RAF Modelling Exeter Page

History

Opened: September 1939 (31/5/37 as civil airport) - Closed: October 1946 (continued as civil airport).

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.

Arrival	Unit	Departure	Aircraft	Notes
13/7/37	42 Sqdn.	17/7/37	Vildebeest
15/3/39	FAA	23/3/43	Skua	803 Sqdn.
3/7/39	37 E&RFTS	3/9/39	Tiger Moth
14/9/39	02 det. RAE	2/42	Virginia,Battle,Harrow,P4/34,Wellesly	officially the Research Department Flight ?
7/5/40	416 Flight det.	5/6/40	Lysander
3/6/40	GRU	14/4/44	various	Gunnery Research Unit
18/6/40	213 Sqdn.	7/9/40	Hurricane
5/7/40	87 Sqdn.	28/11/40	Hurricane
7/9/40	601 Sqdn.	17/12/40	Hurricane
28/11/40	263 Sqdn.	24/2/41	Hurricane, Whirlwind
18/12/40	504 Sqdn.	21/7/41	Hurricane
1941	93 Sqdn. det.	1941	Havoc	early 1941 for Pandora / Long Aerial Mine ?
24/2/41	66 Sqdn.	27/4/41	Spitfire
26/4/41	307 Sqdn.	15/4/43	Defiant, Beaufighter, Mosquito
21/7/41	317 Sqdn.	1/4/42	Hurricane, Spitfire
20/8/41	Exeter UAS	1943	Tiger Moth
Dec 41	247 Sqdn.	21/9/42	Hurricane
1942	16 Sqdn.	1942	Mustang I	spring 1942
Mar 42	1487 Flt. Det	Aug 43	Lysander
1/4/42	308 Sqdn.	7/5/42	Spitfire
7/5/42	310 Sqdn.	26/6/43	Spitfire
29/6/42	421 Sqdn. det.	8/7/42	Spitfire
21/9/42	257 Sqdn.	8/1/43	Spitfire
1942	21 Sqdn. det.	1942	Ventura	autumn 1942
1942	536 Sqdn. det.	1942	Havoc, Hurricane	late 1942 (Turbinlite Havoc)
1943	FAA	1943	Swordfish, Seafire	various FAA units throughout 1943
8/1/43	266 Sqdn.	21/9/43	Typhoon
15/4/43	125 Sqdn.	14/11/43	Beaufighter
1943	124 Sqdn. det.	1943	Spitfire	spring 1943
26/6/43	131 Sqdn.	16/8/43	Spitfire
30/7/43	165 Sqdn.	8/8/43	Spitfire
17/9/43	616 Sqdn.	18/3/44	Spitfire
1943	19 Sqdn. det.	1943	Spitfire	autumn 1943
15/11/43	406 Sqdn.	14/4/44	Beaufighter
4/1/44	610 Sqdn.	7/4/44	Spitfire
Apr 44	USAAF	Oct 44	C-47
22/10/44	275 Sqdn.	12/1/45	Spitfire
1944	282 Sqdn. det	1945	various	autumn 1944 - early 1945
8/12/44	26 Sqdn.	14/1/45	Spitfire
1945	278 Sqdn. det.	1945	Spitfire, Walrus	early 1945
Jan 45	3 GTS	Jul 45	Master II, Hotspur	Glider Towing School
Jun 45	84 GS	1/9/55	Cadet, Sedbergh	Gliding School
1/8/45	691 Sqdn.	29/4/46	various	Target towing
30/8/45	329 Sqdn.	17/11/45	Spitfire
11/12/45	222 Sqdn.	8/7/46	Meteor III
19/4/46	151 Sqdn.	11/7/46	Mosquito NF.XXX
Apr 49	10 RFS	20/6/54	Tiger Moth, Anson, Chipmunk	Refresher Flying School
18/3/51	2 CAACU	31/12/71	Mosquito TT35, Hunter, Vampire, Meteor TT.20 etc...	Target towing
1/9/55	624 VGS	3/9/65	various	Volunteer Gliding School
8/9/58	4 AEF	27/12/95	Chipmunk	Air Experience Flight

References

Airfield Focus 39: Exeter - Author: Jerry Brewer, Publisher: GMS Enterprises
Exeter Airport in Peace and War - Author: ?, Publisher: ?
Exeter Airport, 1938-88 - Author: Geoff Worrall, Publisher: Devon Books
Exeter Airport website - Airport History
Exeter Airport website - The War Years

Also the general references listed on the RAF in Devon & Cornwall home page

Modelling Notes for individual aircraft

Virginia J7130 with the RAE detachment was at Exeter from 20/10/39 until sometime in December 39. It had been progressively upgraded and had an all metal airframe, Pegasus IIM3 engines with Townend rings and 4-blade propellers, a tailwheel and a vee windscreen (source: Putnam - Vickers Aircraft since 1908). There is a photo in the Putnam book but it looks pre-war.
The GRU included the Taurus engined Gloster F9/37, serial L7999 for those willing to tackle the Magna kit
JDR Rawlings 'Fighter Squadrons of the RAF & their Aircraft' has a photo of Beaufighter VI VA.T of 125 Sqdn.
My Hasegawa Beaufighter VI of 125 Sqdn.
There are 3 photos of Mosquito TT35s at Exeter on p41 of Modeller's Datafile 1, The De Havilland Mosquito
More when I get a chance !