An ideal airfield to visit in the summer and winter, as it offers 2 x hard runways, East- West 22-05 and North –South 17 and 35. The restaurant offers a good choice of food with views over the airfield to watch the world go by. The local and very active Devon Strut are based from here. The village chuch is worth seeing and is only a short walk away. Free fall parachuting can take place as well as helicopter joy flights so keep a good look out and listen for movements. No overhead joins. AVGAS and JET A1 available. Radio is 123.475.
The airfield was opened in 1943, during the Second World War, as RAF Dunkeswell. The station was originally planned as a RAF Fighter Command, then a 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 Biscayusing specialized 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 16 Ferry Unit, 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.
