St. Eval?

[hobie]

Anyone know what became of RAF St. Eval in Cornwall ?

Is it operational in any form? .....

[BEagle]

Covered with aerials now, unfortunately. See:
http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=187000.35738547&Y=69000.5392924333&scale=25000&width=700&height=400&gride=187391.35738547&gridn=68538.5392924333&lang=&db=

Not sure about St Merryn - anyone shed any light?

[hobie]

many thanks for that "B" ...... everything has gone .... all the Hangars etc ..... everything except the Quaters .... I can still see our old house .....

:ok:

[ACW599]

St Eval is one of the transmitter sites for Architect and also hosts VHF and UHF relays for LATCC and others.

[JHC Wilton]

Nearly stoofed in there 10 years or so ago.
It had been a very long night and we were coasting-in on NVG in the wee small hours in driving rain. Handling pilot was happy he had St Mawgan in sight and was positioning for a straight-in, I was busy putting the coffee cups away and other esssential pre-landing checks.
I don't know what made me look up but I somehow knew something wasn't right and I couldn't put my finger on it. A quick glimpse under the goggles at all those red lights was pretty convincing.
I learnt about flying.....

[SilsoeSid]

I took some pics of St Eval about 7 years ago while on exercise as my old man was stationed there in the 50's. If I can find them I'll post them here. As has already been mentioned, it's now very much an aerial farm.

http://st-eval.co.uk./img4.jpg
Around my dads time.

"RAF St Eval airfield was situated about nine miles from Newquay, along the rugged Cornish coastline, and became operational in 1939 with the arrival of 217 squadron, which had Anson aircraft.

It soon became the largest Coastal Command station and remained a bust station until its closure in 1959, with the Norman church of St Eval still dominating the Cornish coastline, which was situated on the periphery of the airfield.

The St Eval Coastal Command Association’s next reunion is planned for Cambridge in October. We can also supply St Eval ties, caps etc.

For further information please phone the membership secretary, Dave, on 01202 398190 or Graham on 01179 672547.

Or why not come along to National Service Day and meet us at our display stand at the RAF Museum at Cosford, Shropshire, on Sunday, June 27, or try our website http://st-eval.co.uk.

DAVID LOCKYER RAF St Eval Coastal Command Association"



As for St Merryn, memories of holidays when the summers were sunny, heres a couple of links to look at;
http://multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?scale=25000&icon=x&lat=%2050.5038&lon=-04.9755&mapsize=big


http://www.controltowers.co.uk/S/images/St_Merryn_02a.jpg ATC 2002

http://www.controltowers.co.uk/S/St_Merryn.htm


http://www.stmerrynholidayvillage.co.uk/

[CBA_caption]

So whats Architect, then?

[foldingwings]

A bloke who designs buildings!

[airborne_artist]

So whats Architect, then?

St Eval is a US Navy site ....

[ACW599]

'Architect' is the collective callsign for the HF radio network associated with RAF Flight Watch Centres. If you have a current copy of the Flight Information Handbook (the yellow book) the details are on page 92.

[hobie]

I remember driving down runway xxx, flatout in a TR3A ....

memories .... :p

BEagle, any chance you might post a map link to Bigginhill?

:ok:

[BEagle]

No problemo:

http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?lat=51.331&lon=0.032&scale=25000&icon=x

[hobie]

Good Man .... :ok:

[CBA_caption]

Thank you 599. Generally fall asleep after the TAF decodes and don't make it that far!

CBA

[shack]

To me the best thing about St.Eval was an evening session of circuits. With the Old Grey Lady one did three rollers then a full stop for an u/c check, so taxy round and stop on the peritrack near the Quarters, the eng.got out to do the check, a siggie got out and went across to the mobile chippie who visited the patch, then four more circuits, pick up the siggie (loaded with bags full of cod and chips) and bog off over the oggin to eat them in peace. Bet you can't do that with the Mighty Hunter!!!

[Shackman]

Two logbook entries for St Eval:

:ooh: 1968 - frightened f****less landing at dusk in MOTU Shack and seeing Aerials ahead - one of the many who have mistaken it for St Mawgan, and obviously still happening today
:D 1976 - Much happier (and easier) day landing at local school in Whirlwind! One of the last to land there perhaps?

[circle kay]

The FIDO pits are still round the runways too. Twisted my ankel in one walking the dog in the late 80s.

[toplad_22]

St Eval has absolutely nothing to do with the US Navy

[SilsoeSid]

Maybe confused with US Army Air Force Anti-Submarine Ops during WW2. (http://www.usaaf.net/ww2/uboats/uboatspg4.htm)

While stationed at St. Eval, Cornwall, the 1st Antisubmarine Squadron operated under the control of RAF Coastal Command.It flew its first mission on November 1...

Two months later, in January 1943, the 2d Antisubmarine Squadron joined the 1st at St. Eval. The two squadrons became the 1st Antisubmarine Group (Provisional)


St Eval (RAF St Eval), St Eval, England (1939-1959) (http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/Airstations/FAAAirStationsHomepage.htm)

Operational/USAAF 10-1942/RAF late 1944?/Care & Maintenance 6-3-1959/ATC

[hyd3failure]

Right - enough. Its a disused airfield FGS !!! and please. please SilsoeSid. Please say that you DO NOT subscribe to www.controltowers.co.uk please NO ! I couldn't stand it....

[BEagle]

"St Eval has absolutely nothing to do with the US Navy"

And Captain Blackadder definitely did not shoot that plump, speckled pidgeon!

Do do doo do
Do do doo do

Or did he mean Trebalzue?

Or wherever it was the SOSUS people hung out?

[Shackman]

Who mentioned Brawdy?

[hyd3failure]

well, if I can refer you to my fave web site. It clearly states here that BRAWDY (http://www.controltowers.co.uk/Blist.htm) was demolished in 1996. They don't have a photo and so if anyone has an old photo of the Tower at Brawdy in their loft it would be much appreciated.

[BEagle]

Ah no, not the Biscuit Factory at Brawdy! So-called because it was once run by a Capt Jacobs!

Closed now- JMF St Mawgan has taken over.

See: http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/sosus.htm

[SilsoeSid]

For Hyd3Failure,

I DO NOT subscribe to www.controltowers.co.uk

Just trying to help, {Sid sticks out lower lip, bows head, gets jacket and exits stage left.} :(

[hyd3failure]

Sorry silsoe....didn't mean to offend....:O :O :O

[toplad_22]

OK Beagle,

enlighten me what have the Americans got to do with St Eval?

[pmills575]

What have the US Navy got to do with St. Mawgan?


http://www.jmf.navy.mil/

[toplad_22]

Thanks for enlightening me on the American link to St Eval, however I recently served at JMF for two years and I definately remember driving through St Mawgan's main gate.

But thanks to Beagle for the sarcasm anyway.

[baffy boy]

I just followed this thread and it's all a bit confusing. The originator was asking about St Eval. How on earth did people get on to Brawdy and St Mawgan (apart from the obvious references to people mistaking St Eval airfield for St Mawgan airfield). UNLESS someone out there thinks St Eval IS St Mawgan?

[BEagle]

Maskirovka.............

:E

[hobie]

The originator was asking about St Eval. How on earth did people get on to Brawdy and St Mawgan

Baffy, I don't mind ..... its ok, honest!!!! :p

:ok:

ps. I never figure out why they built St Mawgan so close to St. Eval

[toplad_22]

Thanks Baffyboy for the back-up
I think there is some confusion and your right St Eval is a disused RAF airbase with some aerials on it, adjacent to a married patch and has nothing to do with the US Navy, ............................................................ ................
...............Sorry guys didn't see the last 2 posts

[Gainesy]

Baffy, It's a well-known Pprune phenomena called Thread Creep.

(And that is not a reference to any of the posters).

Now, what's that disused airfield just SE of Lossie?

[hobie]

Now, what's that disused airfield just SE of Lossie?
any chance of a map BEagle?

:ok:

[Roland Pulfrew]

Milltown? Northern equivalent of St Eval!!

Hobie. www.multimap.co.uk (http://www.multimap.co.uk) It has OS maps of all of the UK.

[shandyman]

. . . .am currently living in quarters at St Eval and working at JMF. Can maybe help with any queries you may have . . .

[RADAR SCRATCHPAD]

I have a photo of a Nimrod flying over St. Eval; can anyone tell me how to upload the image into a pprune post - I've tried cut and paste but it doesn't work :confused:

[MAD Boom]

To sort out the US Navy, St Eval, JMF, Brawdy stuff:

St Eval village is the married patch for St Mawgan Officers, many of which are US Navy, all of who work at JMF St Mawgan, which used to be at Brawdy. And it's a s***hole. Nothing to do with the airfield at all, it's just nearby with a great big wind farm.

[hobie]

Fistral Beach ...... that rings a bell .... I remember we had a Hiring at Mawgan Porth (High Beach) .... I bet the house is probably still called that ..... then some $$$$$ moved us into Quaters at St Eval :(

memories :p