RAF Cleave

RAF Cleave[1] is a former Royal Air Force station located 4.2 miles (7 kilometres) north of Bude in Cornwall, United Kingdom, which was operational from 1939 until 1945.[1] Despite a few periods of intense activity, it was one of Fighter Command's lesser used airfields.

RAF Cleave

Summary
Airport typeMilitary (former)
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
LocationWest of Kilkhampton
Built1939
In use1939-1945
Elevation AMSL400 ft / 122 m
Coordinates50°53′08″N 04°33′00″W
Map
RAF Cleave
Location in Cornwall
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
06/24 2,250 656 Grass
18/36 2,700 823 Grass

History

RAF Cleave was conceived as housing target and target support aircraft for firing ranges along the north Cornwall coast, and land was acquired from Cleave Manor.

In May 1939, two flights of No. 1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF (1 AACU) with the Westland Wallace, and a naval steam catapult was soon erected near the cliffs for the pilotless Queen Bee aircraft due to be stationed there. Aircraft were initially housed in temporary Bessonneau hangars (type H of World War I vintage), and later replaced by more permanent structures.

In December 1943, the four flights were amalgamated into 639 Squadron, which served at Cleave for the remainder of the war.

The airfield was placed under care and maintenance in April 1945, and later became a government signals station.

Posted squadrons
unitdates stationedaircraft usedduties
1 AACU (D, G & O Flights)- 31 October 1942Hawker Henley, Westland Wallacetarget towing
1602 (AAC) Flt1 November 1942 – 1 December 1943Hawker Henleyformed from D Flight 1AACU, target towing
1603 (AAC) Flt1 November 1942 – 1 December 1943Hawker Henley, Fairey Battleformed from G Flight 1AACU, target towing
1604 (AAC) Flt1 November 1942 – 1 December 1943Hawker Henley, de Havilland Tiger Mothformed from O Flight 1AACU, target towing
1618 (AAC) Flt1 November 1942 – 1 December 1943de Havilland Tiger Moth, de Havilland Queen Beetarget towing & pilotless targets
639 Sqn1 December 1943 – 30 April 1945Hawker Henley, Hawker Hurricaneformed from 1602, 1603, & 1604 Flts[2]

Current use
Remains of an RAF Cleave gun emplacement, with the modern satellite dishes of GCHQ Bude behind

Apart from an undisturbed piece of the grass runway to the north, a very short section of concrete perimeter track, and a few of the married quarters accommodation on Cleave Crescent, the site has been almost completely re-modelled as GCHQ Bude.

References

Citations
  1. "RAF Cleave". RAFweb.org. RAFweb - Air of Authority. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  2. Jefford 1988, p. 00.

Bibliography
  • Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Lake, A (1999) Flying units of the RAF, Airlife Publishing, Shrewsbury, 316pp & 16 App, ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  • Smith, G (2000) Devon and Cornwall Airfields in the Second World War, Countryside Books, Newbury, 288pp, ISBN 1-85306-632-X.
  • Willis, S and Holliss, B R (1987), Military airfields in the British Isles 1939-1945 (Omnibus Edition), Enthusiasts Publications, Newport Pagnell, 283pp, ISBN 0-907700-12-8.
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