Kinema

Exeter Airport, built on land acquired by Exeter Corporation, officially opened on 31st May 1937, operating from a “tented” terminal before the permanent buildings had been completed. Jersey Airways inaugurated a summer service to Jersey, with Railway Air Services operating connecting flights to Plymouth and Bristol.

During World War II, the airport was converted into RAF Exeter, an important base for Fighter Command, especially during the Battle of Britain. Later on, as USAAF Station AAF-463, it was used by the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force as a D-Day troop transport base.

As the war drew to a close, an RAF air-sea rescue flight took up residence. That was joined, in early-1945, by a glider training unit.

Post-war, Fighter Command took over again, but, when No. 691 Squadron departed in summer 1946, the airport was returned to civilian use. It was officially transferred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 1st January 1947 (although there was some reserve RAF activity until the 1950’s, at least).

Scheduled services to the Channel Islands resumed in 1952, together with charter flights to various destinations. A new terminal building was opened in the early-1980’s and various other improvements, including a runway extension, have been carried out over the succeeding years to establish Exeter as an important airport in the West Country.

The former cinema for RAF Exeter is located just over a mile to the south-east of the current airport, at the junction of the B3184 and Marwood Lane. Post-war, it has been used as a cold store, but now appears to be derelict.

Note: A brief reference in the Cinema Theatre Association Archive refers to this as the “Kinema”, so I used that name. However, it could well have been called “Astra”, the usual name for cinemas on RAF bases. Hopefully another contributor will be able to clarify this.

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