RAF Station Weston Zoyland is a former World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 airfield in Somerset

Somerset

The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. The airfield is located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) east-southeast of Bridgwater

Bridgwater

Bridgwater is a market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and a major industrial centre. Bridgwater is located on the major communication routes through South West England...

; about 125 miles (201.2 km) west-southwest of London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

Opened in 1944, it was used by both the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

 and United States Army Air Force. During the war it was used primarily as transport airfield. After the war it was used as a reserve RAF Fighter Command

RAF Fighter Command

RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...

 airfield until 1958.

Today the remains of the airfield are a mixture of farmland and a base for Civil Air Patrol activities.

Overview

Weston Zoyland airfield originated in the mid-1920s as a landing ground, being in use by 1926 for drogue tugs using the anti-aircraft gunnery range off Watchet

Watchet

Watchet is a harbour town and civil parish in the English county of Somerset, with an approximate population of 4,400. It is situated west of Bridgwater, north-west of Taunton, and east of Minehead. The parish includes the hamlet of Beggearn Huish...

 in the Bristol Channel

Bristol Channel

The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...

. At first, it was no more than an extended cow pasture, subject only to seasonal use until the Second World War loomed, when the site was occupied on a permanent basis. During the pre-war years, buildings were erected piecemeal as required and the landing ground area gradually enlarged but, with the fall of France

Battle of France

In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...

, Weston Zoyland was no longer a backwater airfield.

To obtain the necessary amount of land for siting runways of sufficient length, the A372 to Othery

Othery

The parish and village of Othery, established in 1515, sits on a detached extension of Sowy island on the Somerset Levels. It is east of Bridgwater and north-west of Langport. It borders the hamlets and villages of Pathe, Burrowbridge, Middlezoy, Westonzoyland and Aller, which it meets at Beer Wall...

 was closed and diverted south on a former minor road.

In 1942, the Air Ministry decided to upgrade the airfield to bomber standard and, early in 1943, work began on laying concrete runways and the perimeter track to the Class A airfield

Class A airfield

Class A airfields were military installations originally built for the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. Several were transferred to the U.S...

 standard, the main feature of which was a set of three converging runways each containing a concrete runway for takeoffs and landings, optimally placed at 60 degree angles to each other in a triangular pattern.

The airfield runways were a main of 5.775 ft at 11/29, and ancillaries of 3,564 ft at 05/23 and 4,101 ft at 16/34. Two hardstands were of 150 ft diameter pans and there were 33 loops connecting to an enclosing perimeter track, of a standard width of 50 feet.

The ground support station was constructed largely of Nissen hut

Nissen hut

A Nissen hut is a prefabricated steel structure made from a half-cylindrical skin of corrugated steel, a variant of which was used extensively during World War II.-Description:...

s of various sizes. The support station was where the group and ground station commanders and squadron headquarters and orderly rooms were located. Also on the ground station were where the mess facilities; chapel; hospital; mission briefing and debriefing; armory and bombsite storage; life support; parachute rigging; supply warehouses; station and airfield security; motor pool and the other ground support functions necessary to support the air operations of the group. These facilities were all connected by a network of single path support roads.

The technical site, connected to the ground station and airfield consisted of a mixture of hangars consisting of three T-2s (two of 13 bays one of 14 bays), one Bellman, one Bessonneau hangar

Bessonneau hangar

The Bessonneau hangar was a portable timber and canvas aircraft hangar used by the Royal Flying Corps during World War I.-History:In about 1908, the Bessonneau hangar was designed and manufactured by the French rope and canvas manufacturer Etablissements Bessonneau, headed by Julien Bessonneau and...

 and nine Blisters

Blister hangar

A blister hangar is an arched, portable aircraft hangar patented by Miskins and Sons in 1939. It is made of wooden or steel ribs that are generally covered in steel sheets. It does not require a foundation and can be anchored with iron stakes.-References:*...

. It also included various organizational, component and field maintenance shops along with the crew chiefs and other personnel necessary to keep the aircraft airworthy and to quickly repair light and moderate battle damage. Aircraft severely damaged in combat were sent to repair depots for major structural repair. The Ammunition dump was located on the northwest side of the airfield, outside of the perimeter track surrounded by large dirt mounds and concrete storage pens.

Various domestic accommodation sites were constructed to the northwest the airfield, but within a mile or so of the technical support site, also using clusters of Maycrete or Nissen huts. The Huts were either connected, set up end-to-end or built singly and made of prefabricated corrugated iron with a door and two small windows at the front and back. They provided accommodation for 1,530 personnel, including communal and a sick quarters.

RAF Transport Command use

While this work was in progress. the airfield continued to be used by anti-aircraft co-operation units and the occasional Mustang squadron but in September, when the runways were ready, RAF Transport Command

RAF Transport Command

RAF Transport Command was a Royal Air Force command that controlled all transport aircraft of the RAF. It was established on 25 March 1943 by the renaming of the RAF Ferry Command, and was subsequently renamed RAF Air Support Command in 1967.-History:...

 stepped in and formed No. 525 Squadron

No. 525 Squadron RAF

No. 525 Squadron was a Royal Air Force transport aircraft squadron that operated during the Second World War.-History:The squadron was formed on 1 September 1943 at RAF Weston Zoyland to operate the Vickers Warwick in the transport role...

 to operate Vickers Warwick

Vickers Warwick

The Vickers Warwick was a multi-purpose British aircraft used during the Second World War. Built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Brooklands, Surrey, the Warwick was used by the Royal Air Force as a transport, air-sea rescue and maritime reconnaissance platform, and by the civilian British Overseas...

s. No. 525 stayed for most of the winter, moving to RAF Lyneham

RAF Lyneham

RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It was the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force before they were relocated to RAF Brize Norton.The station was also home to No...

 in February 1944, where it eventually switched over to the C-47 Skytrain

C-47 Skytrain

The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...

/DC-3 Dakota.

USAAF use

Although not previously allocated for US Ninth Air Force

Ninth Air Force

The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....

 use, IX Troop Carrier Command

IX Troop Carrier Command

The IX Troop Carrier Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina. It was inactivated on 31 March 1946...

 wished to move the four C-47 groups of 50th Troop Carrier Wing from the Leicester

Leicester

Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...

-Grantham

Grantham

Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...

 area to the southwest where they would be closer to the units of the 101st Airborne Division

101st Airborne Division

The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...

 which they were to lift during the invasion. In consequence, the Air Ministry made available suitably sited airfields including Weston Zoyland. All RAF flying units had moved out. Meanwhile, in common with most other bases designated for troop carrier use, US engineers laid some 500 ft of Pierced Steel Planking

Marsden Matting

Marsden Matting is standardized, perforated steel matting material originally developed by the United States at the Waterways Experiment Station shortly before World War II, primarily for the rapid construction of temporary runways and landing strips...

 (PSP) each side of the main runway heads and camp beds were set up in the hangars to accommodate the paratroops.

Weston Zoyland was known as USAAF Station AAF-447 for security reasons during the war while under American control, and by which it was referred to instead of location. It's Station-ID was "ZW".

442d Troop Carrier Group

There was a long delay before the allocated unit, the 442d Troop Carrier Group arrived after D-Day from RAF Fulbeck

RAF Fulbeck

RAF Station Fulbeck is a former World War II airfield in Lincolnshire, England. The airfield is located approximately east-northeast of Radcliffe on Trent; about north-northwest of London...

. Its operational squadrons were:

• 303d Troop Carrier Squadron (J7)
• 304th Troop Carrier Squadron (V4)
• 305th Troop Carrier Squadron (4J)
• 306th Troop Carrier Squadron (7H)

The 442d was a group of Ninth Air Force's 50th Troop Carrier Wing, IX Troop Carrier Command

IX Troop Carrier Command

The IX Troop Carrier Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina. It was inactivated on 31 March 1946...

.

The Douglas C-47/C-53 Skytrains of the group did not move in until 12/13 June although elements of the group had visited Weston Zoyland during the precceding weeks. With 50 C-47s on the airfield, there was a shortage of aircraft standings and, while many aircraft were parked on the turf, additional PSP standings were put down in case of wet weather.

Haulage of freight to the Continent and casualty evacuation occupied the 442nd until mid-July when the air echelons of three squadrons (303d, 304th, 305th) were sent to Follonica airfield in Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 from where they look part in the air drops for the invasion of southern France

Operation Dragoon

Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...

 in August.

In their absence, the 306th TCS continued with air haulage to and from France, being temporarily based at RAF Ramsbury

RAF Ramsbury

RAF Station Ramsbury is a former World War II airfield in Wiltshire, England. The airfield is located approximately east-northeast of Marlborough; about west of London. Opened in 1942, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force. During the war it was used primarily...

 for two weeks prior to the return of the MTO detachment on 24 August.

For Operation "Market", the 442nd TCG air echelon moved to an advanced base at RAF Chilbolton

RAF Chilbolton

RAF Station Chilbolton is a former World War II airfield in Hampshire, England. The airfield is located approximately south-southeast of Andover; about southwest of London...

 to give better range and operated temporarily as part of 53rd TCW. The group suffered 13 crew casualties and lost 10 C-47s during the missions in support of the air operations over Holland, all of which were flown from Chilbolton.

It was then hack to supply carrying until the group was alerted that it would be going to its Advanced Landing Ground

Advanced Landing Ground

Advanced Landing Ground was the term given to the temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II in support of the invasion of Europe...

 (ALG) Peray Airfield (ALG A-44) France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. The main party moved out between 4/6 October, the 442nd being the last of the 50th TCW groups to leave its English base. Although some US personnel remained until late that month, this was Weston Zoyland's last connection with the Ninth Air Force.

Legacy

From France the group flew resupply missions, hauling freight, and evacuating casualties in support of the Allied effort to breach the Siegfried Line

Siegfried Line

The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...

. Continued transport duties until V-E Day but also participated in the airborne assault across the Rhine

Operation Varsity

Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...

 in March 1945 by releasing gliders filled with troops. The group carried supplies to ground forces in Germany (April-May), and evacuated prisoners who had been liberated.

Remained in the theater as part of occupation force after the war as part of United States Air Forces in Europe

United States Air Forces in Europe

The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...

. Inactivated at Munich

Munich

Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...

 airfield Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 on 30 September 1946.

Subsequent RAF use

The station had never been officially transferred from the RAF and the anti-aircraft support units were quick to return. Several Squadrons were based at Weston Zoyland, but the longest stay was by No. 16 Squadron RAF

No. 16 Squadron RAF

No. 16 Squadron is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force. It formed in 1915 at Saint-Omer to carry out a mixture of offensive patrolling and reconnaissance and was disbanded in 1919 with the end of the First World War...

 who flew Lysander

Westland Lysander

The Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...

s, and later with the P-51 Mustang

P-51 Mustang

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...

. Later Spitfires became a common sight being flown by No. 19 Squadron RAF and others. Nos. 286

No. 286 Squadron RAF

No. 286 Squadron RAF was a non-operational Second World War Royal Air Force squadron that operated a variety of aircraft to provide targets for anti-aircraft gun practice in the west country of England.-History:...

 and 587

No. 587 Squadron RAF

No. 587 Squadron RAF was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1946.-History:The squadron was formed at RAF Weston Zoyland, England on 1 December 1943, from 1600 Flight, 1601 Flight and 1625 Flight for anti-aircraft co-operation duties over Wales and the south...

 Squadrons with their mixture of Martinets. Hurricanes. Oxfords, Vengeances and Harvards remained in residence until near the end of hostilities. 587 was formed at RAF Weston Zoyland, on 1 December 1943, from 1600 Flight, 1601 Flight and 1625 Flight for anti-aircraft co-operation duties over Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

 and the south east of England. It operated a variety of aircraft in this role. Due to the ongoing training requirement the squadron was not disbanded at the end of the war and it moved to RAF Tangmere

RAF Tangmere

RAF Tangmere was a Royal Air Force station famous for its role in the Battle of Britain, located at Tangmere village about 3 miles east of Chichester in West Sussex, England. American RAF pilot Billy Fiske died at Tangmere and was the first American aviator to die during World War II...

 on 1 June 1946 to cover the south coast, but was disbanded shortly afterwards on the 15 June 1946.

Four fighter squadrons came and departed during the months following the end of the war in Europe but by 1947 the station was reduced to care and maintenance.

There was virtually no further flying at Weston Zoyland until the summer of 1952 when, to meet the Soviet threat. an increase in the RAF's strength and a demand for more aircrews found Meteors and Vampires operating in a training role.

Canberra

English Electric Canberra

The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...

 squadrons were present during the mid 1950s when Weston Zoyland was used as a work-up station prior to overseas assignments. By 1958 the station was once more deserted of aircraft and, although retained by the Air Ministry for another ten years, it never reopened for military flying. Some of these Canberras flew out to Australia to take part in the British atomic tests at Montebello Islands

Montebello Islands

The Montebello Islands, also known as the Monte Bello Islands, are an archipelago of around 174 small islands lying north of Barrow Island and off the Pilbara coast of north-western Australia. Montebello is Italian for "beautiful mountain"...

.

Civil use

Upon its release from military use, in the 1960s, the A372 was restored to near its original route by utilizing a considerable length of the former main runway. The former secondary runways are clearly evident in aerial photography, although most of the concrete has been removed. The former perimeter track has been reduced to a single-lane agricultural road with the pan and loop dispersal hardstands all being removed. Several derelict buildings still remain, including the control tower and a large cluster to the northwest of the perimeter, including the base of what appears to be the remains of two large J-Type hangars and a support site. No evidence of the Pierced Steel Planking extensions to the runways remain nor of an Ammunition dump.

In the late 60s, local people used the base's squash courts.

Although much of the airfield is no longer usable for aviation purposes, Westonzoyland Airfield

Westonzoyland

Westonzoyland is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated on the Somerset Levels, south east of Bridgwater.-History:The name of the parish derives from its location on the "island" of Sowy, an area of slightly higher ground on the Somerset Levels between the River Cary and...

 is in use for Microlights which uses the northwest half of the 16/34 runway, and is a base for the Sky Watch

Sky Watch

Sky Watch, also known as Sky Watch Civil Air Patrol , is a volunteer civil aviation organisation founded in 2000 in the United Kingdom...

Civil Air Patrol (SWCAP).