History
Opened: 2/10/39 - Closed: 8/5/59.
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 |
| 217 Sqdn. | 2/10/39 | 29/10/41 | Anson, Beaufort | re-equpped Sept 40 |
| 6 CPF | 15/1/40 | 27/5/40 | Tiger Moth | Coastal Protection Flight |
| C Flt. 2 AACU | 27/4/40 | 16/8/40 | Shark, Battle | |
| 234 Sqdn. | 18/6/40 | 14/8/40 | Spitfire I | |
| 48 Sqdn. det. | Jun 40 | Jun 40 | Beaufort | |
| PRU det. | 1/7/40 | 18/10/42 | PR Spifires | became 543 Sqdn |
| 236 Sqdn. det | Jul 40 | 8/8/40 | Blenheim IVF | |
| 238 Sqdn. | 14/8/40 | 10/9/40 | Hurricane | |
| 247 Sqdn. det | 8/40 | 5/41 | Gladiator, Hurricane | based at Roborough |
| 234 Sqdn. | 11/9/40 | 24/2/41 | Spitfire I | |
| FAA | 7/10/40 | 3/11/40 | Albacore | 829 Sqdn. |
| 254 Sqdn. det. | 1940 | 1940 | Blenheim | late 1940 |
| FAA | Nov 40 | Dec 40 | Swordfish | 812 Sqdn. det. |
| 404 Flt. | 24/12/40 | 8/3/41 | Blenheim IV | became 1404 Flt |
| 263 Sqdn. det | 29/12/40 | 24/2/41 | Whirlwind | based at Exeter |
| FAA | 31/1/41 | 6/2/41 | Skua | 801 Sqdn. |
| 53 Sqdn. det | 22/2/41 | 20/3/41 | Blenheim IV | |
| 263 Sqdn. | 24/2/41 | 18/3/41 | Whirlwind | |
| 1404 Flt | 8/3/41 | 11/8/43 | Blenheim IV, Hudson III/IV, Albemarle, Hampden, Ventura II | |
| 53 Sqdn. | 20/3/41 | 3/7/41 | Blenheim IV | |
| 206 Sqdn. | 30/5/41 | 12/8/41 | Hudson | |
| 233 Sqdn. | 8/8/41 | 2/1/42 | Hudson | |
| 53 Sqdn. | 19/10/41 | 17/12/41 | Hudson | |
| 22 Sqdn. | 28/10/41 | 1/2/42 | Beaufort | |
| 224 Sqdn. | 9/12/41 | 19/2/42 | Hudson | |
| 86 Sqdn. | 10/1/42 | 5/3/42 | Beaufort | |
| 502 Sqdn | 22/2/42 | 2/3/43 | Whitley, Halifax | |
| 58 Sqdn. | 8/4/42 | 30/8/42 | Whitley | |
| 415 Sqdn. | 11/4/42 | 16/5/42 | Hampden TB1 | |
| 489 Sqdn | 9/5/42 | 13/6/42 | Hampden TB1 | |
| 53 Sqdn. | 16/5/42 | 3/7/42 | Hudson | |
| 10 OTU det | 4/8/42 | 23/7/43 | Whitley | |
| 500 Sqdn. | 30/8/42 | 5/11/42 | Hudson | |
| 407 Sqdn | 1/10/42 | 7/11/42 | Hudson | |
| 415 Sqdn. (det) | 18/10/42 | 31/10/42 | Hampden TB1 | 6 a/c |
| 543 Sqdn | 19/10/42 | 15/10/43 | PR Spitfires | |
| FAA | 11/3/43 | 15/4/43 | Swordfish | 833 Sqdn. |
| 502 Sqdn. | 25/3/43 | 30/6/43 | Halifax | |
| 58 Sqdn. | 31/3/43 | 29/6/43 | Halifax | |
| 415 Sqdn. | 11/4/43 | 24/8/43 | Hampden TB1 | |
| 224 Sqdn. | 25/4/43 | 11/9/44 | Liberator | |
| 517 Sqdn. | 11/8/43 | 25/11/43 | Hudson III, Hampden | |
| 143 Sqdn. | 27/8/43 | 16/9/43 | Beaufighter | |
| 541 Sqdn | 15/10/43 | 18/7/44 | PR Spitfires | |
| 612 Sqdn. | 1/11/43 | 3/12/43 | Wellington | |
| GCA Flt.(det) | Nov 43 | 26/6/44 | Oxford | |
| 407 Sqdn | 3/11/43 | 2/12/43 | Wellington | |
| 53 Sqdn. | 3/1/44 | 7/9/44 | Liberator | |
| 547 Sqdn. | 10/1/44 | 29/9/44 | Liberator | |
| 206 Sqdn. | 12/4/44 | 11/7/44 | Liberator | |
| FAA | 7/8/44 | 26/8/44 | Avenger | 849 Sqdn. |
| 282 Sqdn. | 19/9/44 | 9/7/45 | Warwick, Sea Otter | |
| 179 Sqdn. | 1/11/44 | 30/9/46 | Warwick, Lancaster | |
| Station Flt. | 1945 | 1956 | various | |
| 304 Sqdn. | 3/3/45 | 9/7/45 | Wellington | |
| 224 Sqdn. | 20/7/45 | 10/11/47 | Liberator, Lancaster | |
| 210 Sqdn. | 1/6/46 | 10/9/52 | Lancaster | |
| 228 Sqdn. | 1/6/46 | 30/9/46 | Liberator | |
| 203 Sqdn. | 16/1/47 | 15/8/52 | Lancaster | |
| 19 Grp Comms Flt | 29/7/48 | 27/8/51 | Anson | |
| 220 Sqdn. | 14/11/51 | 4/12/56 | Shackleton | |
| 217 Sqdn. | 14/1/52 | 7/4/52 | Neptune MR1 | |
| 240 Sqdn. | 27/5/52 | 5/6/52 | Shackleton | |
| 42 Sqdn. | 28/6/52 | 8/10/58 | Shackleton | |
| 206 Sqdn. | 27/9/52 | 14/1/58 | Shackleton | |
| 228 Sqdn. | 1/7/54 | 29/11/56 | Shackleton | |
| 228 Sqdn. | 14/1/58 | 6/3/59 | Shackleton | |
References
- Airfield Focus 7: St.Eval - Author: Chris Ashworth, Publisher: GMS Enterprises
Also the general references listed on the
RAF in Devon & Cornwall home page
Modelling Notes for individual aircraft
- Anson I of 217 Sqdn on p42 of Battle For Britain (Scale Aircraft Monograph) by Paul Lucas, publisher: Guideline
- Mosquito XVI, PF604, used for trials of the Vickers A.2 scale model of the Miles M52 is shown on p148 of the Crowood book on the Mosquito with
more notes and sketches on p41 & 42 of Modeller's Datafile 1, The De Havilland Mosquito
- 415 Sqdns first operational mission was from St.Eval 0n 27/4/42 when GX.A/AT232 and GX.M/AT244 went on anti shipping patrols.
- More when I get a chance !
| Pictorial References For Modellers |
| Type | Mark | Unit | Code | Serial | Reference | Page | Resident/Visitor |
| Anson | I | 217 Sqdn | MW.F | K6285 | Battle for Britain | 42 | R |
| Beaufighter | I | 248 Sqdn | WR.F | T4776 | Coastal Command (Ashworth) | 49 | R |
| Beaufighter | IC | 248 Sqdn | WR.F | T4776 | Airfield Focus 7 | 8 | R |
| Beaufort | I | 217 Sqdn | MW.R | L9878 | Cornish Skies | 53 | R |
| Hudson | I | 206 Sqdn | VX.F | P5143 | Cornish Skies | 55 | R |
| Hudson | I | Kings Flight | - | N7263 | Airfield Focus 7 | 5 | V |
| Lancaster | GR3 | 224 Sqdn | XB.F | PB529 | Airfield Focus 7 | 16 | R |
| Liberator | GRVI | 224 Sqdn | XB.S | EW309 | Airfield Focus 7 | 14 | R |
| Liberator | GRVIII | 224 Sqdn | XB.J | KK332 | Airfield Focus 7 | 12 | R |
| Mosquito | PR34 | 58 Sqdn | OT.A | RG300 | Coastal Command (Ashworth) | 197 | V |
| Oxford | | Empire Radio Sch. | FC.UD | HN117 | Air Britain HA100-HZ999 | 103 | V |
| Shackleton | MR1A | 206 Sqdn | B | WG510 | Cornish Skies | 94 | R |
| Shackleton | MR1A | 206 Sqdn | B | WG510 | Airfield Focus 7 | 19 | R |
| Spitfire | F | PRU | LY | X4384 | Coastal Command (Ashworth) | 156 | R |
| Spitfire | XI | 541 Sqdn | | MB787 | Coastal Command (Ashworth) | 164 | R |
| Warwick | GRV | 179 Sqdn | OZ.R | PN807 | Coastal Command (Ashworth) | 142 | R |
| Whitley | V | 10 OTU | JL.W | Z6795 | Coastal Command (Ashworth) | 81 | R |
