F.A.W.7 US Navy, Dunkeswell Air Base, Devon - March 09

Originally planned to be a Fighter Command then a Coastal Command, Dunkeswell was transferred for use by American units and was the only base used by the US Navy on UK land. Their Anti-Submarine Unit played a vital role in the 'Battle of the Atlantic, operating against German U-Boats in order to keep the supply line open between the USA and Great Britain. 181 USN airmen were killed in action, including Joseph Kennedy, the elder brother of the late President JFK.

Squadrons Stationed:

4th Anti-Submarine Squadron. 479th Anti-Submarine Group. Aug - Sept 1943
6th Anti-Submarine Squadron. 479th Anti-Submarine Group. Aug - Sept 1943
19th Anti-Submarine Squadron. 479th Anti-Submarine Group. Aug - Sept 1943
22nd Anti-Submarine Squadron. 479th Anti-Submarine Group. Aug - Sept 1943

VB-103 Fleet Air Wing 7. United States Navy. Sept 1943 - July 1945
VB-105 Fleet Air Wing 7. United States Navy. Sept 1943 - July 1945
VB-110 Fleet Air Wing 7. United States Navy. Sept 1943 - July 1945

16 Ferry Unit. RAF Transpert Command. Aug 1945 - April 1946

VB-103 was the first USN unit to train with the RAF, followed by the other units, and were equipped with Liberators then PB4Y-1 Privateers on Anti-Submarine patrols.

Some of the remaining buildings were prefabricated in America and shipped over and put together here.

Ground Crew: herts digger, ricasso and Foxylady.





After checking in at the Flight Centre our first stop was the Control Tower site.

No Entry.



The Control Tower.









The purpose of the two buildings near-by is a little hard to fathom, as according to the 1944 dated map there were several buildings clustered together. However, I think they were the radar workshops and stores. There is also an area were huts once stood on piles.

Radar Workshops and Stores.



Site Area of the Crash Crew Stand-By Hut.



T2 Hangars.





The other side of the second hangar.



Squadron Office.





Flight Office.



More coming up in a mo.

This is used by South West WW2 Heritage and also has a portable control room outside.





Mech. & Eng. Plinth.



Parachute Store.



Station Armoury.



Crew rest & Locker Room.





Original Windows from a partially demolished block.



M.T. Bays.



M.T. Workshops.



Gas Clothing & Respirator Stores.



Petrol Installation M.T.



Photographic Block.



Tecnical Latrines, Bombing Teacher and Link Trainer Blocks.





Equipment Store.



After the site we went into the museum and spent a fair bit of time in there. Only a small place but absolutely chock full of interesting artifacts and hundreds of photos. Very well worth visiting.

Hope you enjoyed.

Nice one Foxy -PROPER JOB!!

A lovely variety of buildings. Thanks for the effort in labelling-up what each of these buildings were used for.
The Nissan Huts are in good shape. Is a lot of it due to be demo'd -going by the windows from a building already razed?

Wow! I didnt realise Foxy got so many shots, well done kid! any way heres my two pennies worth

Pyro shed





couple of odds and sods I found on a tip behind the pyro shed







inside the same shed, full of crap but note the glider canopy







a couple of hangers that as foxy pointed out to me dont appear on the official maps but with hindsight I would guess that they have been moved here from other parts of the airfield







couple of old railway wagon bodys found on part of the technical site

Big, big apologies for the lack of history. I was ready to post and was just typing the history when my computer decided it didn't want to play anymore! I just managed to post the thread before it threw a complete wobbly and I had to restart it.
I'll make some additions and edit mistakes (just noticed a wrong pic) in a bit...need coffee first! Ta.

Lightbuoy said:

Thanks for the effort in labelling-up what each of these buildings were used for.
The Nissan Huts are in good shape. Is a lot of it due to be demo'd -going by the windows from a building already razed?

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Cheers, Lb. I must admit that labelling the buildings was a real headache. I used copies of original maps from the RAF Museum and they're not easy to read...tiny, tiny numbers besides buildings that aren't always easy to identify as buildings and pathways have changed, plus new buildings amongst them, etc. That has got to have been the most difficult report I've ever put together! Phew!
Most of the original buildings are used as workshops as the technical site is now an industrial estate. I'm not sure of what will happen to them...I guess that some are being replaced by new-build workshops as and when.

Lightbuoy said:

Nice one Foxy -PROPER JOB!!

A lovely variety of buildings. Thanks for the effort in labelling-up what each of these buildings were used for.
The Nissan Huts are in good shape. Is a lot of it due to be demo'd -going by the windows from a building already razed?

Click to expand...

Pretty much all the huts and sheds on the technical site were occupied by small business's and thats got to be good for the future of the site

ricasso said:

Wow! I didnt realise Foxy got so many shots, well done kid!

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Cheers ricasso. About 96 altogether. Not as many as some of you digital guys but I did scan them all!!! I tried not to post too many though!
Thanks for your pics, mate. They're great. Love the bits and pieces you found behind the pyro store. The hangars being moved makes sense too, as I noticed some were missing from elsewhere when I was pouring over the maps.

Foxylady said:

Cheers ricasso. About 96 altogether. Not as many as some of you digital guys but I did scan them all!!! I tried not to post too many though!
Thanks for your pics, mate. They're great. Love the bits and pieces you found behind the pyro store. The hangars being moved makes sense too, as I noticed some were missing from elsewhere when I was pouring over the maps.

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just a moment of inspiration after a couple of bottles of Merrydown!

That's a cool explore guys, looks like another good day.

Cheers Neo. Twas a very long day but well worth it! I've never seen so many original buildings on one site before and only posted about half of the ones I had pics for. There were so many buildings that we could see behind the others and couldn't get to plus bomb stores in the distance. A truly fantastic site!

Neosea said:

That's a cool explore guys, looks like another good day.

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currently drawing up plans to conclude the ' trilogy'

ricasso said:

currently drawing up plans to conclude the ' trilogy'

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Thanks for the reminder, ricasso. I'll email an order for the map copies now before I forget again!

nice Site guy and girls liking the pics

spikey said:

nice Site guy and girls liking the pics

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err... thats 'girl and guys' thanks anyway

History has now been added at the beginning of the first post.

I've also substituted a wrong pic for the right one (photographic Block) and a couple of other mistakes rectified.
Sorry about the delay. Tis hopefully okay now.
Phew!

i want me one of them portable control rooms

and i spy a piper J3 cub in the hangar




and yet more Devon potential for when im down there whooop

Mr Sam said:

i want me one of them portable control rooms

and i spy a piper J3 cub in the hangar

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Mr Sam, you'd love it as there were loads of planes all over the place. It's a private airfield plus there's a parachute jumping business and glider club...helicopters and hang glider thingies (those motorised babies...dunno what they're called)...there was hardly a patch of clear sky!!!

Mr Sam said:

and yet more Devon potential for when im down there whooop

Click to expand...

If you want any info, map copies, etc, of Dunkeswell and/or Upottery, just give me a shout! We're planning to do the third airfield in the area in a few weeks time. If you'd like to, you're welcome to join us. Let me know and we can fit around you if poss.

Epic post!! Thanks for the pics.
Lovely selection there, something for everyone too!

Cheers Scrub.
I was reading earlier that there was a hospital on site too, but I don't know if the building for that still survives. There's so much that we left out of the thread as it is, and even more that we didn't get to see!
Thanks again.