Polish bomber squadrons initially used the aerodrome for training. They operated from the grass airfield, flying Fairey Battles and Vickers Wellingtons. In July 1941 the Polish squadrons moved to Hemswell. Next 455 Squadron of Coastal Command arrived with Handley Page Hampden (twin-engined) bombers.  In 1942 the airfield was closed to lay concrete runways to accommodate heavy bombers. Because the bearing factory Marles was in the direct line of the airfield, Winfield was not developed as a bomber base.

 

Between 1942 - 45 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit flew Manchesters, Halifaxes and Stirling Bombers for training replacement crews for other RAF bases. A large number of men passed through RAF Winthorpe because the losses at the other bases were so high. Ten Lancaster Bombers were also used, and on the 16/01/1943 Lancaster bombers from Winthorpe took part in "Operation Target Berlin". The "Short Stirling" 4-engined bombers arrived in the autumn of 1943. In late autumn 1943 sixteen Handley Page Halifax bombers arrived but they did not remain very long as they were needed by bomber command. On the 3rd December 1944, the number of personnel stationed at Winthorpe was 1613. In early 1945 Hurricane and Spitfires arrived but only for training purposes.

 

After the war 1945 – 47 Transport Command took over Winthorpe Airbase. 1441 Heavy Transport practised air drops from there. Between 1955 – 59 the RAF Research Establishment took over and the Technical Servicing Manuals for new equipment were written here (before the research Establishment moved on to Swanton Morley). In July 1959 the airbase effectively closed, after which the Site was transferred to Maintenance Command care.

 

 

 

 

In the 1950s housing had been erected in a grid pattern on the area west of the driveway on the old Site 4 and the WAAF Site, around Harvey Avenue and five more roads. It was designed to house 150 RAF Families connected to nearby RAF stations.

 

In July 1962 contractor Robert McGregor and son took over the site of construction of the A1 to build the 6mile stretch of road from Balderton to North Muskham. The works included laying 13miles of reinforced concrete, 24ft carriageways and 15ft central reservation, and the pre-stressed concrete Winthorpe Bridge. Two Coddington houses were demolished – Catch’En Inn Farm and Gilbert’s house. The road, which ran by the side of the Harvey Avenue Estate, was opened on 27^th July 1964 by Minister of Transport, Ernest Marples.

 

Coddington Hall became unsafe and by 1968 most of it had been demolished – local firm Hough Bros. won the contract and some of the materials were recycled in village properties. The RAF put the 35.8a Hall Site up for auction on March 19th 1969 – it was described as 2 lots as potential building land, with outline planning advice.  Lot 1 of 24.8a included a cottage ‘The Nook’ (tenant Mrs Allport) and a disused and dilapidated detached bungalow – the lot had the familiar ‘question mark’ shape of the Hall site – apparently the lot was withdrawn at £17,000.  Lot 2 was 11a, a plot of land that ran perpendicular to the Hall site, south of Beaconfield Farm and north of the Harvey Avenue Estate – apparently the lot was withdrawn at £7,000.

 

The Married Quarters for other ranks and offices were retained by the MoD and used by RAF Scampton, Digby, Cranwell, Waddington and Conningsby. In the 1970s they were sold to Newark and Sherwood District Council. The Offices houses in Parklands Close were auctioned off and the houses for other ranks were kept as Council Houses. The Harvey Avenue Estate became run down, and the residents were relocated and the site sold for redevelopment as private housing estate in 2000 (with a few NSDC rented properties).