RAF Carew Cheriton
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RAF Carew Cheriton was a very early (1930's) RAF airfield to include
three runways, they were the minimum length at 1000yds and were not extended later in the war like other stations. It was built to help protect the sea routes around the English Channel and Irish Sea. Planes at the outbreak of the war were hard to get, so Ansons (at the outbreak of WW2, the Anson was soon found to have become obsolete, so became a multi-engine aircrew training/transport) was brought back into front line service as short range anti submarine and shipping patrol aircraft. To cover long range, the Sunderland's were used from RAF Pembroke Dock just down the road.
Fighters were stationed here, on and off and aircraft towing drogues were used by Anti Aircraft Command as targets at places like Manorbier ranges. Coastal Command
No. 32 and No. 238 Sqns operated detachments of Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft.
No. 321 (Dutch) Squadron RAF formed on the 1 June 1940 at RAF Pembroke Dock, then moved to RAF Carew Cheriton on 28 July 1940 and became operational. The squadron flew coastal and anti-submarine patrols with Avro Anson I aircraft.
I have not covered what happened here in WW1 thats another story.
Anson cockpit.
Cheater Ansons engine.
Hawker Hurricane fighter.
Henley target tug.
Fairy Battle target tug..
RAF Carew Cheriton
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RAF Carew Cheriton
Plan
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RAF Carew Cheriton
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Plan of the airfield.
2 x Bellman hangars.
3 x attached Blister hangars.
1 x Bessoneau
hangar.
2 x interesting control towers.
Opened 1939 & closed 1945.
Avro Anson.
Bristol Beaufighter.
Vickers Wellington.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Gymnasium & Chancel 16428/40.
Plan.
The rooms along the side are Officers and Men's changing rooms.
The gymnasium was not just to keep the body fit but for the mind, where films could be shown, dances taken place and many other uses.
Plan.
RAF Padre would have held services in the end chancel.
It would have had a row of these asbestos roof vents along the ridge.
Inside RAF Langars gymnasium.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Middle of runway 24/06 NNE/SSW, looking west.
The drains running almost the full length.
Plan.
Miles Martinet target tug.
Pilot in a Sunderland.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Drainage by Dudley & Dowell LTD Gradley Heath Staffs with a 1939 patent No.
Drains.
RAF Carew Cheriton
Old Control Tower (Rob Truman) --------------------------------------------------------------------- 15 March 2009
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RAF Carew Cheriton
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Building No. 216 Control Tower. How it was.
History :
WW1 an airfield was needed to to house airships for anti-submarine patrols in the Irish Sea. Two corrugated iron hangars were built for them. Later Sopwith 1 & 1/2 strutters & DH6's were stationed here.
As it is now 2009 and still is..
RAF Carew Cheriton
15 March 2009
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Building No. 216 Control Tower.
Air raid shelter at the rear of the tower.
RAF Carew Cheriton
15 March 2009
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RAF Carew Cheriton
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Building No. 216 Control Tower.
Plan.
RAF Carew Cheriton
15 March 2009
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From Deric (who I believe is something to do with the museum) To Rob (The owner of the old Control Towers website).
Dear Rob
Here are some brief details about Carew Cheriton's Watch Office:
Building No. 216
The control tower was built during 1941 by a local building contractor from Tenby. Built to a "local" design it follows no set pattern and is noted in books and articles about the period as an "unusual one-off" tower.
The building has some notable features such as the prominent bay window on the south elevation which holds a commanding view of the airfield. The structure is surrounded by a dry stone wall which rests against the brickwork giving good drainage. The limestone is then covered by the earth blast mound which give some protection to the tower.
Being single story apart from the brick constructed observation room the main entrance is on the eastern elevation leading into a corridor with rooms off either side. To the left of the entrance is the map and control rooms, opposite can be found the met office, flag store and toilets. At the end of the corridor a fixed steel ladder gives access to the observation room. The duty officer's rest room leads off the control room.
The current tower was built to replace the original Watch Office, which was situated 50 metres to the west on the opposite side of the taxiway. The brick and concrete base of the original building can still be seen today standing over a metre above ground level. Standing on this concrete base one can see the outline of the timber structure that formed the watch office. This structure was the wheelhouse that came from the ship "Montrose" remembered for its connection with Dr. Crippen and the radio message from the ship that sealed his fate. On the 1945 plan of the airfield this building with the reference number 64 is listed as the "duty crew room"...
Regards Deric.
The plinth for the original Watch Office.
SS Montrose.
Dr Crippen.
This is RAF Weston-Super-Mere's watch office, probably very like the one that was here?
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Avro Anson under raps.
Now I believe its in a new building on the site and being restored.
Ansons over Wales.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Bellman, 3 x Blister and a Bessoneau
hangar base.
3 x Blister hangars joined together.
Bessoneau
hangar (based on a pre WW1 French design).
Bellman hangar.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Bellman hangar base.
Bellman hangars were one of the first truly transportable hangars, they could be built, dismantled and re built, many miles away. The RAF took them all over the world and even today the odd Bellman shows up.
Its lower that the T2 hangar, so ideal for single and small twin engined aircraft.
Bellman elevation.
Inside a Bellman at RAF Clyffe Pypard.
Outside a Bellman at RAF Clyffe Pypard.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Six doors opening out to its full width and allowing aircraft easy access. These are the door runners.
details
Frame.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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32 man blast shelter.
Blast plan 2360/41 plan.
Blast shelter entrance.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Airman's shower & ablutions block
The tower held a water tank and below was a coal heating plant for the hot water.
details
Asbestos clads
Boiler.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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AA defence post.
Lewis gun.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Turret trainer
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Turret trainer building.
Turret trainer mechanism.
Anson turret.
Other forms of trainer.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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RAF Carew Cheriton
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Technical area.
Plan.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Main workshop.
AA position is hiding under a tree.
Plan 7799/41.
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Dumbbell anti-aircraft position.
The plan I have badly drawn of the pillbox with this dumbbell position in front. I have seen one of these positions at RAF Harrowbeer.
It could be a Lewis gun AA trench.
Plan.
Twin Lewis guns.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Pillbox Modified Type 24.
Added forward defence position.
The pillbox has an added outer sunken position. An AA machine gun post with the entrance from inside the pillbox..
Type 24 pillbox.
Plan.
A semicircular position not unlike this one at RAF Culmhead.
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Inner anti ricochet wall.
First rifle embrasure.
The reason airfields were defended was of a real threat from a German parachute attack.
First fighters and fighter bombers would attack the airfield and then He52's filled with
Fallschirmjäger. When they had parachuted in and taken over the airfield, fleets of He52 transports would fly in more Fallschirmjäger. 2cm Flak guns and anti tank guns could arrive either by plane or glider. Once taken a sea landing near a port would take place. This was the main German plan to take parts of Scotland from Norway & Denmark. It shows how the RAF were worried about this style of attack. The Fallschirmjäger when they did attack and that was the Island of Crete, this was the same scenario.
Fallschirmjäger the enemy.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Embrasure and the small entrance to go out to the forward defence post.
This one has a Turnbull Mount for a Bren gun.
Turnbull Mount.
Turnbull Mount.
Home Guard.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Main store 7798/41.
Main store, fabric store.
Plan 7798/41.
Collecting stores.
Fabric store with bi fold doors.
Counter.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Main workshop 7793/41.
This end has the loading high enough for a lorry to reverse up to the sliding door entrance.
Plan 7793/41.
details
RAF Carew Cheriton
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Main workshop 7793/41.
Workshops.
Woodwork.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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St Marys Church, Carew Cheriton.
RAF Carew Cheriton
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CWGC part of Carew (St Mary's) Cemetery
RAF Carew Cheriton
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CWGC part of Carew (St Mary's) Cemetery.
R91294 Flight Sergeant
KPL
R.J. Middleton. Z Jurewicz
Wireless Air Gunner 595AAC 90DN
Royal Canadian Air Force 4th July 1944 AGE 20
7 December 1942
AGE 25. Polish Forces
Canada.
Poland.
CWGC.
Royal Netherlands Air Force.
RAF.
RAF Carew Cheriton
Carew Castle
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France
Great Britain
