Following recent government announcements the museum is currently closed, there is plenty to explore in our online archive.
The American Air Museum is a charity - Find out how you can support us
Military site : airfield
Aerial photograph of Kirton in Lindsey airfield looking west, the technical site with three C-Type hangars is on the right, 27 July 1948. Photograph taken by No. 540 Squadron, sortie number RAF/540/63. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
Lieutenant-Colonel Oscar Coen and a ground crewman, both of the 4th Fighter Group, on the wing of P-47 Thunderbolt at Debden air base, October 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'American Thunderbolt Fighters are proving a terror to the Germans. The pilots (former members of the RAF) flying their high altitude fast diving fighters that have accounted for many enemy planes. In one raid over Paris the fighters of this Station accounted for 17 down, 5 probables and one damaged 15/10/43'. And 'Lt. Col. Oscar Coen of Illinois is an ace and one of the original Eagle Squadron. He has won the British and US D.F.C. He is here seen on the wing of his plane with a mechanic'.
Personnel of the 1st Fighter Group (15th Air Force) with No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron. Kirton-in-Lindsey, July 1942. Letter enclosed with print: 'Ground level left to right: Earl Hille; Robert Williams (deceased, 1 enemy aircraft shot down); George Sutcliffe (1 E/A); Pole (B. Baran); Glenn Hubbard (center) CO 94th FS (1/2 E/A); Jan Zumbach, the CO of No. 303 Polish Squadron; Pole (Jerzy Palusi?ski); Pole (Zygmunt Wodecki); James Harmon (KIA, 1 E/A). 1st step: Donald Starbuck (1 E/A Deceased); Jack Kille; Robert B Wilson; Pole (Zabreski); Robert Neale (3 E/A); Clifford Malzahn; Newell Roberts (5 E/A); Clarence Rimke KIA (1 E/A); Pole (J. Ostrowski). 2nd step, left to right: Pole (Adam Wojda); Everett Humphrey KIA; Pole (Longin Majewski); Pole (Tadeusz Powierza); Wesley Pringle (KIA); Pole (Miros?aw Szelestowski); Norman Widen (POW Deceased); Pole (Stanis?aw Socha); Pole (Antoni Kolubi?ski); Richard McWgeter (KIA 1 E/A); Pole (Maciej Lipinski); Sidney Pennington (KIA); Clark Jennings; Jack Ilfrey (6 E/A). Back row: Lewis Murdock (3 E/A); Pole (Boles?aw Drobi?ski). Drobi?ski identified all the Poles for me several years ago.'
Personnel of the 1st Fighter Group (15th Air Force) with No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron. Kirton-in-Lindsey, July 1942. Letter enclosed with print: 'Ground level left to right: Earl Hille; Robert Williams (deceased, 1 enemy aircraft shot down); George Sutcliffe (1 E/A); Pole (B. Baran); Glenn Hubbard (center) CO 94th FS (1/2 E/A); Jan Zumbach, the CO of No. 303 Polish Squadron; Pole (Jerzy Palusi?ski); Pole (Zygmunt Wodecki); James Harmon (KIA, 1 E/A). 1st step: Donald Starbuck (1 E/A Deceased); Jack Kille; Robert B Wilson; Pole (Zabreski); Robert Neale (3 E/A); Clifford Malzahn; Newell Roberts (5 E/A); Clarence Rimke KIA (1 E/A); Pole (J. Ostrowski). 2nd step, left to right: Pole (Adam Wojda); Everett Humphrey KIA; Pole (Longin Majewski); Pole (Tadeusz Powierza); Wesley Pringle (KIA); Pole (Miros?aw Szelestowski); Norman Widen (POW Deceased); Pole (Stanis?aw Socha); Pole (Antoni Kolubi?ski); Richard McWgeter (KIA 1 E/A); Pole (Maciej Lipinski); Sidney Pennington (KIA); Clark Jennings; Jack Ilfrey (6 E/A). Back row: Lewis Murdock (3 E/A); Pole (Boles?aw Drobi?ski). Drobi?ski identified all the Poles for me several years ago.'
Eagle Squadron members L - R: Robert Book, James Clark, William O'Regan, Chesley Peterson, Richard McMinn, Stan Anderson and Oscar Coen. Spitfire XR-Z in the background.
Captain Raymond C Care during his time with the 334th Fighter Squadron (XP).
Capt. Spiros 'Steve' N Pisanos ('The Greek'). He joined the 334th FS 4th FG on 24th October 1942 from 71st Sqn, RAF. Shot down in a P-51B on 5th March 1944, evaded and returned on 2nd September 1944. To 67th FW on 9th September 1944. Completed 106 WW2 sorties. He flew Spitfire Vb XR-K with 71st Squadron RAF then with 334th FS.
"Hawker Hurricane Mk I, V7608 XR-J, of No 71 (Eagle) Squadron RAF, lined up with other aircraft at Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire". Ground crewman dismounts the wing of XR-J having assisted the pilot with his straps, XR-C in the background awaits its pilot. IWM - CH 2412
"A Hawker Hurricane Mk I of No 71 (Eagle) Squadron takes off from Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire, as 'XR-Z', another aircraft of the Squadron, taxies to its take-off point." IWM Photo - CH 2406.
No 71 (Eagle) Sqn Hawker Hurricane Mk I XR-A Z3781 personal A/C of Fl Lt George A Brown, whilst commander of A flight, at dispersal hooked up in preparation with the trolley ack and with parachute left at hand for a fast scramble on the tail plane. Part of the fifth production batch produced by Hawker Aircraft Limited at Langley, to contract # 62305/39, between 14th January, 1941 and 28th July, 1941. Lost on 8th October 1941, Fl Lt Andrew Beck Mamedoff was flying with 133 Squadron on a standard transit flight from Fowlmere Airfield to RAF Eglinton in Northern Ireland in his Hurricane Z3781. The wreckage of his plane was found near Maughold on the Isle of Man and it is thought that he crashed due to poor weather conditions.
Used as an RFC and RAF Home Defence landing ground during the First World War, Kirton-in-Lindsey was built during 1938-40 as an RAF fighter station. It had two grass runways, 10 hardstandings, three grouped C hangars and four over-blister hangars. Occupied by the RAF from May 1940 to June 1942, the station became briefly an Eighth Air Force fighter base during June to August 1942 when, as a satellite to RAF Goxhill, it was home to the 94th Squadron of the 1st Fighter Group, equipped with P-38s. It then became briefly a fighter training base and was home to the 91st Squadron of the 81st Fighter Group, equipped with P-39s, during October to December 1942 before that Group went to North Africa to join the 12th Air Force. Handed back to the RAF in April 1943, the stationed remained operational as home to a variety of training units until 1965, when it was transferred to the British Army. As Rapier Barracks, it was occupied by the Royal Artillery from 1966 to 2004, when it was returned to the RAF. It was then the home of No. 1 Air Control Centre, parented by RAF Scampton, until the Centre moved to RAF Scampton during 2011-12. The decision was made by MOD in 2013 to dispose of the airfield and technical site, although the domestic site remains in use as a satellite to RAF Scampton.
Not yet known
Not yet known
Group
The 1st Fighter Group were initially deployed to Britain in the summer of 1942 as part of Operation Bolero. After shuttling through a number of different bases in the UK, the Group was reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force in September 1942 and supported...
Squadron
'On 14 May 1941, No. 121 was reformed at Kirton-in-Lindsey as the second 'Eagle' Squadron to be manned by American volunteers. Equipped with Hurricanes, it began defensive patrols in October but in November it converted to Spitfires. It moved to North...
Squadron
'On 19 September 1940, No. 71 was reformed at Church Fenton as the first 'Eagle' Squadron to be manned by American personnel. The Squadron received Hurricanes in November and became operational on defensive duties on 5 February 1941. No. 71 converted...
Squadron
'On 1 August 1941, No. 133 reformed at Coltishall as the third 'Eagle' Squadron manned by American personnel. Equipped with Hurricanes it became operational at the end of September. The next month the Squadron moved to Northern Ireland, returning to...
Military | Pilot Officer | Pilot
Joined RAFVR, service pilot training in US, shipped overseas to ETO, operational training at OTU, assigned to 71S, Bf109 damaged shared 15-5-41, Hurricane Mk I damaged friendly fire !! [John Flynn] 15-5-41.
Military | Captain | Pilot
From Ignacio, Colorado. Volunteering for the RAF just as the Battle of Britain was reaching its climax, Luke joined 71 (Eagle) Squadron RAF, flying his first combat operation in April 1941 on Hurricanes.
...
Military | Flight Lieutenant | Pilot
Joined RCAF, service pilot training in US, shipped overseas to ETO, operational training at OTU, assigned 121 [Eagle] Sqn RAF June 41, 12-4-41 1 x damaged and 1 x probable Bf109,
...
Military | Flying Officer | Pilot
Joined RAFVR, Spitfire pilot 121 [Eagle] Sqn RAF.
Delivered Spitfire [1 of 47] to Malta from USS Wasp 20th Apr 42.
Joined 126 Sqn RAF on Malta.
Military | Pilot Officer | Pilot
Joined the RAF on a short service commission in June 1939. He completed his training and arrived at 12 Group Pool on 23rd February 1940.
...
Military | Squadron Leader | Pilot
One of the first named members of 71 [Eagle] Sqn RAF when the new unit was announced to the British press, though he was probably in training at this point.
...
Military | Pilot Officer | Pilot
Spitfire pilot 71 [Eagle] Sqn RAF. Victim of a bomb in London, Killed In Action [KIA] 8-3-41. Flew as a crop duster pre war.
Military | Captain | fighter pilot-1055 single engine
Joined RAFVR, assigned to 71[Eagle] Sqn RAF, transferred to 334th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF USAAF.
...
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Squadron Commander | 496th Fighter Training Group
Joined RAFVR, service pilot training in US Dallas Aviation School RAF refresher course, shipped overseas to ETO, operational training at OTU, assigned to 71S, led Blue Flight 1st mission over Dieppe 18-8-42, transferred to 334FS 4FG 8AF USAAF 16-9-42 —...
Military | Pilot Officer | pilot
Pilot P/O Roger Hall Atkinson 71 [Eagle] Sqn RAF was KIFA, due to his parachute failing to open after baling out of Spitfire AD123, during aerobatic practice after structural failure nr Woodford Essex 15-10-41.
Spitfire
Supermarine Spifire AA752 Mk Vb, Const #2153 Built at Chattis Hill.
...
Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire AB941, Mk Vb, Built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory.
...
Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire AR341 Mk Vb, Built at Westland.
...
Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire AD196,Mk Vb, Built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory.
...
Hurricane
Hurricane Mk I, V7608 XR-J, of No 71 (Eagle) Squadron RAF, Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire.
Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane Mk I XR-A Z3781, part of the fifth production batch produced by Hawker Aircraft Limited at Langley, to contract # 62305/39, between 14th January, 1941 and 28th July, 1941.
...
Spitfire
Spitfire Mk Vb EN915 was built at the Vickers-Armstrong aircraft factory, Castle Bromwich, and delivered to the RAF at 37 Maintenance Unit, Burtonwood, on 17 May 1942. It was issued to 154 Squadron at Hornchurch on 12 June 1942. During its time with...
Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire Mk IIa P8572 built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory in 1941, delivered to 45 Maintenance Unit 27-Jun-41, assigned to 602 Sqn 17-Jul-41, assigned to 71 [Eagle] Sqn 8-41, hit ground recovering from dive nr Ongar Essex 9-Aug-41...
Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire Mk IIa P7308, built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory.
...
Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire P7430 MK IIa, Built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory,
...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 27 September 2014 18:02:17 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978) Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Ninth Then and Now (London, 1994) Roger Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Manual (London, 2001) Bruce Barrymore Halpenny, Action Stations 2: Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands (Cambridge, 1984) |
||
