RAF Harrowbeer
RAF Harrowbeer | |||||||||||||||||||
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Aircraft and personnel required for a WWII Air/Sea rescue operation | |||||||||||||||||||
IATA: none – ICAO: none | |||||||||||||||||||
Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
Airport type | Military | ||||||||||||||||||
Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||||||||||||
Operator | Royal Air Force | ||||||||||||||||||
Location | Yelverton, Devon | ||||||||||||||||||
Built | 1940 | ||||||||||||||||||
In use | 1941-1950 | ||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 50°29′27″N 004°05′36″W / 50.49083°N 4.09333°WCoordinates: 50°29′27″N 004°05′36″W / 50.49083°N 4.09333°W | ||||||||||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||||||||||
RAF Harrowbeer Location in Devon | |||||||||||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
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Operating dates.[1] |
RAF Harrowbeer is former Royal Air Force airfield situated next to Yelverton in the parish of Buckland Monachorum, Devon England
Location
RAF Harrowbeer was located approximately 9 miles (14 km) NNE of the city of Plymouth and approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Tavistock, and also sits within the boundary of Dartmoor National Park. Roborough Rock is a tor-like igneous rock outcrop immediately south-west of the airfield on Roborough Down, next to the border with the A386.[2] This location created problems for the airfield during the Second World War, as two runways were positioned in front of the rock.[2]
Although sited near the village of Yelverton, it was called 'Harrowbeer' in order to distinguish it from the similar-sounding RNAS Yeovilton. The airfield was under the control of No. 10 Group RAF and was never assigned a station badge.
The former Ravenscroft School became the officers' mess.[3]
Based units
The airfield opened in May 1941. It closed following the end of World War II.[4][5]
A large number of units used the airfield at some point, such as:
- No. 1 Squadron RAF.[6]
- No. 19 Squadron RAF.[5]
- No. 26 Squadron RAF.[7]
- No. 64 Squadron RAF.[8]
- No. 126 Squadron RAF.[9]
- No. 130 Squadron RAF.[10]
- No. 131 Squadron RAF.[10]
- No. 165 Squadron RAF.[5]
- No. 175 Squadron RAF.[11]
- No. 183 Squadron RAF.[12]
- No. 193 Squadron RAF.[13]
- No. 263 Squadron RAF.[14]
- No. 266 Squadron RAF.[15]
- No. 275 Squadron RAF.[16]
- No. 276 Squadron RAF.[16]
- No. 286 Squadron RAF.[5]
- No. 302 Squadron RAF.[17]
- No. 312 Squadron RAF.[18]
- No. 329 Squadron RAF.[19]
- No. 414 Squadron RCAF.[20]
- No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron.[21]
- No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron.[22]
- No. 611 (West Lancashire) Squadron.[23]
- No. 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron.[23]
- No. 691 Squadron RAF.[5]
- 834 Naval Air Squadron.[1]
- 838 Naval Air Squadron.[1]
Other units
- Force 135 (RAF Element).[1]
- No. 229 Maintenance Unit RAF.[1]
- No. 82 Gliding Squadron.[1]
- No. 19 Group Comms Flight.[1]
References
Citations
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Harrowbeer". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- 1 2 "The Rock, Yelverton". Educational Register of Geological Sites. Devon County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2012.
- ↑ RAF HARROWBEER YELVERTON Miscellaneous Information
- ↑ "The History of RAF Harrowbeer" Retrieved on 7 November 2008
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Harrowbeer". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 23.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 33.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 45.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 58.
- 1 2 Jefford 1988, p. 59.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 65.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 66.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 67.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 80.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 81.
- 1 2 Jefford 1988, p. 82.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 84.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 86.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 87.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 90.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 94.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 99.
- 1 2 Jefford 1988, p. 100.
Bibliography
- Jefford MBE, Wg Cdr C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to RAF Harrowbeer. |