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Summary

Remains of World War II flight offices.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Military structures; earthworks and archaeological remains of World War II, RAF Exeter and post medieval catchmeadows and orchard banks on footprint of modern Exeter Airport and to the east

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FLIGHT OFFICE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

Francis, P., 1999, Exeter Airport. Historic Airport Survey for Devon County Council & East Devon District Council, 86 (Report - non-specific). SDV323390.

Flight Offices "CK". Only fragments of the wall sections survive. Other details: Site 87; Map 8.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

Davis, R. A., 2014, Exeter Skypark, Devon, RGF Site Clearance and Landscaping: Historic Building Record, 5; Plate 1, 21-25, 29-30; Fig 2 (Report - Survey). SDV357036.

The flight offices were located between each flight of three fighter pens so that scrambled pilots could get to the planes in the quickest possible time. Built to a standard plan form with three co-joined rectangular elements. The building was subdivided into office accommodation for flight officers, flight clerks and stores.
The walls were of single brick thickness which was then cement rendered (this was considered by the Air Ministry as ‘of temporary brick build’). Additional support was provided for the walls by a series of external brick buttresses. The roof (which had collapsed) was made from light weight steel trusses and was originally covered in corrugated asbestos sheeting. Original windows were identified and consisted of simple metal casement frames.
The north flight office (CK) was almost completely demolished with only low brick walls and floor surfaces remaining. The floor was of poured concrete and visible in the surface was the impressions of internal partition walls.
Attached to each of the Flight offices was originally a free standing small building referred to as ‘Latrines and Drying room’ (gazetteer numbers 86 and 70). Both of these buildings had been demolished in the past and only their respective footprint survived. This consisted of a rectangular base with poured concrete floor.
It is not possible to say how the buildings were arranged internally but, the north building (86) appeared to have been divided into four sections

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4774 - Historic Airport Survey, Exeter Airport

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