 Coypool
| |
1941 to 1995 | | Location: | 50 23 45 secs N - 4 5 10.3 secs W | | 2.5nm ENE of Plymouth | | ICAO: EG | IATA: | Elevation: 20 feet |
|
| History of this Base/Heliport: | Help Us | |
Opened in May 1941 as a depot for the Royal Electrical and Mechaincal Engineers (REME), it had river and rail access. Its closure was announced in 1961, when it was run down. The worldwide deployment of British forces saw radical changes during the 1950s and 1960s and by 1971, the Royal Marines had returned from Near and Far East bases to its headquarters in Plymouth. By then, Coypool had become a depot again, with its storage facilities holding vehicles and equipment. 
In 1973, the two hangars on the southern margin of Plymouth Airport were demolished to make way for the grounds of a new Teacher Training College and the Sioux AH.1 and Scout AH.1 based there moved down the valley to Coypool, where one of the buildings was turned over to hangarage and part of the motor pool car park became a helipad. Plymouth kept expanding economically and the RAF had recently pulled its Hawk trainers out of Chivenor. The Coypool base functions were transferred to Chivenor and the helicopters moved to RNAS Yeovilton to join 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron.
Around 1995, the base finally closed and the area has now been redeveloped into a Woodland Park with riverside walk and cycle track along the old Launceston branch railway line. It is backed onto by a small retail park. |