RAF Davidstow Moor, Cornwall, Airfield Site
RAF · Cornwall · England · United Kingdom
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
RAF Davidstow Moor is situated on the north west corner of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. To get there, driving south on the A 39, turn left after the junction with the A 394. This small B road will take you right across the airfield.
Early in 1941 a Mr Hicks arrived to survey the site from the Ministry of Works, Directorate Offices. Here a massive airfield was to be built with an airfield site and 18 dispersed sites. Buildings and drainage contracts were given to Taylor Woodrow. Runways and dispersals to LJ Speight. Built 970ft above sea level, the highest in the country. Three runways, fifty aircraft dispersals, three T2 Hangars.
Opened October 1942 and closed 1945.
Coastal Command.
RAF personnel - 2748.
WAAAF - 512.
3 x T2 Hangars.
50 x Aircraft dispersals.
18 x dispersed sites.
3 x Runways, 2000yd main runway.
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Red - extant buildings and the sites of the three T2 hangars.
Yellow - Buildings on the site plan.
Green - Bomb store.
50 Aircraft heavy bomber dispersals.
AM D.G.of W 4946/44
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
From the plan you can see the massive area taken up not just by the airfield, but also the 18 dispersed sites.
AM D.G.of W 4946/44
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Just turning off the A39 and this is the first sight of the airfield with the control tower looming out in the afternoon sunlight. First there is a wooded valley with streams and small hamlets, then a plateau with the airfield on it and behind the hills of Bodmin Moor. The airfield is nearly 1000ft above sea level.
There were 11 squadrons that officially used the airfield but many others came, went, used it for an operation, or just landed here when they could not make their parent airfield. Hudson, Beaufighter, Fortress (RAF), Liberator (RAF), Walrus, Warwick and Wellington's were stationed here.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Control Tower from the main gate
This is a very long shot from the main gate across the airfield to the control tower and shows how placing the tower where it is it can see the whole airfield. We were at the furthest spot on the airfield and the control tower would have been able to see us.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
217 - Showers Offices - C.B. - 14438/41.
Museum dedicated to the RAF and Davidstow Moor airfield run by Mr & Mrs Keast contact, you can contact them on them on 01840 213266 and their website is RAF Davidstow Moor.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Coming across the cattle grid onto the airfield the first buildings you see are these on your left.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
The first building on the airfield site that remains is the electrical sub station which would have directed electricity around the airfield and via the M&E plinths (more of those later).
2 - Sub-Station - P.B. - 13241.
2 - Site plan number.
Sub-Station - The name of building.
P.B. - the type of construction, here Permanent Brick.
13241/41 - The ministry plan number of the building and the
/41 the year it was drawn.
P.B. = Permanent Brick.
C.B. = Concrete Block.
T.B. = Temporary Brick. (Building methods).
22 January 2005
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
We start at the technical site where most of the real work was carried out. The hut bases here were the 84 - 85 - Gas Defence Centre - C.B. - 12408/41. Here not only gas masks, etc would be stored here but also anti gas chemicals to clean aircraft and humans. The British military went through levels of worry about a gas attack. Pre war, into around 1942ish large gas decontamination buildings were being built. Later it went a mix of shower blocks that could be used for gas decontamination.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
L to R Main Store, MT, Crew & Rest Room, Gas Defence, Radar Workshop and four blast shelters.
14 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Blast shelter B.S. 2360/41.
Air-raid precautions were really in the minds of airfield planners, full underground shelters were expensive to build, a cheaper way were these simple blast shelters that were built above ground with earth heaped half way up the wall. They were easy to get too and easy to get in and held up to 32 men.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Blast shelter B.S. 2360/41.
Now you see the layout, with two entrances and just duck down and hope for the best that blast and shrapnel goes over your head.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
72 - Crew Rest, Locker & Drying Room - C.B. - 1452/42.
Three huts all connected, one hut a drying hut to dry out your flying clothing on heated rails, then a locker room to store all your flying clothing and equipment, last the rest room where crew could relax and assemble before missions.
There was a heating plant on the smaller hut, coal fired with pipe work running around the drying room and heating for the other rooms.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
72 - Crew Rest, Locker & Drying Room - C.B. - 1452/42.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
72 - Crew Rest, Locker & Drying Room - C.B. - 1452/42.
Concrete paths laid out to help keep the airmens feet clean and not too muddy.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
13 - Gas Chamber - C.B. - 12411/41.
Gas chamber, the reason for this building is to test and store Tear Gas. Probably the left door was the store and then the right door, you enter with a gas mask on and tear gas canister is set off check your gas mask is OK.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Emergency Water Supply.
In the event of fire, these EWS's were all around the airfield ready to be used by the airfield fire services.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Motor Transport.
69 - M/T Office - C.B. - 1949/42.
70 - M/T Shed - C.B. - 12775/41.
71 - M/T Bulk Petrol Store - 5000gal - (no number).
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
70 - M/T Shed - C.B. - 12775/41.
Motor transport, the office would run all the motor transport of the airfield. From a staff car for the CO to the bowser lorries. Very like a small village garage, there would have been a petrol pump, three bay workshop with a vehicle inspection pit, and an office to keep all the records.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
70 - M/T Shed - C.B. - 12775/41.
71 - M/T Bulk Petrol Store - 5000gal - (no number).
I have added a petrol pump to show how it may have looked.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
71 - M/T Bulk Petrol Store - 5000gal - (no number).
There are even four threads still sticking out of the concrete base to bolt down the petrol pump.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
20 - Main Store & Stores Office C.B. - 2069/42.
This building is where everything was stored, from aircraft, vehicle spares, clothing, office equipment, etc. The store man would have ruled with a rod of iron and only issuing what HE thought you needed. Two stores either side and the fabric store in the middle. Fabric was often used as tail panel covering on metal skinned planes to save weight, to almost all surfaces on something like a Tiger Moth trainer.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
20 - Main Store & Stores Office C.B. - 2069/42.
This design of this main store was the centre of early expansion airfields. Before they were complicated brick structures and later just two Romney huts as the need for greater expansion and speed of construction was needed.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
20 - Main Store & Stores Office C.B. - 2069/42.
Fabric store. You can see the use here of a concrete block as they must have bee sourced locally instead of red brick, the usual materiel of choice.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
20 - Main Store & Stores Office C.B. - 2069/42.
Fabric store. Large bi-fold doors would close off the entrance.
00-00-00
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
20 - Main Store & Stores Office C.B. - 2069/42.
Store room.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
20 - Main Store & Stores Office C.B. - 2069/42.
One of the side entrances.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
20 - Main Store & Stores Office C.B. - 2069/42.
Stores office. Store mans heaven.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
21- Latrines RAF Technical - T.B. - 9026/41.
A standard latrine block.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Brown Willy.
The view due south of the airfield, great on a misty day. Luckily the main runway is more east/west. A red obstruction light was placed on its summit.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Plan of cabling and obstruction lighting placed on the high ground above the airfield from an Air Ministry document. The lights were directly controlled from a panel in the control tower.
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
22 - Photographic Block - C.B. - 4782/42.
Photographs from camera guns, bomb release, air to ground, etc, would be printed out here..
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
22 - Photographic Block - C.B. - 4782/42.
Tiles on the floor in the processing room.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
67 - Parachute Store - C.B. - 11137/41.
All parachutes have a card with dates on. Date last packed, date last checked and a history of any repairs. So you may fly a few times with your issued parachute, but then bring your parachute back for checking & re packing. There was also a heating plant so that parachutes could be dried out and when stored, kept dry.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
23 - Double Turret Instructional Building - C.B. - 11023/40.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
23 - Double Turret Instructional Building - C.B. - 11023/40.
Here as an air gunner you would come in and practice your skills in a simulator, not computerised, all electrical and manual.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
23 - Double Turret Instructional Building - C.B. - 11023/40.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
23 - Double Turret Instructional Building - C.B. - 11023/40.
Taken from one of the many websites by Ed Fowlers. Thank you Ed.
From https://airgunnerbobgilldfm.wordpress/air-gunner/airborne-turret-trainers/
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
23 - Double Turret Instructional Building - C.B. - 11023/40.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
23 - Double Turret Instructional Building - C.B. - 11023/40.
22 January 2005
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
24 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - P.B. - 1130/42.
Air Ministry Bombing Teacher a fascinating building, I would like to see one in working condition.
At the top is a projector pointing down onto the floor, under it is the bomb aimers position, under him is the pilots position. The picture of a target is shot onto the floor, the bomb aimer directs the pilot to the target and drops the bombs.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
24 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - P.B. - 1130/42.
The front with the heating plant and chimney.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
24 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - P.B. - 1130/42.
Heating plant.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
24 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - P.B. - 1130/42.
The floor where it all came together.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
24 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - P.B. - 1130/42.
The pilots position. Bomb aimer above.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
24 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - P.B. - 1130/42.
Looking up into the roof at the projection hole.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
24 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - P.B. - 1130/42.
All together. Like the pilots that needed to sharpen up their flying techniques, bomb aimers also needed that edge. They would come in here quite regularly to make their aim better.
23 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
23 - Double Turret Instructional Building - C.B. - 11023/40.
24 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - P.B. - 1130/42.
Abstract: From 1939 to 1945 RAF Coastal Command played a crucial role in maintaining Britain’s maritime communications, thus securing the United Kingdom’s ability to wage war against the Axis powers in Europe. Its primary role was in confronting the German U-boat menace, particularly in the 1940-41 period when Britain came closest to losing the Battle of the Atlantic and with it the war. The importance of air power in the war against the U-boat was amply demonstrated when the closing of the Mid-Atlantic Air Gap in 1943 by Coastal Command aircraft effectively brought victory in the Atlantic campaign. Coastal Command also played a vital role in combating the German surface navy and, in the later stages of the war, in attacking Germany’s maritime links with Scandinavia.
By Professor John Buckley
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
M & E Plinth.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
M & E Plinth.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
58 & 63 - Aircraft Shed T2 - St - 8271/40.
There were three T2 hangars in all. Two were here and the other one on the far side of the airfield. The T2 hangar built by the Tees Side Bridge and Engineering Works to an Air Ministry contract for a transportable hangar. It could be assembled and dissembled very easily as it was all nuts and bolts and inter changeable parts. Over 900 were built.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
58 - Aircraft Shed T2 - St - 8271/40.
St = Steel.
Hangars used to be used for aircraft storage in the old days, now most aircraft were metal skinned. They could stay out on dispersal and only come in to the hangar for maintenance or repair.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
60 - Turret Repair Shop - T.B. - 8933/40.
The plan states this was a Nissen hut but actually its built in temporary brick style with concrete blocks and a corrugated cement/asbestos roof.
22 January 2005
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
63 - Aircraft Shed T2 - St - 8271/40.
The fittings for the steel supports.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
How it may have looked.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
A planes crew cycling along the perimeter track with the T2 in the background.
RAF Davidstow Moor
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
63 - Aircraft Shed T2 - St - 8271/40.
22 January 2005
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
44 - Squadron Offices & Flight Offices - C.B. - 4730/42.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
45 -
Latrines RAF Technical - T.B. - 9026/41.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
56 - Crew Rest Locker & Drying Room - C.B. - 1452/43.
29 April 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
56 - Crew Rest Locker & Drying Room - C.B. - 1452/43.
Heating plant room.
29 April 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
56 - Crew Rest Locker & Drying Room - C.B. - 1452/43.
Heating plant room.
29 April 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
56 - Crew Rest Locker & Drying Room - C.B. - 1452/43.
Heating plant room. Inside with a wall between the coal hole (as we called it) and the boiler area. Now all gone.
29 April 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
This is what it may have looked like.
26 May 2016
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
56 - Crew Rest Locker & Drying Room - C.B. - 1452/43.
The tree buildings that make up the
Crew Rest Locker & Drying Room.
29 April 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
56 - Crew Rest Locker & Drying Room - C.B. - 1452/43.
29 April 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
47/48/49 - R. U. Pyro Store - C.B. - 5488/42.
Ready-Use Pyrotechnic Store, three sat beyond the hangars to store signal flair cartridges taken out of aircraft not flying. Its not safe to leave flair guns, cartridges in a plane for safety reasons, so they were stored here.
29 April 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
47/48/49 - R. U. Pyro Store - C.B. - 5488/42.
22 January 2005
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Perimeter track.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Runway 20/02 1400yds by 50yds.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Perimeter Track & Control Tower heading East.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
404 Sqn RCAF Beaufighters on standby with their trolley acc starters, rocket projectiles under their wings and D-Day stripes.
144 Sqn & 404 Sqn were all here for D-Day. During D-Day, 144 wore a ‘2’ signifying Davidstow Moor.
Around D-Day https://rcaf404squadron.art.blog
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
The most important building on an airfield, from here all flying in or out would be monitored and controlled.
There were steel steps up the right side and more from the balcony to the roof. Steel banister rails would run around the roof and the balcony.
29 April 2012 https://rcaf404squadron.art.blog
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
The rear entrance.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
Watch Office.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
Duty pilots rest room.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
Signals office.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
Control Room.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
Control Room.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
87 - Control Tower/Watch Office - C.B. - 12779/41.
Control Room.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Just behind the Control Tower.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Main runway E/W 2000yds long x 50yds wide.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
96 - Bulk Petrol Installation - type 'C' - 9846/41.
This is the largest instillation I have ever seen,
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
96 - Bulk Petrol Installation - type 'C' - 9846/41.
93 - M & E Plinth.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
96 - Bulk Petrol Installation - type 'C' - 9846/41.
This very large
Bulk Petrol Installation (aviation), I have never come across before or after, its a huge capacity as it would have needed to be, to fill upto two squadrons of heavy bombers ready for an operation.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
96 - Bulk Petrol Installation - type 'C' - 9846/41.
This maybe where the tanks were dipped to see how much fuel was in them.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
96 - Bulk Petrol Installation - type 'C' - 9846/41.
Pump room.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
96 - Bulk Petrol Installation - type 'C' - 9846/41.
Pump room.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
96 - Bulk Petrol Installation - type 'C' - 9846/41.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
96 - Bulk Petrol Installation - type 'C' - 9846/41.
Bomb store in the distance.
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
404 Sqn RCAF Beaufighters at dispersals probably on the eastern side with a bomb trolley ready to load up.. .
PL41005 https://rcaf404squadron.art.blog
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
101 - T2 Hangar - St - 8274/40.
Lead off from the perimeter track to the third T2 hangar.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
97 - Latrine - C.B.
98 - General Purpose Hut - H.C.
H.C. Handcraft hut.
C.B. - Concrete Block.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
101 - T2 Hangar - St - 8271/40.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
101 - T2 Hangar - St - 8271/40.
Normally unseen is the drainage and the base for the door runners to fully open.
28 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
129 Bulk Petrol - Instillation (Aviation) - 9846/41
22 January 2005
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
129 Bulk Petrol - Instillation (Aviation) - 9846/41.
Inside the pump room.
22 January 2005
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
15425/40 pump house plan.
22 January 2005
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
129 Bulk Petrol - Instillation (Aviation) - 9846/41
All fuel was nationalised and delivery came through POOL. This was the pooling of all petroleum products and companies under the umbrella of the Petroleum Board, to coordinate wartime supplies of petroleum and petroleum products throughout the United Kingdom. It was composed of senior executives of the major oil companies who operated an ‘oil pool’ with distribution controlled by the Board. The board was dissolved in June 1948 nearly three years after hostilities ended. Aviation fuel was delivered by the POOL lorries or by pipe line (if the airfield had a connection). Then when an aircraft needed re fueling, a bowser would arrive here and fill up with fuel, drive out to the dispersal and re fuel the plane.
29 April 2012
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Main Runway Flying Control Caravan Hard Stand.
The distinctive WW2 towed runway controller's caravans. These were towed to the end of the active runway. The vans had a glazed lookout framework in the roof, and carried a windsock on a mounting bracket. They were completely covered in black and white checks, whilst in the late and post-war periods this was often replaced with red and white checks. From David J. Parkins (models).
24 March 2004
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
Main E/W Runway 2000yds long x 50yds wide.
Mr. David Keast has written a book and has opened a museum, his Tel No. is 01840 213266 for more information.
17 August 2010
RAF Davidstow Moor, Airfield Site
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24 March 2004