Coningsby Aviation Heritage Centre - Display Idea

Evening everyone,

I'm in the process of planning a display, which will be one of the main features in the Hardened Personnel Shelter we're refurbishing on station...

The display is on Lincolnshire in WW2, including the RAF, Army and Navy sites as well as defensive positions (if possible.)

I've compiled a brief list of locations whilst thinking about this idea over the weekend, so far I have the following:

Lincolnshire in WW2:

Army Stations:
Potterhanworth
Skegness
Tumby Woodside
Woodhall

RAF Stations:
Bardney - Bomber station
Barkston Heath - US Paras
Binbrook - Bomber station
Blyton
Boston - MCU
Caistor - Bomb Dump
Coningsby - Bomber Station
Coleby Grange - Fighter Station
Cranwell
Digby - Fighter Station
Donna Nook - Bombing Range
Dunholme Lodge - Bomber Station
East Kirkby - Bomber Station
Elsham Wolds - Bomber Station
Faldingworth
Fiskerton - Bomber Station
Folkingham
Fulbeck
Grantham
Goxhill - Bomber Station
Hemswell - Bomber Station
Hibaldstow
Holbeach - Bombing Range
Ingham - Bomber Station
Immingham
Kelstern - Bomber Station
Killinghome - Bomber Station
Kirmington - Bomber Station
Kirton On Lindsay - Bomber Station
Langtoft
Ludford Magna - Bomber Station
Manby
Market Stainton - Bomb Dump
Metheringham - Bomber Station
Nocton Hall - Hospital
North Cotes - Coastal Command
North Witham - MU
Orby
Rauceby - Hospital
Sandtoft
Scampton - Bomber Station
Skellingthorpe - Bomber Station
Skendleby
Spitalgate
South Witham - MU
Spilsby - Bomber Station
Stenigot - Radar
Strubby - Coastal Command
Sturgate
Sutton Bridge
Swinderby
Theddlethorpe - Gunnery Range
Tumby - Listening Post
Tumby Woodside - Bomb Dump
Waddington - Bomber Station
Wainfleet - Bombing Range
Walsham - Bomber Station
Wellingore - Fighter Station
Wickenby - Bomber Station
Woodhall - Bomber Station

Navy stations:
HMS Arbella
HMS Beaver
HMS Royal Arthur

POW Camp:
Moorsby

That's already a lot of information to go on the map before I include defensive sites around the County. Do you think the idea is feasible or will it be a case of serious overload? Also, any good ideas of what the best way to illustrate this information would be (baring in mind there's very little budget to play with.)

I'll look forward to your comments...

Caistor (Airfield)

Grass airfield with six Fighter Pens, no bomber aircraft support capability

No Bomb Store

Post-war THOR Missile site

Market Stainton (Forward Ammunition Depot)

233 MU RAF

January 1943 - Opened as 93 MSU (Maintenance Sub Unit of Norton Disney)

June 1943 - Declared as an FAD (Forward Ammunition Depot) and renumbered 233 MU

Munitions stacked on roadside verge hardstandings with 'soft' stores in temporary hutting.

There is a likely location for a railhead for the FAD slightly to the SW.

Munitions would have been loaded/unloaded from trains and trucked to the depot.

Tumby Woodside

Tumby was used by 42 Group RAF from late 1941 for the temporary storage of RAF munitions pending completion of the permanent depots.

Tumby is on the list of TDs and it is presumed that it refers to Tumby or Tumby Woodside.

The RAF policy, in the early war years, was that muntions should be underground with overhead cover against aerial bombardment. It is certain therefore that where this could not be achieved, concealment was essential. The preferred site for surface storage was in wooded areas which provided cover and protection from blast. Good communications were also a requirement.

Munitions stacked on improved roadside ('rides' and tracks within the woods) verge hardstandings with 'soft' stores in temporary hutting.

It is deduced that the actual storage area would have been in St Helens Wood. An active railway ran south of the woods and would have provided transportation via a railhead.