KIRMINGTON
This Class A airfield, on which work begun late in 1941, was completed the following summer. Located directly south-west of Kirmington village on the A18 Scunthorpe to Grimsby road, the airfield conformed to the standard of the time with three concrete runways, the main, 04-22, being originally 1,450 yards long, 15-33 1,150 yards, and 09-27 1,100 yards. However, it appears that extension of the runways was carried out before the station was opened and this involved the closure and diversion of the A18 just west of Kirmington village, and also the closure of the minor road running north to the village on the east side of the airfield. When extended the runways lengths were 04-22 at 2,000 yards and the others both 1,400 yards. Of the original 36 pan-type hardstandings two were, lost by perimeter track and hangar taxiway extensions. Two loop-type standings were added as replacements. A T2 hangar was located on the main technical site between runway heads 22 and 27 and another on the on a maintenance site near Kirmington Villa with another T2 and a B1 a little to the north. Two blister hangars were erected on pan hardstandings adjacent to the technical site T2. The bomb store was off the south side of the airfield and 11 camp sites, of which seven were domestic, were dispersed around Kirmington village and further to the east, allowing for 2,177 males and 345 females.
Kirmington was first used by No. 15 (Pilots) Advanced Flying School from March 1942, but on October 23 that year the station was transferred to No. 1 Group, Bomber Command when No. 150 Squadron and its Wellingtons arrived from Snaith preparatory to having half of its strength despatched to North Africa. The remaining crews continued on operations and were joined in December by part of No. 170 Squadron from Grimsby, which had suffered a similar fate. Instead of re-building both squadrons, a decision was taken by Bomber Command to amalgamate both under another designation. Thus, on January 27, 1943, No. 166 Squadron was re-born, having last existed as a Handley Page V/1500 heavy bomber squadron in the First World War. No.166 flew Wellingtons until September 1943 and then converted to Lancasters. As Bomber Command continued to expand, No.166 lost its C Flight in October 1944 for the re-forming of No. 153 Squadron. It flew its first raid on October 7 but, as was common practice, as soon as the new unit was fully established it was transferred to a station where more room was available. Thus by the middle of the month it had moved to Scampton. During operations from Kirmington, a total 178 bombers either failed to return or were destroyed in crashes, 51 being Wellingtons and 127 Lancasters.
Kirmington continued as home for No. 166 Squadron until November 1945 when, along with several other bomber squadrons, it was disbanded. From February 1946 the station was put on care and maintenance until relinquished by the Air Ministry to the Ministry of Agriculture in 1953. Some private crop spraying and commercial flying with light aircraft took place over the next few years, use being made of wartime buildings by the operators. From summer 1967, a small charter company started regular flying from the airfield and its activities gradually expanded. In 1970 Kirmington was selected as the best location for a regional airport serving the Hull, Grimsby and Scunthorpe localities. By this time the A18 had been restored and took in part of the northern end of runway 22, but the others were in good order although a minor road had been reopened across the flying field. In furtherance of the project, the airfield was purchased by Lindsey County Council for a reported £85,000, a further £170,000 being invested in refurbishing the runways, building a new terminal and control tower. Opened in March 1974, Kirmington eventually became Humberside Airport and home to small charter airlines. It has since been acquired by Manchester Airport PLC. A memorial plaque to the men of No. 166 Squadron is to be found in Kirmington village church.
