RAF West Malling over the Channel. The three surviving aircraft were rescued only when the fight was joined by Hurricanes from No. 111 Squadron. The remainder of the unit returned north to RAF Prestwick on 25 July due to the ineffectiveness of the Defiant against single-seat fighters. No. 29 Squadron flying Bristol Beaufighters arrived for its first tour of duty on 27 April 1941. One of the Squadron's pilots, Guy Gibson VC, later officer commanding 617 Squadron on the Dambusters Raid, said of the station "Of all the airfields in Great Britain ... we have the most pleasant". A regular and long-standing inhabitant,
RAF Sandtoft RAF Sandtoft RAF Sandtoft is a former Royal Air Force Station in North Lincolnshire between Doncaster, South Yorkshire and Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, England. RAF Sandtoft opened in February 1944 as a satellite airfield to RAF Lindholme which was 3 miles to the west. No. 1 Group, RAF Bomber Command based a number of aircraft here from the RAF 1667 Heavy Conversion Unit, including Handley Page Halifaxes from RAF Faldingworth and Avro Lancasters. In November 1944 the airfield transferred to No. 7 Group Bomber Command. The RAF station closed on 10 November 1945. After the Second World War, the airfield was