| Ross Marven's Modelling Pages |
RAF Bolt Head
History
Opened: summer 1941 - Closed: 25/4/45 .Units
Information derived from RAF Squadrons (Jefford), RAF Flying Training & Support Units (Sturtivant et al), Military Airfields of Britain - South Western England (Delve) and other books.N.B. (det) means only a part of the unit was detached to here from its main base, and possibly only for part of the period noted.
| Unit | Arrival | Departure | Aircraft | Notes |
| 16 Sqdn. (det) | May 41 | May 41 ? | Lysander | Chemical warfare training |
| 421 Sqdn. (det) | 30/6/42 | 8/7/42 | Spitfire VB | 14 a/c det to Exeter & Bolt Head |
| 310 Sqdn. (det) | 21/8/42 | 26/6/43 | Spitfire VB & VC | Main base Exeter |
| 257 Sqdn. (det) | 21/9/42 | 8/1/43 | Typhoon IA & IB | Main base Exeter |
| 10 Grp Comms Flt (det) | Feb 43 | Oct 43 | ? | |
| 263 Sqdn. (det) | 15/3/43 | 19/3/43 | Whirlwind | Main base Warmwell |
| 610 Sqdn. | 26/6/43 | 19/12/43 | Spitfire VB & VC | |
| 266 Sqdn. | 7/3/44 | 12/3/44 | Typhoon IB | |
| 234 Sqdn. | 18/3/44 | 29/4/44 | Spitfire VB | |
| 41 Sqdn. | 29/4/44 | 16/5/44 | Spitfire XII | |
| 276 Sqdn. (det) | May 44 | Sep 44 | Walrus, Anson, Sea Otter, Spitfire VB | Air Sea Rescue |
| 610 Sqdn. | 16/5/44 | 24/5/44 | Spitfire XIV | |
| 41 Sqdn. | 24/5/44 | 19/6/44 | Spitfire XII | |
| 652 Sqdn. (det) | ?/6/44 | 8/6/44 | Auster IV | 4 a/c of B Flight en route Normandy |
| 263 Sqdn. | 19/6/44 | 10/7/44 | Typhoon IB | |
| 611 Sqdn. | 17/7/44 | 30/8/44 | Spitfire LF.VB (?) and IX | Re-equipped in July 44 |
| 275 Sqdn. | 7/8/44 | 22/10/44 | Walrus, Anson, Spitfire VC | Air Sea Rescue |
| 275 Sqdn. (det) | Oct 44 | Feb 45 | Walrus, Anson, Spitfire VC | Air Sea Rescue |
References
- The Hope Cove Area during The Second World War - Author: Arthur L. Clamp, Publisher: Self published ?
Modelling Notes for individual aircraft
- 41 Sqdn Spitfire XII. This is the only opportunity for a Spitfire XII in Devon or Cornwall and I want to build a model with D-Day stripes. The only illustration I can find showing these is on the 41 Sqdn website but this is after they had moved from Bolt Head. The illustration is based on a photo, which hasn't been loaded to the site, which shows the area around the fuselage roundel appearing to be different shades from the rest of the fuselage. My theory is that this is where the full invasion stripes had been overpainted. Note the stripes are narrow (12 inch ?) compared to the usual D-Day markings. It has been suggested this is because the aircraft were in the same Wing as 131 Sqdn (based at Harrowbeer) which also had the narrow stripes. All I need now is to confirm a code/serial combination that was definitely in use by 41 Sqdn during the time it was at Bolt Head. The Spitfire XII histories on the 41 Sqdn site should help.
| Pictorial References For Modellers | |||||||
| Type | Mark | Unit | Code | Serial | Reference | Page | Resident/Visitor |
| Auster | IV | 652 Sqdn | IWM online | FLM 2578 | V | ||
| Auster | IV | 652 Sqdn | Aircraft For The Many | 213/4 | V | ||
| Spitfire | XII | 41 Sqdn | EB.B | MB882 | Action Stations Revisited 4 | 45 | R |