# RAF Lindley

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/RAF_Lindley.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Lindley
> Source revision: 1330815229
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Former RAF base in Leicestershire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = RAF Lindley
| ensign = Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
| ensign_size = 90px
| native_name = 
| partof = <!-- for elements within a larger site -->
| location = [Higham on the Hill](/source/Higham_on_the_Hill), [Leicestershire](/source/Leicestershire)
| country = England
| image = <!--250px-->
| caption = 
| image2 = <!--secondary image, major command emblems for airfields -->
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| type = [Royal Air Force station](/source/List_of_former_Royal_Air_Force_stations)
| coordinates = {{coord|52|33|42|N|001|26|50|W|region:GB_type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| gridref = 
| pushpin_map = Leicestershire#UK
| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Leicestershire
| pushpin_label = RAF Lindley
| pushpin_label_position = top
| ownership = [Air Ministry](/source/Air_Ministry)
| operator = [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force)
| controlledby = [RAF Flying Training Command](/source/RAF_Flying_Training_Command)
| open_to_public = <!-- for out of use sites/sites with museums etc -->
| site_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
| site_other = <!-- for other sorts of facilities – radar types etc -->  
| site_area = <!-- area of site m2, km2 square mile etc -->
| code = <!--facility/installation code -->
| built = {{Start date|1940}}
| used = 1940 - {{End date|1946}}
| builder = 
| fate = 
| condition = 
| battles = [European theatre of World War II](/source/European_theatre_of_World_War_II)
| events = 
| past_commanders = <!-- past notable commander(s) -->
| garrison = <!-- such as the 25th Bombardment Group -->
| occupants = <!-- squadrons only -->
| designations = 
| website = 
| footnotes = <!-- catchall in case it's needed to preserve something in infobox -->
<!-- begin airfield information  -->
| IATA = 
| ICAO = 
| LID = 
| GPS = 
| WMO = 
| elevation = {{Convert|100|m|0}}
| r1-number = 00/00
| r1-length = <!-- {{Convert||m|0}} -->
| r1-surface = Concrete
| r2-number = 00/00
| r2-length = <!-- {{Convert||m|0}} -->
| r2-surface = Concrete
| r3-number = 00/00
| r3-length = <!-- {{Convert||m|0}} -->
| r3-surface = Concrete
| h1-number = 
| h1-length = <!-- {{Convert| |m|0}} -->
| h1-surface = 
| airfield_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
| airfield_other = <!-- for other sorts of airfield facilities -->
<!--  end airfield information   -->
}}
'''Royal Air Force Lindley''' or more simply '''RAF Lindley''' is a former [Royal Air Force station](/source/Royal_Air_Force_station) situated in Leicestershire {{Convert|8.1|mi|0}} south east of [Polesworth](/source/Polesworth), [Warwickshire](/source/Warwickshire), [England](/source/England) in close proximity to [Watling Street](/source/Watling_Street).<ref name="CT">{{cite web|url=http://www.controltowers.co.uk/N/Nuneaton.htm |title=Lindley/Nuneaton|publisher=Control Towers|accessdate=2 April 2012}}</ref>

The airfield opened in 1943 before closing in 1946.<ref name="ABCT">{{cite web|url=https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/nuneaton-ii|title=Lindley/Nuneaton|publisher=[Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust](/source/Airfields_of_Britain_Conservation_Trust) |accessdate=1 April 2012}}</ref>

==History==
The first unit to use the airfield was [No. 1513 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF](/source/No._1513_(Beam_Approach_Training)_Flight_RAF) (BAT Flt) flying the [Airspeed Oxford](/source/Airspeed_Oxford) based at [RAF Bramcote](/source/RAF_Bramcote), [RAF Bitteswell](/source/RAF_Bitteswell) and Lindley between 31 October 1942 and 13 May 1946.<ref name="AA flying units">{{cite web|url=https://www.aviationarchaeology.org.uk/marg/flying_units.htm |title=Military flying units in the south west Midlands |publisher=Aviation Archaeology |accessdate=2 April 2012}}</ref> From 7 February 1943 until 27 March 1943 [No. 18 (Polish) Operational Training Unit RAF](/source/No._18_OTU) used the airfield as a satellite from [RAF Bramcote](/source/RAF_Bramcote) flying [Avro Anson](/source/Avro_Anson)s, [Fairey Battle](/source/Fairey_Battle)s and [Vickers Wellington](/source/Vickers_Wellington)s<ref name="AA flying units"/>  but the airfield was transferred to [RAF Transport Command](/source/RAF_Transport_Command) on 25 June 1943 and was home to [No. 105 Operational Training Unit](/source/No._105_OTU) flying [Vickers Wellington](/source/Vickers_Wellington)s and [Douglas Dakota](/source/Douglas_C-47_Skytrain)s until 21 November 1945. However the unit was renamed [No. 1381 (Transport) Conversion Unit RAF](/source/No._1381_(Transport)_Conversion_Unit_RAF) before moving to [RAF Desborough](/source/RAF_Desborough) on 10 August 1943.

===United States Army use===
The airfield was used by the Air Echelon of 250th Field Artillery, [United States Army](/source/United_States_Army), with the [Piper L-4 Cub](/source/Piper_J-3_Cub), 'Grasshopper' between March and June 1944 before 30 November 1945 when the airfield was placed on care and maintenance.

==Current use==
The [Motor Industry Research Association](/source/Motor_Industry_Research_Association) (MIRA) started using the airfield from October 1948<ref name="CT"/> two years after it was founded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mira.co.uk/about-mira/mira-heritage#timeline-milestone_138|title=MIRA Heritage |publisher=MIRA |accessdate=2 April 2012}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/40/a2939240.shtml BBC History -Memories of a Wartime Erk in the RAF]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090709171930/http://www.webspinners.org.uk/weddingtoncastle2/new_page_49.htm Lindley Hall]

{{Royal Air Force}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lindley}}
Category:Royal Air Force stations in Leicestershire
Category:Military airbases established in 1943
Category:Military airbases closed in 1946

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [RAF Lindley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Lindley) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Lindley?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.