Station History

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Harlaxton was a triangular grass surface landing ground located about a mile South-East of Harlaxton village, and oriented unusually to the north. It originally opened in 1916 as an RFC aerodrome. During WWI it was a busy training airfield and during 1918 was designated as No.40 Training Depot Station.

No.68 (Australian) Squadron arrived in the UK from Kantara, Egypt, in January 1917, staying at Harlaxton until September 1917, then deploying to France.

With the onset of WWII, it was decided that Harlaxton was not suitable to the needs of a major station, and was prepared for use as a Relief Landing Ground for No.12 FTS (later re designated No.12(P) AFU) based at RAF Spitalgate. The station was expanded in 1942, to help with it’s roll as a RLG. No.12 FTS, used Harlaxton until February 1945 and were succeeded by No.17 SFTS from RAF Cranwell. In January 1945, a Douglas C-47A-1-DL of the USAAF, crashed at Harlaxton whilst landing. No one was killed in the accident, but the aircraft was subsequently written-off.

Very little remains of this former fighter station. Today only a single hut and a couple of air raid shelters remain of this once busy site. Everything else has long been demolished.

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Aircraft and Squadrons

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Date Squadron Notes

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November 1916 Station opened.

 

January 1917 No.68 SqnOperating the Airco DH.5. Left Harlaxton in September 1917.

 

1919 Station closed.

 

1942 Station re-opened as a Relief Landing Ground for RAF Cranwell.

 

1942 No.12 AFUNo.12 AFU was only a detachment of the Squadron. They left Harlaxton in February 1945.

 

1947 RAF Harlaxton closed.