Latitude 55°26'30"N  Longitude 05°41'55"W

   

ACQUISITION

Purpose built Naval Air Station on site of former WW1 Royal Naval Air Service station.

 

 

COMMISSIONED

(1) 15 June 1941

(2) 01 December 1951

 

PAID OFF

(1)16 April 946 to C & M.

(2) 30 September 1952 to C & M.

 

DISPOSAL

Transferred to RAF and developed as a NATO base.

 

 

FUNCTION

 

WW2  

Accommodation of disembarked squadrons (to accommodate 82 a/c)

Deck landing Training

Fleet Requirements Unit

 

Post War

All-weather airfield, with facilities for B.E.A.C. daily throughout the year and at one hour's notice day and night for Civil Air Ambulance.

Flying training - First Line A/S squadrons, Pilot's refresher course.

 

ADDRESS

R.N. Air Station,

Machrihanish,

Nr. Campeltown.

Argyllshire,

Scotland.

 

LOCALITY

The airfield is situated on the western side of Kintyre, 9 miles NNE,. of the Mull of Kintyre and 1¼ miles NE. of the coastal village of Machrihanish.

Campeltown lies 3¼miles ESE.

 

LANDMARKS

The Mull of KintyreCampeltown Loch with the town of the same name at its head.

 

ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS

Access to the main road running SE. to Campeltown 4½ miles (R) where there is a small harbour and pier with a depth of 12' alongside.

Occasional service to Glasgow.

No rail communication. Bus service between Campeltpwn and Glasgow. Alternatively bus Campeltpwn to Tarbert, thence by steamer to Wemyss Bay and rail to Glasgow.

B.E. Airways to Renfrew (Glasgow)).

   

CONTROL

Control building inside the perimeter track on the NE. side of the landing area.

 

ELEVATION

30' above M.S.L.

 

RUNWAYS /LANDING AREA

Four, Tarmac.

                                                                 Extensibility
03/21 QDM. 030°/218° .... 1030 X 30  yds.   1270

07/25 QDM. 075°/235° .... 1230 X 30  yds.    1400

12/30 QDM. 119°/299° .... 1190 X 50  yds.    2000

16/34 QDM. 165°/345° .... 1000 X 40  yds.    1400

 

TRACKS

40' perimeter track .

 

OBSTRUCTIONS

Navigation:

Mountainous country to N. and S. with sunnit (1462') 6 miles SSW.

 

Circuit:

Hills (706') 1¾ miles NE. and (835') 2½ miles S.

W/T masts on hill (334') 2 miles S.

 

Approach:

Hill (150') 1 mile NNW. The ground rises slightly at the approach to runway 12/30 QDM. 299˚

 

APPROACH

Recommended sector mean QDM. 115˚
 

WIND INDICATOR

Windsocks on the R. side of the landing area inside perimeter track.

   
   

HOMING-VISUAL

By Day

None.

 

By night

Airfield beacon flashing Red MA.*

 

HOMING-RADIO

D/F:

VH/F.*

Beacon:

YG.

 

APPROACH-VISUAL

By Day

Sodium flarepath runways 30 and12

 

By night

Drem MK.II airfield lighting

 

APPROACH-RADIO

Not known

 

COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

H/F:

2 transmitters, 2 receivers, 1 Transceiver*.

 

M/F and H/F:

1 transmitters, 2 receivers. (emergency use)*

 

VH/F:

6 transmitters, 6 receivers, 1 Transceiver*

     

CALL SIGNS*

R/T

MACKISH

W/T

MGC

Identity letters

 

MA

GROUND RADAR

Type 277(T)*
 

   

ACCOMMODATION

Officers and ratings living quarters on he NE. side of the airfield.

 

Capacity:

 

WW2

Post war

Officers:

280

370

Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings:

1,556

994

W.R.N.S. Officers:

30

-

W.R.N.S.  Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings;

662

-

 

Note: Accommodation figures are those at time of reduction to C.   M . and are on war-time austerity scales.

 

ARMOURIES

Not known 

 

COMPASS BASE

Three, diameter 70'. 

 

DISPERSAL

6 large double pens at the S. extreme of the airfield and connected by 35' tracks to the perimeter track.

3 aprons.

 

HANGARS

On the E., S. and W. sides of the landing area.

 

Number /Type

Size

Door Height

Door Width

3 Bellman

185' x 105'

25'

105'

7 Machrihanish

60' x 70'

 20'

60'

3 Mains

60' x 70' 

17'

55'

 

MEDICAL

Sick Bay situated NW. of airfield near entrance to station.

Sick quarters in living quarters on he NE. side of the airfield.

 

METEOROLOGICAL

Office in Control building. Limited service by Naval personnel.

 

FUEL AND OIL*

Aviation:

99.000 gallons (100 Octane) in Campeltown installation.

77,000 gallons (100 Octane) in Machrihanish installations.

12,000 gallons (80 Octane) in Machrihanish installations.

M/T:

Not known

Oil :

8,ooo gallons in two installations.

 

TEST BASE

A/c radar base on W. side of N. hangar area.

 

TEST BUTT

M.G. test butt.

 

WORKSHOPS

1 Bellman hangar converted to A.R.S., E.R.S., and General workshop.*

 

VISITORS

On apron near Control building, for 6 aircraft.

 

BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES*

 

Air to Air

One tow line

Air to Sea

One tow line

Practice bombing

One

R./P.

One

Ballure Range

Sea Range with marking lines. Open all year round for R/P and Dive Bombing

   
   

Information taken from B.R. 1807. Admiralty Handbook of Naval Air Stations (Home & Abroad) Dec. 48 and amendment March 1952.

* = post war details

 

 

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

 

700W

Sub unit of 700 squadron.

Moved here from RNAS Sandbanks 26.07.43. moved to RNAS Eglinton 14.08.43

Returned 25.09.43 Embarked in H.M.S. FENCER 25.09.43

Disembarked from H.M.S. FENCER 19.11.43. Flight absorbed into 836 squadron 16.12.43,

Equipped with 6 Walrus and 4 Swordfish.


730

Communications squadron

Detachment operated here from RNAS Ayr 01.01.45 to 08.03.45

Equipment included Firefly, Fulmar, Corsair and other assorted aircraft types.


740

 

744

 

751

 

766

 

768

 

772

Fleet Requirements Unit

Moved here from RNAS Campeltown 15.06.41. Moved to RNAS Ayr 02.07.44

Operated a mix of aircraft types:  Swordfish, Skua, Roc, Chesapeake. Martinet, Fulmar, Reliant.


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PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

 

Click here for a list of Primary sources


Additional sources:

 

Admiralty Fleet Orders:

 

Confidential Admiralty Fleet Orders:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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