Dunkeswell Aerodrome
Dunkeswell Aerodrome is an airfield in East Devon, England. It is located approximately north of the town of Honiton and northeast of Exeter. It is a busy civilian airfield with a mix of light aircraft, microlights and occasionally wing walking. It used to offer skydiving opportunities with Skydive.buzz but they were forced into mandatory administration following the death of two individuals in a tandem skydiving accident where the parachute failed to open correctly.
Nearby to the southwest is North Hill, an airstrip run by the local gliding club.
Dunkeswell Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee. The aerodrome is not licensed for night use.
Dunkeswell Airfield Heritage Centre, is situated to one side of the large propeller memorial.
History
Dunkeswell Airfield was built between 1942 & 1943 by George Wimpey and Co, and opened in 1943 during the Second World War, as RAF Dunkeswell. The station was originally planned as a No. 10 Group, RAF Fighter Command, then a No. 19 Group RAF Coastal Command airfield, but was transferred for use by American units.It was first used by the American United States Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, 479th Antisubmarine Group, as a base of operations to fly antisubmarine missions over the Bay of Biscay using specialised Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers from August until November 1943.
In November, the United States Army Air Forces turned over the antisubmarine mission to the United States Navy and its Liberators were reassigned to Navy Patrol Bomber Squadron VPB-103, Fleet Air Wing 7, which continued aerial antisubmarine operations from the station, the AAF aircraft being redesignated under the USN/USMC system of the time as PB4Y-1 Liberators. This was the first United States Navy unit to train with the RAF, later followed by VB-105 and VB-110. The Naval antisubmarine squadrons moved to RAF Upottery in November 1944.
With the departure of the Americans, the RAF used the airfield from August 1945 to April 1946 for ferrying aircraft to the Middle East by No. 16 Ferry Unit RAF, RAF Transport Command. After September 1946, the station was put on care and maintenance status until the end of 1948, when it was sold by the Ministry of Defence.
The following units were here at some point:
- Relief Landing Ground for No. 9 Flying Training School RAF
- No. 11 Ferry Unit RAF became No. 16 FU
- Relief Landing Ground for No. 208 Advanced Flying School RAF
- No. 265 Maintenance Unit RAF
- Sub site for No. 267 Maintenance unit RAF
- No. 2778 Squadron RAF Regiment
- No. 2854 Squadron RAF Regiment
Incidents