RAF Wickenby Memorial Collection Museum

About the museum

RAF Wickenby was built in 1941 and 1942 as a Bomber Command airfield with three concrete runways and a perimeter track. No. 12 Squadron moved in from Binbrook in September 1942, flying first Wellington and later Lancaster bombers, and No. 626 Squadron also flew Lancasters from the station. The museum is dedicated to the servicemen based at Wickenby, and 1,143 of the airmen based here did not return from their missions.

After the war the site became a civil airfield, and it has been an active aerodrome since the 1960s. The museum opened in the 1990s in the upstairs room of the old Watch Office, set up by the owners of the airfield. Over the years it has gathered artefacts connected with the station, the Lancaster bomber and its crews, together with a large collection of photographs.

The museum was closed for about a year because of the pandemic and the retirement of its long-serving curator, and it reopened in May 2022 under a new curator. Volunteers now look after the displays and an archive of more than 1,400 wartime and post-war photographs, and a free Friends scheme keeps supporters in touch with news from the airfield.

Key themes

• Lancaster bomb aimer's flying equipment
• Uniform of Pilot Officer J F V Butcher DFC
• Board naming some of the aircrew killed in action from RAF Wickenby
• Archive of over 1,400 wartime and post-war photographs
• Memorial remembering the 1,143 airmen who did not return

Permanent exhibition

• RAF Wickenby Memorial Collection – Displays of flying equipment, uniforms, photographs and memorials telling the story of the airmen of 12 and 626 Squadrons and the station at Wickenby during the Second World War.

Founded

1999

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free; donations towards running costs are welcome.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is on the upper floor of the old Watch Office, and there is no disabled access up the stairs.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is at Wickenby Aerodrome, Langworth, near Lincoln (postcode LN3 5AX).

Amenities & dining

• Café

Cafe 12 is in the control tower. It opens 10am to 3pm on airfield open days (normally Wednesday to Sunday), with food served until 2pm, and takes card and contactless payments only.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit