Monument record 6731/0/1 - Airfield Bombing Decoy Q97a

General site of a Second World War bombing decoy and shelter at Warmington. It was built to deflect enemy bombing from Royal Air Force Kingscliffe airfield. This was a 'Q-type' night decoy, which displayed a series of lights to simulate an active airfield. A further bombing decoy for Kingscliffe was located at Alwalton.

{1}Second world war air raid shelter. Large structure (3.5m x11m with an estimated height of 3m) no obvious defensive role - good view of surrounding land but no gun embrasures. Constructed of brickwalls with concrete base and roof, earth banks lean against the structure and earth covers the top.

{2}"Aircraft decoy site, probably for a nearby airfield. The building would have contained an RAF crew operating a generator to power electric lights simulating airfield lighting.",

{3} 'Q' site (night airfield decoy) with a grass airfield lighting system (QT) established for defence of Kings Cliffe Airfield. Abandonned in July 1942 in favour of Alwalton. Further detials of the operation of 'Q' sites in Gibson p. 89-90;

{4} Reference to site; no NGR; the decoy is identified as having been abadonned by 12.08.1942. The parent airfield was Kings Cliffe, whose other decoy was at Alwalton;

{5} Armishaw writes "this 'Q' site decoy shelter at Warmington is a bit of a conumdrum, possibly indicating an early construction date when skilled labour and materials would have been more readily available. The alter designs seem to have made a greater use of prefabricated steel and concrete sections which would have have made construction easier. The engine room contains a single engine plinth which is normal in a Q shelter and is in the same position as that in the 3395/40 drawing. The longer shelter room is accounted for by the ommission of the short passge connecting the shelter and engine room, the overall dimensions being roughly the same in both designs."

{6} 'Q' site (night airfield decoy) with a grass airfield lighting system (QT) established for the defence of the Kings Cliffe airfield. Abandoned in July 1942 in favour of Alwalton.

{8} DECOY SITE SHELTER. SRF, with 9 photographs and site plan. QL. Recorder- M. Ellison.

<1> ELLISON M., 1995, SITE REPORT FORM: DEFENCE OF BRITAIN PROJECT, (unchecked) (Report). SNN51697.

<1> Cadman G., 1998-9, Northamptonshire Bombing Decoys, P139-42 (Article). SNN104042.

<2> LOWRY B, 1996, CORRESPONDENCE, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN45930.

<3> Gibson M.L., 1982, Aviation In Northamptonshire: An Illustrated History, P. 90 (Book). SNN100276.

<4> Dobinson C.S., 1996, Twentieth Century Fortifications in England: Vol.III Bombing Decoys of World War Two, P.96 (Series). SNN39506.

<5> Armishaw, A., 2002, Letter, (unchecked) (Letter). SNN104606.

<6> Gibson M.L., 1982, Aviation In Northamptonshire: An Illustrated History, p. 90 (Book). SNN100276.

<7> Cadman, G., 2009, Warmington Aircraft Decoy Building, (unchecked) (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN106827.

<8> Migrated Defence of Britain Project database record originally compiled from various sources (Database). SNN112922.

<9> Historic England, Undated, Defence of Britain, DEB01 (Archive). SNN112947.

Record last edited

Feb 9 2024 11:18AM