RAF Upottery

Royal Air Force Station Upottery USAAF Station AAF-462
Located Near Honiton, Devon, England
Upottery airfield, 22 April 1944, just prior to the arrival of the 439th Troop Carrier Group.
RAF Upottery, shown within Devon
Coordinates	50°53′02″N 003°09′10″W / 50.88389°N 3.15278°W / 50.88389; -3.15278Coordinates: 50°53′02″N 003°09′10″W / 50.88389°N 3.15278°W / 50.88389; -3.15278
Type	Military airfield
Code	UO
Site information
Controlled by	United States Army Air Forces United States Navy
Site history
Built	1943
In use	1944-1948
Battles/wars	European Theatre of World War II Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945
Garrison information
Garrison	Ninth Air Force Fleet Air Wing 7
Occupants	439th Troop Carrier Group Patrol Bomber Squadrons 107th and 112th

RAF Upottery (also known as Smeatharpe) is a former World War II airfield in East Devon, England. The airfield is located near the village of Upottery, approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) north-northeast of the town of Honiton.

Opened in 1944, it was used by the Royal Air Force, United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and United States Navy. During the war it was used primarily as a transport airfield and for antisubmarine patrols. It was closed in 1948, after the end of the war.

Today the remains of the airfield are located on private property being used as agricultural fields.

Upottery received much attention in 2001 when it appeared in the first episode of the television 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 transports and made their first combat jump into Normandy on 6 June 1944.

Officially opened on 17 February 1944, it was known as AAF-462 for security reasons during the war, and by which it was referred to instead of by its location. Its ID code was "UO".

The 439th Troop Carrier Group and its four squadrons arrived in England on 10 March 1944 and were based at RAF Balderton, Nottinghamshire, England. The group was equipped with about 70 Douglas C-47 Skytrains and was assigned to the 50th Troop Carrier Wing, IX Troop Carrier Command, Ninth Air Force. The four squadron assigned to the group and their squadron code on the fuselage were: