RAF Bolt Head

As the RAF in WW2 went into its second phase, from defending Britain to attacking occupied France. Ramrod – was the code word to designate a mission in which fighter planes escortednbombers. Circus - a large operation involving fighters. They would range far & wide over France, really to annoy and to shoot down as many German fighters as possible. Bombers used were, first Blenheims and then Mitchell´s, several Stirling´s also went out. The Spitfire of the time did not have that much endurance, so needed to be stationed as close to France as possible. An advanced landing ground wrre needed in Devon to reach Brittany and set on top of a cliff, was Bolt Head. The runways had to fit into the lay of the land and so does not conform to a standard RAF 'A' type airfield layout. Work started in the summer of 1942 with two grass runways. As time went on the runways were over laid with 'Army' tracking and the aircraft parking area in 'Bar & Track'. Hutting was also built around the N/W side of the airfield, five tarmac circular dispersals and two Blister hangars were constructed. The aircraft came and went and at first RAF Exeter was the home station and one of its Spitfire squadrons would spend a month at a time rotating 'In the country'.

Opened as a fighter aerodrome 1941 - Closed 1947. 2 x Blister hangars. 5 x Fighter Aircraft Circular Dispersals. Runways - Army tracking. Also extended with Bar & Track. RAF - 474. WAAF - 133. Accommodation - Temporary. Mostly - Spitfires and Typhoons. Also - Lysander, Whirlwind, Anson & Warwick.

A nice 1943 reconnaissance photo of the airfield.

Plan In the join between the two runways and the cross over road was filled in with a tarmac surface. That is still there today and used as a car park.

The tarmac crossover. Looking almost due east down the E/W runway with the NE/SW left & right.

Technical site 43 ----- Store 49 ----- Aviation Petrol instillation 'A' type. 50/51 - Over Blister Hangars. 64 ----- Fighter dispersal F3. 114 ---- Small arms ammunition store with a berm of earth on one side as a blast wall. The plan I have the numbers and wording is not clear enough to give more details. Bar & Rod tracking comes in 12ft x 3ft sections and is quite heavy and tough. It sits on the grass and the next section slots together with a sort of tongue and slider.

The airfield today.

I think this may have been used as a bomb store of some kind.

Another view of a small window or defence embrasure for a rifle??

Bomb store. Looks like some sort of rear opening.

Bomb store. The concrete lump may have had a metal spike set into it and used as a lightening conductor.

Signal Office Building The second building, an original farm barn converted with concrete 'A' section blast wall around it. "Listed on the Air Ministry plan this was the Signal Office Building. The main structure was located within these concrete protected blast walls which were filled with earth to add further blast protection. The signal office would have been one of the most important buildings on the aerodrome". From Gull Perch on Facebook. Well I got that wrong! "I thought it was a bomb store"

Signal Office Building This shows the 'A' section was paneled in concrete sheets and earth placed between.

Signal Office Building A better view of the 'A' section.

Signal Office Building Looking inside but nothing to see I am afraid.

Parts of the runway surfacing left lying around.

12ft x 3ft Bar and Rod tracking at RAF Lasham.

The fittings of Bar & Rod tracking to join two sections together.

More parts of the runway surfacing left lying around.

Base of a hut.

Handcraft hutting was an asbestos/cement cranked sheeting that could easily be bolted together making a good weather proof hut. Brick up the ends with door and windows and inside some plasterboard or soft board lining, a stove, a very small supply of coal and hay ho a nice worm living accommodation. I am sure that is what the WAAF's and Erks would tell you now.

Rhubarb attack on Brest Lanveoc/Poulmic Airfield 25.10.43. The main picture gives an idea of a report that would have been written after every raid on enemy territory.

Air photo of Brest airfield.

A Spitfire at Bolt Head. Note the bell tent under its right wing.

A Beaufighter being readied at Bolt Head.

This is post airfield and brings us into the cold war with the Type R6 Rotor/Radar station.

A Hurricane that just happened to be parked on one of our visits..