Latitude 58°57′29″N Longitude 002°54′02″W


ACQUISITION	R.A.F. fighter station transferred to the Admiralty on loan 06.07.1943.
COMMISSIONED	15.08.1943.
CLOSED
PAID OFF	31.07.1945.

C.O./O.I.C.

FUNCTION	Satellite to RNAS Hatston. Accommodation for disembarked Front-Line squadrons.
ADDRESS	R.N. Air Station, Grimsetter, Mainland, Orkney.
LOCALITY	The airfield lies on the S. bank of the Bay of Berstane, 3½ miles (R) SE of Kirkwall.
LANDMARKS	The town and port of Kirkwall . Scapa Flow 2½ miles SW.
ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS	Road accedes to Kirkwall 3½ mile NW. and Finstown 9½ miles NW. (R) and to RNAS Hatston 4¾ miles (R) to the NW. Scapa 2½miles SW. Nearest railway station at Thurso (LMS), mainland Scotland. Piers and Harbour facilities for small vessels at Stromness and Kirkwall, with steamer communication to Scotland.


CONTROL	Control Building - originally sited at the extreme S. of the airfield outside the perimeter track at the '33' end of runway 15/33' New Control Building - inside the perimeter track to the S. of the runway intersection.
ELEVATION	30' above M.S.L.
RUNWAYS	Three, Tarmac. 07/25 QDM. 071°/250° .... 1,310 X 50 yds. 10/28 QDM. 101°/281° .... 1,240 X 50 yds. 15/33 QDM. 154°/334° .... 970 X 50 yds.
TRACKS	40' perimeter track.
OBSTRUCTIONS	Navigation	Tower hill(279') with 4 W/T masts (100') 1800yds. HM. and ground rising 220' 1600 yds. SW.
	Circuit	None.
	Approach	None.
APPROACH	Recommended sector, mean Q.D.M. :
WIND INDICATOR	Not known.


HOMING - VISUAL	By day	None.
	By night	None.
HOMING--RADIO	D/F	Not known.
	Beacons	Not known.
APPROACH - VISUAL	By day	None.
	By night	Not known.
APPROACH - RADIO	Not known.
COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT	M/F & H/F	Not known.
	VH/F	Not known.

GROUND RADAR	Not known.

ACCOMMODATION

Living quarters in camp in SE corner of the airfield.

Capacity:

Officers:	45
Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings:	390
W.R.N.S. Officers:	9
W.R.N.S. Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings;	165

ARMOURIES

Not known.

COMPASS BASE

Not known.

DISPERSAL

Five double fighter pens and five pan handle standings, dispersed around the perimeter track.

HANGARS

In two sites NE. and NW. of the airfield, connected by the perimeter track.

Number /Type	Size	Door Height	Door Width
6 Mains (Squadron) ..	6o' x 84'	17'	55'
7 Mains (Storage) .. ..	6o' x 84'	17'	55'
1 Pentad .. .. .. .. .. ..	185' x 105'	25'	105'
See note [1]

MEDICAL

Sick Bay in accommodation site.

METEOROLOGICAL

Not kown.

FUEL AND OIL

Aviation:	Not known.
M/T:	Not known.
Oil :	Not known.

TEST BASE

Not kown.

TEST BUTT

M.G. test butt and 25 yds. range

WORKSHOPS

Not kown.

VISITORS

Not kown.

EXPLOSIVES

Not kown.

BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES

Not kown.

Information taken from CB 4368 B. Admiralty Handbook of Naval Air Stations Aug. 45

List of first and second line squadrons, station flight and other flying units based at this location

800

801

807

824

825

826

841

842

846

848

849

880

881

882

884

887

894

899

1770

1834

1840

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Notes:

[1] It is not clear how many Mains hangars were actually installed on the site, at the time of transfer to the Admiralty there were only two small hangars on site. Later aerial images show 7 Mains hangars and a new control building; it is assumed that only the squadron hangars were actually built.

Click here for a list of Primary sources

Additional sources:

Admiralty Fleet Orders:

Confidential Admiralty Fleet Orders: