Wednesday 3 July 2013

RAF Stenigot - Lincolnshire

Based high on the Lincolnshire wolds, approximately 5 miles South-East of Louth, RAF Stenigot opened in 1940 as a WW2 Radar station.


It was part of the Chain Home radar network to provide long range early warning for raids from along the approaches to Sheffield and Nottingham and the central midlands.

The original site contained 4 giant 110m (360ft) transmitter masts, and 2 generator/receiving blocks.



After WW2 the site operated for this purpose until 1959 when 3 of the masts were dismantled and the site was redeveloped as a NATO communications relay site as part of the ACE High program.

This resulted the construction of four tropospheric scatter parabolic dishes.

The site finally closed around 1991 after advances in modern technology made the facility redundant and in 1996 was finally disposed of, however many of the older structures still remain.



One original radar tower has been retained by the MOD which is a grade 2 listed structure and is used for climbing aptitude training by the Aerial Erector School at RAF Digby.

On a clear day, from the top of the tower, its is possible to see Lincoln Cathedral, the North Sea and even the Humber bridge as well as the lines of bomb craters left by the Luftflotte.

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