Lincoln
Cathedral holds 25,611 RAF names. Produced 1 in 14 British WWI aircraft. RAF Waddington (Red Arrows), RAFC Cranwell active. Leonardo/GCAP presence. RAF Scampton plans: £2.6B impact, 3,600 jobs.
Lincoln Cathedral holds the names of 25,611 dead airmen—a memorial to the county's role as Britain's aviation heartland. The Airmen's Chapel commemorates RAF personnel who never returned; stained glass windows, squadron standards, and plaques mark their service.
The connection began in World War I, when Lincoln became one of the world's largest aircraft production areas. At peak output, the city produced 3,500 aircraft and 3,000 aero engines—one in fourteen of all British aircraft. Factories that made agricultural machinery converted to military production.
Two major RAF bases remain active: RAF Waddington (home to the Red Arrows) and RAFC Cranwell (the world's first military air academy, still training pilots from RAF, Royal Navy, and Army). The International Bomber Command Centre opened in 2018 to commemorate the 57,861 Bomber Command personnel killed in World War II.
Defence industry employment continues. Leonardo participates in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), developing capabilities for a combat aircraft system entering service in 2035. The company maintains a significant presence in Lincoln.
The Cathedral, built on a limestone ridge visible for miles, predates the aviation connection. It was the tallest building in the world from 1311 to 1548. Below it, the Castle holds one of four surviving originals of Magna Carta.
RAF Scampton's sale in 2024 opened regeneration possibilities: plans project £2.6 billion economic impact, 3,600 jobs, and potential for an annual airshow using the 10,000-foot runway.
By 2026, Lincoln tests whether aviation heritage can anchor aerospace industry growth.