RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue), Cornwall,
USAAT Station 512

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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The history of RAF St Merryn is massive and I will let you buy the books and read the history. But here is what I found when we visited on the 30 October 2005.

Rapide.

Anson.

Whitley.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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Trebelzue the original runway with the later 'A' standard airfield behind. Also the original watch office is still in place.

Plan.

Control tower  P.B. - 7335/42.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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Air photo taken in 1944, the Trebelzue runways showing their early layout when transformed from the 1930's pre war airfield used by Alan Cobham's National Aviation day touring circus. And then used by Western Airways twice daily service from Swansea-Newquay-Penzance (St Just).

Alan Cobham.

Alan Cobham.

National Aviation Day Display.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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Norman Edgar formed a new company, Norman Edgar (Western Airways) Ltd at Whitchurch. A De Havilland Dragon was bought. New routes were added, Cardiff and Bournemouth (Christchurch). Then further Dragons were added to the fleet and by 1939 Swansea – Barnstaple – Newquay (Trebelzue) – Penzance route once daily.

Route including Trebelzue.

Western Airways Ltd.

Western Airways. The West Country Airline by Graham M. SIMONS.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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Control tower  P.B. - 7335/42. For fighter satellite watch office. (Picture Cornwall Live).
Trebelzue was taken over by the RAF when war started as a satellite to RAF St Eval. Then transfered to Ferry Command to dispatch aircraft to the Middle East via Gibraltar. By 1942 it was decided to extend the airfield and the only option was to build a brand new station further east of the runway. Thus it was re named RAF St Mawgan.

Blenheim. All aircraft that would have passed through Trebelzue.

Wellington.

Hudson.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan

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As can be seen from this plan, a completely new airfield was built to the east of Trebelzue to 'A' standard runway layout.
44 Group RAF.
2 x T2 hangars.
1 x B1 hangar.
2500 x RAF personnel.
3 x runways. Main 3400yds x 50yds.

Airfield construction.

 

Works office Culdrose.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan

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Main runway.

Plan.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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Civilian aircraft parking area.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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Hangar, what type I have no idea.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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AVRO SHACKLETON AEW.2
Postwar into the cold war, they were used to search out enemy (Russian) submarines. First they used Lancasters for this job, until the Shackleton's came on stream. They were a very successful aircraft and lasted here a very long time. So much so, some pilots were younger than their aircraft.
REVELL GERMANY 4920 BRITISH AVRO SHACKLETON AEW.2 BOMBER MODEL KIT 1/72
Four 2,450 hp Rolls-Royce Griffon 57A engines (augmented in MR3 - Phase 3 by two 2,500 lbst Viper turbojets, one in the rear of each outboard nacelle).
Up to ten crew typically. Retractable radar in lower fuselage behind bomb bay. Typical load (MR.3) of 14,000 lbs of bombs, depth charges and sonar buoys.
Range - 4,215 miles at 200 mph, endurance up to 24 hours.

details

WE.177 could be used as an atomic bomb or an atomic depth charge.

Inside a Shackleton.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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HS Nimrod MR2P XV254 photographed in January 1983 with under wing Sidewinder fit.
Up to 13 crew. Armament varies with role: weapons bay capacity 20,000 lb plus two under wing stations; mix of sonobuoys, torpedoes, depth charges, anti-ship missiles and naval mines. (BAE Systems).
Range - 5,200 - 5,750 miles at 490MPH.

The hangar was built to house three Nimrod aircraft when this was RAF St Mawgan.

Nimrod cockpit.

Nimrod R.1, ELINT.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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A T2 and the Nimrod hangar, high level Braithwaite water tower and some odd cold war hangars.

T2 hangar.

Nimrod hangar

Nimrods replacing the Shackleton.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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High level Braithwaite. water tower.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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Control tower, T2 hangar & a cols war odd building.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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HAS (Hardened Aircraft Shelter).

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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Nuclear depth charge storage and weapons area on the site of Trebelzue 1940's runway which was also used as an aircraft dispersal later on. Note the spectacle dispersals added to its length.

Spectral dispersals.

US Navy air launch torpedoes.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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HAS (Hardened Aircraft Shelters) built in the Cold War for US (F111's) to fly into Britain in the event of a European conflict. The hangars can hold one plane where they can be loaded and re fueled inside the hangar. Start up their engines and trundle out to the runway.

HAS with doors open and aircraft inside.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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HAS Hangar at RAF Upper Heyford.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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HAS Hangar at RAF Upper Heyford.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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Weapons store at RAF Upper Heyford.

RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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RAF St Mawgan (Trebelzue)

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© 2013 Richard Drew