1/72 Raf Coningsby, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, 2005-2021

Kits-World - 1/72 Raf Coningsby, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, 2005-2021. 450mm(W) x 450mm(H) 17inches(W) x 17inches(H).

RAF Coningsby was built in the late 1930's and after officially opening in November 1940, became operational in February 1941. No. 106 Squadron was the first unit to begin offensive operations from the base flying Handley Page Hampden's. A second unit, No. 97 Squadron, arrived in April equipped with Avro Manchester's, and in late May 1942, the base was instrumental in the Thousand Bomber Raids, initially during Operation Millennium against Cologne, and over the following month against Essen and Bremen.

The base underwent extensive rebuild during the period between the autumn of 1942 and summer of 1943 whilst concrete runways were laid to accommodate heavier aircraft and additional hangar facilities were built.

No. 617 Dambusters Squadron was the first unit to become operational from the station beginning in August 1943 and flying Avro Lancaster's. 617 Squadron operations from Coningsby were fairly limited due to the classified nature of the units missions, although it did participate in Operation Garlic against the Dortmund-Ems canal in Germany. Ultimately, this mission was a failure. Eight 617 Lancaster's took part in the mission, with only three returning. In January 1944, 617 moved to Raf Woodall Spa approximately two miles north of Coningsby. In replacement, No. 619 Squadron moved to Coningsby from Woodall Spa the same month, but left in April when it moved to Raf Dunholme Lodge. Coningsby continued as a major Lancaster base up to and after the end of the war with No. 61, 83 and 97 Squadrons being stationed there, with de Havilland Mosquitos of Nos. 109 and 139 Squadrons arriving post-war.

The station played host to English Electric Canberra's through the 1950's and from 1962 to 1964, the Avro Vulcan. Coningsby was also to have received the Bac TSR.2 strike aircraft which had been due to join No. 40 Squadron and to replace the Canberra in Raf service. In the event, neither the TSR.2 or the General Dynamics F-111K which was to have been bought instead saw service with the RAF, the TSR.2 program being cancelled as part of the 1966 Defence White Paper cutbacks, and the F-111K being cancelled due to cost overruns in 1968.

1968 saw the arrival of the Rolls-Royce Spey-powered McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 at Coningsby with No. 228 Ocu activating at the base in October 1968 until it moved to Raf Leuchars. In April 1972, No. 41(F) Squadron arrived and stayed until 1977 when it was disbanded and reformed at Coltishall flying Sepecat Jaguar GR.1's. In January 1975, No. 29(F) Squadron arrived from Raf Wattisham after replacing its English Electric Lightning F.3's with Phantoms. The squadron stayed at Coningsby until 1987. No. 23(F) Squadron made a brief stay at the base from November 1975 to February 1976 when it moved to Raf Wattisham, and No. 56(F) Squadron formed at Coningsby in March 1976 with Lightning F.6's before these were replaced with Phantoms in June of the same year. The following month, the squadron moved to Wattisham.

The 1980's saw a major refurbishment of the base, including the construction of hardened aircraft shelters, pending the arrival of the Panavia Tornado F.3. No. 229 OCU/No.65 Squadron formed in November 1984 to train pilots on the new aircraft. In April 1987, the last of the Phantoms moved from Coningsby to Raf Leuchars and No. 29(F) Squadron became operational as the UK's first Tornado F.3 air defence squadron. These played a key role in the 1991 Gulf War.

Into the 2000's saw the arrival of Sepecat Jaguar GR.3's of No. 6 Squadron from Raf Coltishall. By this time, Jaguar operations with the Raf were beginning to wind down to be replaced with later versions of the Tornado and the new Eurofighter Typhoon. The Jaguars remained at Coningsby until early May through to July 2007 when they relocated to Raf Cosford. No. 6 Squadron was disbanded at the end of May 2007.

The Eurofighter Typhoon began to arrive at Coningsby in May 2005 and equipped No. 17 Squadron. In April 2006, No. 3(F) Squadron moved from Raf Cottesmore to Coningsby to become the first fully operational Raf Typhoon squadron having released its former BAe Harrier GR.7's to the Fleet Air Arm. This was followed by No. 11 Squadron, reactivating in March 2007 following its disbandment in October 2005. In July 2018, No. 12 Squadron was reactivated with Typhoon FGR.4's and operates in conjunction with the Qatar Emiri Air Force to provide Typhoon air and ground crew training support to Qatar.

As of 2021, Nos. 3(F), 11, 12 and 29 Squadrons operate Typhoon operations from Coningsby.

The base is also home to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

GPS- 53º05'36.14' N 0º10'40.32' W

Main aircraft operated for the period (2005-2021) given:

Eurofighter Typhoon. Shown are representative Typhoons from any of the current four units.

Sepecat Jaguar GR.3 (No. 6 Squadron)