Best sources for Allied bases & unit locations/movements during 1939-40 for EoE Mapping Project

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Because this post relates to Allied as well as Axis airbases and units, I'm posting this on both boards:

Hello,

For the EoE Project maps, our next overlay that we need to build shows the locations of every Luftwaffe and Allied airbase in use for operational units or from which combat missions were flown during the 1939-40 period. Then we need to indicate all units that were based there and the dates of movement by these units in and out of these bases. This will be indicated on each map on a day-by-day basis.

We know of many sources for parts of this info, but I'm hoping that, like the problem of delineating the front lines each day for the ground campaigns during 39-40, there may be some previously published maps that already show this data in a comprehensive and reliable way. We already have this data for Luftwaffe day fighters via the Prien JFV book series, but now we need to expand this to the rest of the Luftwaffe and all Allied units. I'm hoping that we won't have to painstakingly extract this info unit by unit over the whole of the 39-40 airwar.

Who has suggestions that could help with this effort?

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[MW Giles]

Try the following for the RAF and Dominion Air Forces

Location of airfields and landing grounds

Action Stations Series Vols 1-9 published by Patrick Stephens Ltd (PSL) in the 1980s - list of RAF airfields with Ordnance Survey co-ordinates and a potted history of each airfield in the UK

Military Airfields in the British Isles 1939-45 (Omnibus Edn) by Willis and Hollis - listing of each airfield and its location, together with basic details of runways, hangars etc as per 1944 ISBN 0907700128

Squadrons and their locations

Squadrons of the RAF and Commonwealth by J J Halley - published by Air Britain - list of squadrons with equipment and bases and movement dates

RAF Squadrons by Jefford - published by Airlife - similar content to Halley's book - more maps included but layout inferior.

RAF Flying Training and Support Units - Hamlin and Halley - published by Air Britain - all the other units with aircraft that were not a squadron

These will give you dates when squadrons moved between bases and some major detachments. However if you want to get down to the level of on day X, squadron Y sent a detachment of three aircraft to airfield Z you are going to have to read the Operational Record Books

Regards

Martin Giles

[Larry Hickey]

Martin,

Thanks for this biblio reference. We're going to check these out and see what will be most useful. This is a very helpful response, which is much appreciated.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator