From Google & wilkpedia
From 1946 to 1954 a number of different training units were stationed at Finningley with a variety of aircraft types. 616 squadron was re-formed at Finningley on 31st July 1946 equipped with Mosquito NF XXX night fighters which were replaced with Meteor F 3 day fighters a few months later. On the 8th August 1952, a Meteor MK 4 serial number RA 376, based at RAF Finningley, and was one of the aircraft used by 215 AFS (Advanced Flying School) has just taken off from the airfield for an exercise and duly crashed close to Firbeck Hall in Nottinghamshire approx 8 miles from the runway. A number of units withdrew in 1954 (including 215 ATS) leaving only the Meteors of No. 616 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, manned largely by part-time personnel, but their days at Finningley were numbered for in May 1955 the squadron moved to Worksop. The reason was that Finningley was about to be given a new lease of life as a V-bomber station.
[edit] The Cold War Years
During the next two years work was carried out to relay and extend the main runway to approximately 3,000 yards (2.7 km). Unit stores for atomic weapons were also constructed.
Finningley re-opened in the spring of 1957, No. 101 Squadron was re-formed in October that year to operate Vulcan bombers. A year later No. 18 Squadron RAF with ECM Vickers Valiants was also established at Finningley. In 1961,No. 101 Squadron RAF took its Vulcans to RAF Waddington changing places with the Vulcan training organisation, No. 230 Operational Conversion Unit. The Vulcan OCU stayed with RAF Finningley from June 1961 until December 1969. During this time a notable incident occurred to Vulcan No XH505 which was the victim of an arson attack and was destroyed in a huge fire that also destroyed the roof of Hangar 3. It was two years from the last Vulcan leaving that the Valiant in 1961, having seen its day, No. 18 Squadron was disbanded.
Victor Bombers were added to the Finningley scene in later years before RAF Strike Command (the amalgamation of Bomber and Fighter Commands on April 30, 1968) moved its units out and Training Command took over the station in May 1970.
Arguably the the most famous of the Finningley's Avro Vulcan Bombers was aircraft No XH558. On the 1st July 1960 XH558 was the first Vulcan B.Mk2 to enter RAF service and was immediately transferred to 230 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Finningley before continuing it's long career. XH558 is now the subject of the 'Vulcan to Sky' Club which aims to restore the aircraft and return it to flying condition.
The Airbase became known as the home of the 'V' Bomber after Avro Vulcans, Handley Page Victors and Vickers Valiants had all been stationed at the base. Finningley maintained it's Nuclear weapon storage facility for many years.
Finningley has also made at least one appearance in fiction in the BBC film Threads, where it is destroyed by a Soviet nuclear warhead.