St. Eval?
 

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

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

Covered with aerials now, unfortunately. See:
http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cg...4333&lang=&db=

Not sure about St Merryn - anyone shed any light?

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

:ok:

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

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.....

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?sc...55&mapsize=big


http://www.controltowers.co.uk/S/ima...Merryn_02a.jpg ATC 2002

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


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

So whats Architect, then?

A bloke who designs buildings!

St Eval is a US Navy site ....

'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.

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

memories .... :p

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

:ok:

No problemo:

http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cg...e=25000&icon=x

Good Man .... :ok:

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

CBA

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!!!

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?

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

St Eval has absolutely nothing to do with the US Navy

Maybe confused with US Army Air Force Anti-Submarine Ops during WW2.

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)

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

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....