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Summary

Site 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 (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Map object based on this Source.

Francis, P., 1999, Exeter Airport. Historic Airport Survey for Devon County Council & East Devon District Council, 145 (Report - non-specific). SDV323390.

Flight Offices "DK" (TB). Demolished by May 1999. Other details: Building 69.

GetMapping, 1999 - 2000, Millennium Map 1999-2000 Getmapping (Aerial Photograph). SDV321648.

Northern part of building survives.

Bluesky, 2006 - 2007, Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341189.

Part of this building appears to survive. Map object based on this Source.

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

Part of building appears to survive.

Davis, R. A., 2014, Exeter Skypark, Devon, RGF Site Clearance and Landscaping: Historic Building Record, 5; Plate 1, 21-28; 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 south Flight offices ‘DK’ had mostly been demolished leaving only the overgrown floor surfaces. But, the north section of office was still standing with roof. Of single storey and open light weight roof trusses the building was originally covered in asbestos sheeting and rendered externally. The asbestos sheeting had been removed recently but, the wooden softwood sheet purlins were still in-situ.
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. At the south end of building 70 was a small foundation and floor suggesting that originally there was a porch entrance.
It is not possible to say how the buildings were arranged internally but, the south building (70) was divided down the middle into two.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4774 - Historic Airport Survey, Exeter Airport

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