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ACQUISITION |
Purpose built Naval Air Station on site of former WW1
Royal Naval Air Service station. |
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COMMISSIONED |
(1) 15 June 1941
(2) 01 December 1951 |
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PAID OFF |
(1)16 April 946 to C & M.
(2) 30 September 1952 to C &
M.
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DISPOSAL |
Transferred to RAF and developed as a NATO base. |
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FUNCTION |
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WW2 |
Accommodation of disembarked squadrons (to accommodate
82 a/c)
Deck landing
Training
Fleet Requirements Unit
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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.
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ADDRESS |
R.N. Air Station,
Machrihanish,
Nr. Campeltown. Argyllshire, Scotland. |
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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.
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LANDMARKS |
The Mull of Kintyre.
Campeltown Loch with the town of the same name at
its head.
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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)). |
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CONTROL |
Control building inside the perimeter track on the NE. side
of the landing area.
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ELEVATION |
30' above M.S.L.
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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
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TRACKS |
40' perimeter track . |
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OBSTRUCTIONS |
Navigation: |
Mountainous country to N. and S. with sunnit (1462') 6
miles SSW.
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Circuit: |
Hills (706') 1¾ miles
NE. and (835') 2½ miles S.
W/T masts on hill
(334') 2 miles S.
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Approach: |
Hill (150') 1 mile NNW. The ground rises slightly at the
approach to runway 12/30 QDM. 299˚
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APPROACH |
Recommended sector mean QDM. 115˚
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WIND INDICATOR |
Windsocks on the R. side of the landing area inside
perimeter track. |
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HOMING-VISUAL |
By Day |
None. |
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By night |
Airfield beacon flashing Red MA.*
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HOMING-RADIO |
D/F:
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VH/F.* |
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Beacon: |
YG.
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APPROACH-VISUAL |
By Day |
Sodium flarepath runways 30 and12 |
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By night |
Drem MK.II airfield lighting
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APPROACH-RADIO |
Not known
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COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT |
H/F: |
2 transmitters, 2 receivers, 1 Transceiver*. |
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M/F and H/F: |
1 transmitters, 2
receivers. (emergency use)* |
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VH/F: |
6 transmitters, 6 receivers, 1 Transceiver* |
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CALL SIGNS* |
R/T |
MACKISH |
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W/T |
MGC |
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Identity letters
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MA |
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GROUND RADAR |
Type 277(T)*
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ACCOMMODATION |
Officers and ratings living quarters on he NE. side of the airfield.
Capacity:
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WW2 |
Post war |
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Officers: |
280 |
370 |
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Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings: |
1,556 |
994 |
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W.R.N.S. Officers: |
30 |
- |
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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.
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ARMOURIES |
Not known
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COMPASS BASE |
Three, diameter 70'.
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DISPERSAL |
6 large double pens at the S. extreme of the airfield
and connected by 35' tracks to the perimeter track.
3
aprons.
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HANGARS |
On the E., S. and W. sides of the landing area.
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Number /Type |
Size |
Door Height |
Door Width |
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3 Bellman |
185' x 105' |
25' |
105' |
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7 Machrihanish |
60' x 70' |
20' |
60' |
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3 Mains |
60' x 70' |
17' |
55' |
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MEDICAL |
Sick Bay situated NW. of airfield near entrance to
station.
Sick quarters in living quarters on he NE. side of the
airfield.
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METEOROLOGICAL |
Office in Control building. Limited service by Naval
personnel.
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FUEL AND OIL* |
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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. |
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M/T: |
Not known |
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Oil : |
8,ooo gallons in two installations. |
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TEST BASE |
A/c radar base on W. side of N. hangar area.
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TEST BUTT |
M.G. test butt.
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WORKSHOPS |
1 Bellman hangar converted to A.R.S., E.R.S., and
General workshop.*
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VISITORS |
On apron near Control building, for 6 aircraft.
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BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES* |
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Air to Air |
One
tow line |
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Air to Sea |
One
tow line |
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Practice bombing |
One |
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R./P. |
One |
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Ballure Range |
Sea Range with marking lines. Open all year round for
R/P and Dive Bombing |
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Information taken from B.R. 1807. Admiralty
Handbook of Naval Air Stations (Home & Abroad) Dec. 48
and amendment March 1952.
* = post war details |
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List of first and second line squadrons, station
flight and other flying units based at this location |
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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.
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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.
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740 |
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744 |
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751 |
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766 |
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768 |
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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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784 |
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787 |
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790 |
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799 |
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800 |
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801 |
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802 |
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804 |
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805 |
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806 |
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807 |
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808 |
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809 |
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810 |
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811 |
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812 |
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813 |
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814 |
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815 |
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816 |
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817 |
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818 |
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819 |
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820 |
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821 |
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822 |
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823 |
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824 |
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825 |
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826 |
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827 |
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828 |
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829 |
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830 |
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831 |
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832 |
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833 |
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834 |
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835 |
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836 |
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837 |
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838 |
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840 |
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841 |
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842 |
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845 |
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846 |
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847 |
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848 |
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849 |
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850 |
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852 |
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853 |
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854 |
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855 |
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856 |
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857 |
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860 |
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878 |
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879 |
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880 |
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881 |
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882 |
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883 |
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884 |
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885 |
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886 |
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887 |
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888 |
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890 |
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891 |
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892 |
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893 |
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894 |
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895 |
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897 |
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898 |
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1771 |
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1792 |
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1830 |
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1832 |
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1833 |
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1834 |
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1836 |
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1838 |
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1840 |
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1848 |
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1853 |
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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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