A Christmas message from the leader of West Lindsey District Council
2022 is a year that nobody attached to the Red Arrows will forget in a hurry. It has seen the largest scandal in the display team’s history, and a change of scenery following the closure of RAF Scampton.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed in 2021 that RAF Scampton, home to the Red Arrows from 1983 to 1995 and then again from 2000 to 2022, would close as an RAF base permanently for cast saving purposes. It is a base littered with history, widely acknowledged as the only RAF base in the country to earn three Victoria Cross awards, and also being home to the Vulcan Bomber Force during the Cold War.The site opened in 1916 as a direct response to the enemy threat of Zeppelins, standing on the site of a former landing field for the First World War Flying Corps, though this would only appear to be a temporary measure.
Soon after came the conversion of the Avro Manchester fleet to Avro Lancasters at RAF Scampton, as Squadrons 49 and 83 were fully equipped with Lancaster Bombers by 1942. While the operation was a resounding success in terms of breaching enemy lines, it wasn’t without its casualties. Of the 12 Lancasters that left the runway, eight did not return, and 53 aircrew members were lost.
During the Cold War, the site as we know it in the modern day began to take shape. New storage buildings and a new control tower, twinned with the expanded runway, meant RAF Scampton could continue to be a force in future combats, as well as a home for vital Squadrons and aircraft. The base reopened in 2000, welcoming back the Red Arrows and it remained a proud home for the team until 2022, when a permanent relocation to RAF Waddington was completed ahead of the site’s closure.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Reflections 2022: Craig Leyland - Supporting our community in a tough yearA New Year message from ELDC Leader Craig Leyland
Read more »
The top Christmas cracker jokes for 2022 includes political digsThis year's shortlist also references the Will Smith and Chris Rock Academy Awards slap incident, as well as Holly and Phil's queue jump row during the mourning period for the Queen.
Read more »
The Best Photos of 2022: Arresting Women-Led ProjectsThrough intimate portraits, sprawling landscapes and surreal compositions, this year’s women-helmed photo projects offer painful, silly and subversive depictions of the female experience
Read more »
The best iPhone 14 cases in December 2022The last thing you want is a broken screen, so take a look at these delightful iPhone 14 cases. Stylish and safe.
Read more »
Best films of 2022 — a year of comebacks, flops and arrests\n\t\t\tInsightful reads\n\t\t\tInterviews & reviews\n\t\t\tThe FT Crossword\n\t\t\tTravel, houses, entertainment & style\n\t\t
Read more »