Waddington having relocated from RAF Wyton where they had been in residence for over twenty years.

Image courtesy of Dave Hedge

The Nimrods operated from Waddington for a number of years

Image courtesy of Bob Franklin

Image courtesy of Dave Robbins

When it came to retirement time for the Nimrod, RAF Waddington hosted a retirement parade.

Images courtesy of Bob Franklin

On Tuesday 12th July Nimrod R1 XW664 left Waddington inbound for its new home at the East Midlands Air Museum, after a final flypast XW664 landed and backtracked past the waiting crowds watching from the museum on the other side of the airfield. Awaiting the aircraft were the airport fire trucks who were the guard of honour for XW664’s arrival, which taxied through the water jets before coming to a halt and shutting down the engines for the very last time. The aircraft was decommissioned and positioned in the museum at a later date.

Images courtesy of David Johnson

The final flight of a Nimrod R1

On the 29th July 2011Nimrod R1 XV 249 took off from RAF Waddington for the last time, this was the last flight of a 51 Squadron Nimrod. After carrying out a final flypast, 249 headed off to Kemble airfield to be dismantled, and eventually being roaded to Cosford Air Museum.

Images courtesy of Gary Parsons

Farewell to the E-3D Sentry

On the 29th September 2021 a Royal Parade was held at RAF Waddington, the parade was held to mark the retirement of the E-3D Sentry from RAF Service, as well as acknowledging 30 years of service with the RAF.

HRH the Earl of Wessex, an Honorary Air Commodore, reviewed the parade and was accompanied by Air Officer Commanding Number 1 Group, Air Vice Marshal Allan Marshall and the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force Commander, Major General Thomas E Kunkel from the United States Air Force.

The Officer Commanding 8 Squadron, Wing Commander Victoria Williams was the parade commander for the event which saw a flypast conducted by an 8 Squadron E-3D Sentry

All images courtesy of Mark Young
The final departures of the last two E3s took place on the 25th and 26th July 2022 with the aircraft departing to a new life with a foreign air force.