High, flat land close to the Atlantic and the English Channel gave the Blackdown Hills unique strategic importance in the second world war – the ideal base for air crews protecting supply ships from attack by German submarines.

RAF Culmhead (previously known as RAF Church Stanton), at Tricky Warren, once an RAF fighter station, has now fallen into disrepair. Blackdown Hills National Landscape commissioned a study of RAF Culmhead to set out its history, record details of surviving structures and put forward recommendations for its conservation.

RAF Dunkeswell was the only US Navy base in Europe during the second world war and is still used as an airfield to this day. Discover its history thanks to our Dunkeswell War Stories project or pay a visit to Dunkeswell Airfield Heritage Centre.

RAF Upottery (also known as Smeatharpe) was used by the Royal Air Force, the United States Army Air Forces and the United States Navy. The Upottery Airfield Heritage Centre brings to life the major role this historic airfield played during the D-day operations.

Dunkeswell War Stories full video

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