RAF Zeals airfield

1942 to 07/43, Landing ground for No.10 Group, Fighter Command.
01/08/43 to 10/43 became an 8th USAAF Tactical Air Depot for C-47 maintenance and repair.
10/43 to 03/44 transferred to 9th USAAF for C-47 maintenance. The grass airfield was unsuitable for C-47's and 12/43 Zeals changed to 5th Tactical Air Depot for P-47 Thunderbolt maintenance. Metal track runways were laid but the site was still unsuitable due to heavy rains. Unit transferred to Chilbolton.
03/44 to 03/45, No.10 Group, Fighter Command with Mosquito night fighters. When this unit moved to Europe after D-Day the Station was used for glider training with Masters and towing Hotspur gliders.
18/05/45, Taken over by the Royal Navy and commissioned as HMS Humming Bird. 05/45 to 08/45, 790 Sqn with Firefly and Oxfords from Charlton Hawthorne, moved to Dale. 04/45 to 09/45, 760 Sqn Corsairs, moved to Lee-on-Solent. 09/45 to 01/46, 759 Sqn Corsairs and Wildcats from Yeovilton. 09/45 to 12/45, 704 Sqn. 07/45 to 09/45, 771 Sqn from Scapa Flow, moved to Gosport.
Airfield closed 01/01/46 and Navy left 07/06/46, airfield then returned to agriculture.

Zeals airfield
Airfield Today:		Agriculture
Tower Type:		Watch Office for Night Fighter Stations 15684/41
Tower:		Now in use as a house
Other Buildings:		Very few
History:		1942 to 07/43, Landing ground for No.10 Group, Fighter Command. 01/08/43 to 10/43 became an 8th USAAF Tactical Air Depot for C-47 maintenance and repair. 10/43 to 03/44 transferred to 9th USAAF for C-47 maintenance. The grass airfield was unsuitable for C-47's and 12/43 Zeals changed to 5th Tactical Air Depot for P-47 Thunderbolt maintenance. Metal track runways were laid but the site was still unsuitable due to heavy rains. Unit transferred to Chilbolton. 03/44 to 03/45, No.10 Group, Fighter Command with Mosquito night fighters. When this unit moved to Europe after D-Day the Station was used for glider training with Masters and towing Hotspur gliders. 18/05/45, Taken over by the Royal Navy and commissioned as HMS Humming Bird. 05/45 to 08/45, 790 Sqn with Firefly and Oxfords from Charlton Hawthorne, moved to Dale. 04/45 to 09/45, 760 Sqn Corsairs, moved to Lee-on-Solent. 09/45 to 01/46, 759 Sqn Corsairs and Wildcats from Yeovilton. 09/45 to 12/45, 704 Sqn. 07/45 to 09/45, 771 Sqn from Scapa Flow, moved to Gosport. Airfield closed 01/01/46 and Navy left 07/06/46, airfield then returned to agriculture.

RAF, 8th & 9th USAAF, and Royal Naval Air Station
Airfield:		ALG, Operational Fighter, Ballon Storage, Glider Training, Royal Navy
Opened:		/1942
Closed:		/1946
Code:		ZL
USAAF Station:		450
Runways:		Grass
Hangars:		1x - T1, 8x - Over Blister
County:		Wiltshire
Location:		5 miles E of Wincanton
OS Ref:		ST777325
Links:
©:		Photographs © Robert Truman
Zeals airfield