RAF St Eval
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RAF St Eval USAAF Station 129 
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RAF St Eval airfield on 18 July 1942
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operator |
Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces |
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| Location | St Eval, Cornwall | ||||||||||||||||||
| Built | 1938 | ||||||||||||||||||
| In use | 1939-1959 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 322 ft / 98 m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 50°28′41″N 004°59′58″W / 50.47806°N 4.99944°WCoordinates: 50°28′41″N 004°59′58″W / 50.47806°N 4.99944°W | ||||||||||||||||||
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 RAF St Eval
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Royal Air Force St. Eval or RAF St. Eval was a strategic Royal Air Force station for the RAF Coastal Command during the Second World War (situated in Cornwall, England, UK). St Eval's primary role was to provide anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast. Aircraft from the airfield were also used for photographic reconnaissance missions, meteorological flights, convoy patrols, air-sea rescue missions and protection of the airfield from the Luftwaffe.
The RAF's 1930s expansion plan included a requirement for a station to provide anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the South-west coast of England. The site at St Eval was chosen as a Coastal Command airfield and work started in 1938. Five widely dispersed cottages, two houses and portions of two farms were acquired by compulsory purchase; the village of St Eval was completely demolished in order to build the airfield. Levelling of the site by G Wallace Ltd involved the removal by bulldozers of many Cornish dry stone walls and three ancient tumuli. One householder tried to hold out against the authorities and refused to leave his cottage for several days. Only the church survived which the RAF adopted as their station church and it still stands today. The work progressed well and RAF St Eval opened on 2 October 1939.
In June 1940 St Eval became a Fighter Command sector headquarters during the Battle of Britain. and Supermarine Spitfires were stationed there. These were joined by Hawker Hurricane and Bristol Blenheim fighters. The station's aircraft took an active part in the conflict.
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