PRN46485 RAF Spilsby was to be on the site of Gunby Park. However Field Marshal Sir Archibald Massingberd of Gunby Hall appealed personally to the King and as a result the planned RAF Steeping airfield was built two miles to the south-west as RAF Spilsby. RAF Spilsby opened in September 1943 and the first operational sorties took place in October. In April 1944 three geographically linked bomber stations: RAF Spilsby, RAF Strubby and RAF East Kirkby, joined to become the newly formed 55 Base headquartered at East Kirkby. In September 1944 RAF Spilsby became a two squadron station becoming the home of two Lancaster squadrons. No.2 Armament Practice School took over from October 1945 until November 1946 after which the station was placed on care and maintenance until June 1955. It re-opened to host ground units of the USAF. Although, the east to west runway was extended by 1,590 feet during the Korean War. The USAF moved out in March 1958 and the station closed. The runways were torn up in the 1970s and the aggregate was used in the construction of the Humber Bridge. {1}{2}{3}{4} Aerial photograph interpretation was undertaken by Air Photo Services in december 2010. The military base at RAF Spilsby was identified on many aerial photographs. {5}