RAF Scampton
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RAF Scampton is a Royal Air Force station situated north of Lincoln in England.
Scampton is best known as the home of 617 Squadron during World War 2, the Dambusters, led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson. Gibson won the Victoria Cross for the famous "bouncing bomb" raids on the Mohne, Eider and Sorpe dams in the heartland of the Ruhr in Germany during Operation Chastise.
World War 2
For many years a Lancaster Bomber was gate guardian at Scampton, along with the large bouncing and Grand Slam bombs they had carried, but this first Lancaster was moved to the RAF museum at Hendon. Later another restored Lancaster, repatriated from the French islands in the South Seas, took its place.
Scampton is also famous as being the home of the Vulcan Bombers during the 1950s and 60s. These delta winged bombers were the launch platform for the UK's airborne nuclear deterrent, primarily through the carriage of Blue Steel and WE177s. It was because of the Vulcans that Scampton got permission to divert an almost 2000 year old Roman road from its straight north/south track in order to extend the runway. You can still see the eastward bulge in the A15 road due north of Lincoln.
Recent Developments
Later the RAF Central Flying School moved to Scampton and it was common to see the Red Arrows aerobatic team there as it became their base. In the mid 1990s, Scampton was mothballed, with the CFS moving to nearby RAF Cranwell. The domestic site continued to be used as overflow from RAF Waddington. More recently, the Red Arrows moved back to Scampton to free up space at Cranwell, and they are the primary user of the station, with their CO being the de facto station commander.
Over the next few years, Air Combat Service Support units of 2 Group and personnel from RAF Boulmer and elsewhere will be moved to Scampton, making its future more secure.
External links
- RAF Scampton history (http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/scampton.html)