Squadrons and other Units

R.A.F. Harrowbeer Squadrons / Units associated with and operating from there from 1941 - 1950

No. Code Arrived Departed Aircraft From To

1 JX 20/06/44 12/04/44 Spitfire IX Predannack Detling

2 XV 10/04/44 12/04/44 Mustang Gatwick Gatwick

2 XV 28/04/44 28/04/44 Mustang Gatwick Gatwick

2 XV 01/05/45 04/05/45 Mustang Gatwick Gatwick

16 UG 31/08/41 31/08/41 Mustang Weston Zoyland Weston

Zoyland

16 UG 28/05/42 28/05/42 Mustang Weston Zoyland Weston

Zoyland

16 UG 23/06/42 28/06/42 Mustang Weston Zoyland Weston

Zoyland

16 UG 31/08/42 31/08/42 Mustang Weston Zoyland Weston

Zoyland

19 RM 22/06/42 22/06/42 Spitfire Perranporth Perranporth

19 RM 03/10/42 08/10/42 Spitfire Perranporth Perranporth

26 XC 07/01/45 22/01/45 Mustang IV Exeter North Weald

26 XC 03/04/45 13/04/45 Spitfire XIV North Weald Cognac

26 XC 23/05/45 23/05/45 Spitfire XIV Cognac Chilbolton

41 EB 07/06/44 07/06/44 Spitfire Bolt Head Bolt Head

64 SH 22/06/44 30/08/44 Spitfire VB Deanland Bradwell Bay

Spitfire IX

65 YT 04/04/43 4/4/43 Spitfire Perranport Perranporth

126 5J 03/07/44 29/08/44 Spitfire IX Culmhead Bradwell Bay

129 DV 15/03/43 18/03/43 Spitfire VB Ibsley Ibsley

129 DV 19/03/43 19/03/43 Spitfire VB Ibsley Ibsley

130 PJ 25/10/41 30/11/41 Spitfire II Portreath Perranporth

131 NX 24/03/44 24/05/44 Spitfire VII Colerne Culmhead

165 GT 20/06/44 22/06/44 Spitfire IX Predannack Detling

175 HH 10/10/42 09/12/42 Hurricane IIb Warmwell Gatwick

183 HF 05/06/43 04/08/43 Typhoon Ia Colerne Tangmere

193 DP 18/12/42 17/08/43 Typhoon Ib ( Formed ) Gravesend

193 DP 17/09/43 20/02/44 Typhoon Ib Gravesend Fairlop

197 OV 29/04/44 30/04/44 Typhoon Ib Needs Oar Point Needs Oar

Point

257 FM 29/03/44 30/03/44 Typhoon Ib Needs Oar Point Needs Oar

Point

263 HE 20/02/43 15/03/43 Whirlwind Warmwell Warmwell

263 HE 09/04/43 09/04/43 Whirlwind Warmwell Warmwell

263 HE 19/03/44 19/06/44 Typhoon Warmwell Bolt Head

266 ZH 21/09/43 07/03/44 Typhoon Ib Exeter Bolt Head

( Rhodesia )

266 ZH 12/03/44 15/03/44 Typhoon Ib Bolt Head Acklington

( Rhodesia )

275 PV 10/01/45 14/02/45 Walrus / Spitfire Exeter ( Disbanded at )

( Air Sea Rescue Squadron ) Anson ( R.A.F. Harrowbeer )

276 AQ 21/10/41 03/04/44 Lysander / Defiant ( Formed ) Bolt Head

( Air Sea Rescue Squadron ) Spitfire II / Walrus ( at R.A.F. Harrowbeer )

Anson

277 BA 26/09/42 30/09/42 Defiant / Walrus Martlesham Shoreham

( Air Sea Rescue Squadron )

279 OS 09/06/43 14/12/43 Hudson II Davidstow Moor Bircham

( Air Sea Rescue Squadron ) Newton

286 NW 01/05/42 26/05/42 Defiant / Miles Master Ludgate Colerne

( Army Co-operation Squadron ) Oxford / Spitfire

286 NW 01/08/42 31/08/43 Defiant / Oxford Colerne Exeter

( Army Co-operation Squadron ) Hurricane

302 WX 11/10/41 26/04/42 Spitfire VB Ibsley Warmwell

( Polish ) & 07/05/42 Hurricane

( Most of No.302 Squadron was sent to R.A.F. Warmwell on a air firing course. They left there on the 06/05/42 for R.A.F. Heston. The rest of the Squadron left R.A.F. Harrowbeer for R.A.F Heston on the 07/05/42 ).

306 UZ 21/10/42 ? ? Spitfire VB Northolt Northolt

( Polish ) ( Thirteen aircraft landed to carry out an offensive operation as escort )

( The Squadron returned in December, dates unknown at present )

310 NN 25/6/42 25/6/42 Spitfire Exeter Exeter

( Czechoslovakian ) ( ' A ' Flight, 3 sections flew to R.A.F. Harrowbeer

for readiness duties, taking of at 1615 hours ).

310 NN 06/8/42 06/8/42 Spitfire Exeter Exeter

( Czechoslovakian ) ( Five sections flew to R.A.F. Harrowbeer for practice

formation flying ten miles off the French Coast, taking of at 1420 hours ).

310 NN 07/9/42 07/9/42 Spitfire Bolt Head Exeter

( Czechoslovakian ) ( Eight aircraft took off from R.A.F. Bolt Head

to carry out three separate shipping convoy patrols. One at 1340 hours,

one at 1600, and one at 1620 hours. All aircraft returned to Exeter ).

310 NN 07/11/42 07/11/42 Spitfire Exeter Exeter

( Czechoslovakian )

( Twelve Spitfires arrived during the morning and took part in an attack on Brest )

312 DU 02/05/42 10/10/42 Spitfire VB Fairwood Common

( Czechoslovakian ) Hurricane Churchstanton

313 RY 13/10/42 13/10/42 Spitfire Churchstanton

( Czechoslovakian ) ( Six aircraft carried out convoy patrols ) Churchstanton

( The Squadron returned in December 1942 and January 1943,

exact dates unknown at present )

329 5A 25/05/45 16/06/45 Spitfire IX Skaebrae Dreux

( Free French )

329 5A 19/06/45 14/07/45 Spitfire IX Dreux Fairwood Common

( Free French )

331 FN 17/5/43 17/5/43 Spitfire North Weald North Weald

( Norway ) ( Landed to re-fuel, on operation from R.A.F. Bolt Head ).

332 AH 17/5/43 17/5/43 Spitfire IX North Weald North Weald

( Norway ) ( Landed to re-fuel, on operation from R.A.F. Bolt Head ).

340 GW 10/03/44 12/03/44 Spitfire IX Perranporth Perranporth

( Free French )

401 YO 26/09/42 27/09/42 Spitfire Bolt Head Bolt Head

( Canadian ) ( Three aircraft landed ? ? )

414 RU 25/05/43 04/06/43 Mustang Ib Middle Wallop Portreath

( Canadian ) Tomahawk IIb / Miles Master III

Tiger Moth

486 SA 08/02/44 08/02/44 Typhoon Beaulieu Beaulieu

( New Zealand )

486 SA 24/02/44 24/02/44 Typhoon Beaulieu Beaulieu

( New Zealand )

500 MK 15/09/41 30/10/41 Blenheim Bircham Newton

( ' B ' Flight ) Bircham Newton

501 SD 31/07/42 31/07/42 Spitfire VB Ibsley Ibsley

504 TM 15/03/43 17/03/43 Spitfire VB Ibsley Ibsley

504 TM 19/03/43 19/03/43 Spitfire VB Ibsley Ibsley

504 TM 08/04/43 08/04/43 Spitfire VB Ibsley Ibsley

602 LO 08/03/43 08/03/43 Spitfire Perranporth Perranporth

602 LO 04/04/43 04/04/43 Spitfire Perranporth Perranporth

610 DW 24/05/44 02/07/44 Spitfire XIV Bolt Head West Malling

611 FY 23/06/44 03/07/44 Spitfire VB LF Deanland Predannack

616 YQ 15/03/43 17/03/43 Spitfire Ibsley Ibsley

616 YQ 19/03/43 19/03/43 Spitfire Ibsley Ibsley

691 5S 21/02/45 01/08/45 Oxford / Vengence Roborough Exeter

Barracuda / Defiant

Hurricane

834 FAA 14/04/43 15/04/43 Fairey Swordfish Exeter Exeter

( Fleet Air Arm ) ( Seconded to Coastal Command on night patrols )

838 FAA 20/04/44 08/08/44 Fairey Swordfish Machrihanish Worthy Down

( Fleet Air Arm ) ( This Squadron was used on operations in the English Channel to seek out U -boats and E-boats. It was a General Reconnaissance Wing which was formed at Knightstone House on the 22/04/44 under the control of No.19 Group. 838 FAA Squadron was joined to No.156 Wing Coastal Command ).

No.19 Group Communications Flight

G2 15/12/47 29/07/48 Dominie / Anson Roborough St. Eval

( Not sure they were actually stationed at R.A.F. Harrowbeer as I can only find

mentions in the Operation Record Books of routine landings ).

No.78 Signals Wing Calibration Flight

EY 11/10/41 09/06/43 Blenheim IVL ( Reformed ) Davidstow Moor

Hornet Moth

( Coastal Command set the Flight up in September 1941 from No.500 Squadron ).

No.1697 Flight A.D.L.S.

16/05/44 23/06/44 Hurricane II Northolt Northolt

( Air Despatch Letter Service )

( Not stationed at R.A.F. Harrowbeer, only mail flights in and out ).

No.82 Gliding School

19/02/48 16/08/50 Roborough ( Disbanded )

Cadet / Sedbergh / Prefect Gliders ( Used by the Air Training Corps ).

United States Navy / Army Air Force

? / ? /42 ? / ? / ? PBY5A / Oxford / Spitfire ? ? ? ?

( This is a huge black hole, information is difficult to obtain at the present moment.

I would think that the U.S. Navy had a presence on the Airfield in the early days to receive and dispatch V.I.P.'s to the Naval Dockyard in Plymouth. After D-day the U.S.A.A.F. took over the Airfield from the end of August 1944 until January 1945, so I would think they were re-supplying the troops in Normandy ).

( Any information regarding the U.S.Navy and the U.S.A.A.F. would be gratefully appreciated, thank you ).

Visiting

Aircraft that flew into R.A.F. Harrowbeer for various reasons

Unit or Squadron Arrived Departed

No.1 Ferry Unit - Pershore 22/05/44 ? / ? / ? Wellington X - 521

( This aircraft had to make a forced landing )

No.135 Force Signals ( formed for the Liberation of the Channel Islands )

20/02/45 ? / ? / ?

( Mentioned in the Station Operation Record Book - no other details )

No.144 PL 19/05/44 19/05/44 Beaufighter

( This aircraft was from Davidstow Moor and had to make a forced landing )

No.173 ? ? 22/04/44 ? / ? / ? Wellington

( Landed on a familiarisation flight )

No.234 AZ 19/08/44 19/08/44 Spitfire

( Four aircraft from R.A.F. Predannack were used to escort the Duke of Gloucester from Pembroke to R.A.F. Mount Batten. The aircraft waited at

R.A.F. Harrowbeer before carrying on their flight to R.A.F. Polebrook ).

No.271 BJ Various dates from :- 16/08/42 to 18/08/43 Harrow & Dominie

( The aircraft flew from and too various R.A.F. Stations depending on the

requests made upon the Squadron. Their main tasks were the movement

and transportation of personnel, kit and equipment from one Station to

another. Thirty three movements are listed in the Squadron's Operation

Record Book, a copy is held in the R.A.F. Harrowbeer Archives ).

No.304 NZ 06/12/42 06/12/42 Wellington

( Polish ) ( This aircraft landed after carrying out a submarine sweep ? )

No.402 AE 15/04/42 for one day only Spitfire VB

( There was a detachment at R.A.F. Exeter from R.A.F. Fairwood Common,

four Spitfires were sent to cover readiness for No.302 ( Polish ) Squadron

while they were on other duties from R.A.F. Harrowbeer. The four

aircraft returned to R.A.F. Exeter later in the day ).

No.421 AU 31/07/42 for one day only Spitfire VB

( Seven aircraft of " A " Flight flew from R.A.F. Fairwood Common and

acted as rear cover to Boston aircraft returning from a raid over

St. Malo. All seven aircraft returned to R.A.F. Fairwood Common ).

No.421 AU 23/12/42 for one day only Spitfire VB

( Six Spitfire VB aircraft flew from R.A.F. Angle to cover readiness at R.A.F.

Harrowbeer and carry out two convoy shipping patrols. The six Spitfires

flew back to R.A.F. Angle on completion of their duty ).

No.453 ? ? 19/08/43 19/08/43 Spitfire

( One arrived from R.A.F. Perranporth at 1755 hours with fuel tank trouble

which was fixed and the aircraft returned to R.A.F. Perranporth )

No.453 ? ? 09/10/43 10/10/43 Spitfire

( Five aircraft landed after an operation due to weather conditions

and stayed overnight ).

No.575 I9 Various dates from 19/06/44 to 23/06/43 Dakota MKIII

( The Squadrons role at this time was the movement and transportation

of personnel, kit and equipment from one R.A.F. Station to another.

The Dakota's operated out of R.A.F. Boadwell. Four movements are

recorded in the Squadron's Operation Record Book for this period of

time, the Squadrons noted are :- No.1, 610 and 611.

A copy of these movements are held in the Archives ).

No.849 ? ? 27/04/44 ? / ? / ? Avenger

( Landed on a familiarisation flight )

Pre R.A.F. Harrowbeer Operational Squadron Detachments

These Squadrons are unconfirmed

It is my belief ( The Archivist ) that there was a small airfield on the site before R.A.F. Harrowbeer was built.

The square ' Watch Office ' was built on the side of ' Knightstone House ' early in 1939, at the same time that other buildings were being demolished ( rumour has it, " to make way for runways " ). A W.A.A.F. I spoke to traveled several times a week from R.A.F. St. Eval, Cornwall to work in the ' Watch Office ' in 1939 after war was declared " doing paperwork ".

It is possible there were overflow flights of the following Squadrons stationed in Yelverton as their own station was too small for them to operate efficiently.

No. Code Arrived Departed Aircraft From To

247 HP 01/08/40 15/01/41 Gladiator II Roborough Roborough

16 UG 03/08/40 14/08/40 Lysander II Okehampton Okehampton

16 UG 15/10/40 04/11/40 Lysander I /II Okehampton Okehampton

16 UG 04/06/41 06/06/41 Lysander III / IIIa Okehampton Okehampton

Other Units and Servicing Echelons at R.A.F. Harrowbeer

Maintenance Units and Air Stores Parks

No. Arrived Departed From To

229 M.U. 25/09/42 19/04/43 Maintenance Unit Quedgely Brasted,

( This Unit became No.401 Air Stores Park in April 1943 ). Kent.

No.401 Air Stores Park

This Unit was formed at R.A.F. Harrowbeer on the 19/04/1943.

They moved to Sunbridge, Brasted, Kent on the 20/04/1943.

This was a Motor Transport Unit used for moving stores and

equipment from Aerodrome to Aerodrome.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Servicing Echelons

No. Arrived Departed Aircraft From To Sqn.

303

1026

3013 18/12/42 17/08/43 Typhoon Zeals Gravesend ( 193 Sqn. )

3013 18/09/43 15/02/44 Typhoon Gravesend Disbanded ( 193 Sqn. )

3031 15/03/43 18/03/43 Spitfire Exeter Ibsley ( 616 Sqn. )

3036 14/11/41 30/11/41 Spitfire Formed Warmwell ( 130 Sqn. )

3040

3043 21/09/43 12/03/44 Typhoon Exeter Disbanded ( 266 Sqn. )

3055

3093

6001 20/06/44 22/06/44 Spitfire Predannack Detling ( 1 Sqn. )

6026 03/04/45 22/05/45 Spitfire North Weald Chilbolton ( 26 Sqn. )

6064 23/06/44 29/08/44 Spitfire Deanland Bradwell Bay ( 64 Sqn. )

6126 03/07/44 28/08/44 Spitfire Culmhead Bradwell Bay ( 126 Sqn. )

6131 24/03/44 24/05/44 Spitfire Colerne Culmhead ( 131 Sqn. )

6135

6165 20/06/44 22/06/44 Spitfire Predannack Detling ( 165 Sqn. )

6236

6263 22/03/44 19/06/44 Typhoon Formed Bolt Head ( 263 Sqn. )

6345

6610 24/05/44 19/06/44 Spitfire Culmhead West Malling ( 610 Sqn. )

6611 24/06/44 03/07/44 Spitfire Deanland Predannack ( 611 Sqn. )

No.1007 Servicing Wing