Upottery
UPOTTERY: Military aerodrome (Aka SMEATHARPE)
Note: The first two pictures are by the author and taken through perspex. The third picture (2018) was obtained from Google Earth ©
Military users: RAF Fighter Command 70 Group
Note: Although it seems generally agreed that the RAF operated here, I have yet to discover what was going on. Or indeed, if any RAF flying activity took place.
United States Army Air Forces 9th Air Force IX Troop Carrier Command
50th Troop Carrier Wing 439th Troop Carrier Group
91st, 92nd, 93rd & 94th Troop Carrier Sqdns (Douglas C-47 Skytrains)
United States Navy NAF (Naval Air Facility) Satellite for NAF DUNKESWELL
VPB-107 & VPB-112 (Consolidated PB4Y Liberators)
Note: VPB was the U S Navy term for Patrol Bombing Squadrons.
Civil: It appears that even into the 21st century a small flying club has been based here. Are any details known?
Location: SW of Smeatharpe, 2nm NNW of Upottery, 5nm NNE of Honiton
Period of operation: 1944 to 1948
Runways: WW2: 09/27 1829x46 hard 03/21 1280x46 hard
15/33 1280x46 hard
NOTES: A typical late WW2 Bomber station runway layout. During WW2 it was used by the USAAF as a transport airfield. Much later in WW2, from January 1945 the US Navy had two ‘Anti-submarine’ Liberator squadrons based here, VPB-107 and VPB-112. These two squadrons it appears were assigned to assist 19 Group, Royal Air Force Coastal Command, in patrols in the English Channel, the Irish Sea and the Bay of Biscay. As has been so often the case in compiling this Guide, entries in Wikipedia have proved to be most useful.
A CLAIM TO FAME
It appears that UPOTTERY gained a lot of attention in 2001 when it featured in the first episode of the TV mini-series Band of Brothers. It was from UPOTTERY that 'Easy Company' of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, U.S. 101st Airborne Division, boarded Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft to parachute into Normandy on the 6th June 1944.
A MUCH LATER EVENT
On the 20/21 August 2011 for a ‘Wings & Wheels’ event permission was being granted for visiting aircraft to once again land on this WW2 airfield. Two hard runways were available, (these being without much doubt part of the original runways?), 09/27 800 and 16/32 700.
Does the fact that these two sections of runway are considered suitable for aircraft use indicate that some form of private GA use has taken place, at least in recent years? It must have been quite a success as another event was planned for August 18/19 2012.
MOTORSPORT
It appears that, as is so often the case with disused WW2 airfields, various forms of motorsport have taken place here, and this is still the case. The most popular being stock car racing, rallying, drag racing and drifting. I have to admit that I have no idea what 'drifting' is, although I suspect it involves a lot of high speed turns with the back end breaking loose.
ALSO A HANG GLIDING SITE
NOTE: This picture was copied from the 'Simon Murphy's Flying Circus' website.
MODEL FLYING
It appears that model flying has been going on for several years by the Blackdown Radio Controlled Flying Club, from a location on/near the intersection of runways 09/27 and 15/33. Could not find a picture on Google Earth ©, from which this picture was obtained, showing any activity. Perhaps some kind person can help here?
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