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ACQUISITION |
Lodger facility for an RN Air Section on RAF station
from 19 June 1940. Transferred from No.19 Group RAF
to Admiralty 11 August 1943. |
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OPENED |
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COMMISSIONED |
20 September 1943
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PAID OFF |
31 October 1963 and transferred to Ministry of Aviation.
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CLOSED |
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FUNCTION |
Aircraft
Maintenance Yard, Reserve Aircraft Storage. Salvage.No. 602(City of
Glasgow) Squadron R. Aux A.F., Glasgow
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University Air Squadron. A.T.C. Gliding School. Northern
Engine Holding Unit. Parent station for R.N.A.S. Ayr and
Machrihanish. Contact Airfield. No. 1830 & 1843 Squadron
R.N.V.R.
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ADDRESS |
R.N. Air Station,
Abbotsinch,
Paisley. Scotland. |
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LOCALITY |
The airfield is situated on the northern outskirts of
Paisley, 2½ miles W,. of the Govan district of Glasgow.
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LANDMARKS |
The Firth of Clyde with the River Clyde passing 1½
NE. The city of Glasgow and the town of Paisley.
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The airfield lies within the fork
of the Black Cart and White Cart waters which form a
junction about 1.000 yds. NE. of the airfield
before flowing into the Clyde..
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ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS |
Main road communication with Paisley and Glasgow.
Railway station at Paisley on the Greenock-Glasgow line. |
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CONTROL |
Control building on the E. side onside the perimeter
track, in front of apron. Keeps watch 1800 -1600 or
sunset, whichever id the earlier, Mondays to Fridays
only. No night flying, No D/F watch.
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ELEVATION |
18' above M.S.L.
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RUNWAYS /LANDING AREA |
Three, steel mesh.
Extensibility
06/24 QDM. 058°/238° .... 1293 X 50 yds.
2000
10/28 QDM. 103°/283° .... 1224 X 50 yds. 1600*
17/35 QDM. 173°/353° .... 1206 X 50 yds. 1600*
*Require road diversion
Note: W. end of runway 10/28 to be curtailed
in accordance with A.F.O. 3594/47.
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TRACKS |
40' perimeter track from 24 to 06 runways. |
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OBSTRUCTIONS |
Navigation: |
Mountains rise to 1199', 4½
miles N. Hills rising to 749' 3½ miles SSW.
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Circuit: |
Rising ground to E. and S.
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Approach: |
Two pylons, 218', 1200 yds. ENE. Four tall chimneys, 450
yds. from 10 end of runway 10/28.
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APPROACH |
Recommended sector, mean QDM 065°
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WIND INDICATOR |
Windsocks on the R. side of the landing area inside
perimeter track. |
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HOMING-VISUAL |
None.
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HOMING-RADIO |
D/F:
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H/F/ and VH/F. |
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Beacon: |
YG and 251 MS.
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APPROACH-VISUAL |
None.
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APPROACH-RADIO |
None.
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COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT |
M/F and H/F:
VH/F:
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2 transmitters, 3 receivers.
4 transmitters, 4
receivers.
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CALL SIGNS |
R/T |
ABBOTIN |
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W/T |
GYV |
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Identity letters
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AC |
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GROUND RADAR |
None.
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ACCOMMODATION |
Living quarters in he SE. corner of the airfield.
Capacity:
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Officers: |
103 |
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Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings: |
972 |
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W.R.N.S. Officers: |
6 |
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W.R.N.S. Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings; |
93 |
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ARMOURIES |
Not known
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COMPASS BASE |
One, diameter 70' and one diameter 80'. the later being
combined with the Radar test base.
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DISPERSAL |
On aprons
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HANGARS |
Storage hangar area on SE. side; Workshop hangar area on
SW. side.
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Number /Type |
Size |
Door Height |
Door Width |
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4 R.A.F. Callender Hamilton |
185' x 90' |
17' 6" |
90' |
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2 Type "C" |
300' x 150' |
30' |
150' |
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1 Type "C" |
225' x 150' |
30' |
150' |
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4 Bellman |
175' x 95' |
25' |
90' |
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1 End opening flight shed |
240' x 100' |
20' |
100' |
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2 Massillon arch |
92' x 70' |
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- |
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MEDICAL |
Sick quarters in Camp sire SE. of landing area.
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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: |
21,250 gallons. |
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M/T: |
2,500 gallons. |
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Oil : |
In barrels |
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TEST BASE |
None.
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TEST BUTT |
M.G. test butt and 25 yd. range to NE.
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WORKSHOPS |
R.N. Aircraft workshop on SW. side of airfield.
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VISITORS |
On apron near Control building, for 6 aircraft.
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BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES |
None |
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Information taken from CB 4368 A. Admiralty Handbook
of Naval Air Stations (Home) Aug. 45 and B.R. 1807. Admiralty
Handbook of Naval Air Stations (Home & Abroad) Dec. 48 |
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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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730 |
Communications squadron. Formed here in April, 1944.
Moved to R.N.A.S. Ayr in July, 1944.
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768 |
Deck Landing Training squadron. 1944 - 1946
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771 |
Fleet Requirements Unit
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800 |
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801 |
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802 |
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804 |
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807 |
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813 |
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816 |
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818 |
Disembarked from H. M. S. ILLUSTRIOUS with Swordfish
aircraft July -august 1940
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819 |
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821 |
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824 |
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825 |
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831 |
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832 |
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835 |
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852 |
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892 |
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1702 |
From R.N.A.S. Lee-on-Solent with 6 Sea Otter
aircraft 5 September,1945 embarked H.M.S. TROUNCER
12 September.
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804 |
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807 |
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1830 R.N.V.R. |
1947 . 1957. Operated Firefly T.1 & A/S.6, Avenger
A/S.4
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1840 |
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1843 R.N.V.R. |
1951 . 1957. Operated Firefly T.3 & A/S.6,
Seafury T.10, Sea Balliol T.21
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PAGE UNDER
CONSTRUCTION
Click here for a list of
Primary sources
Additional sources:
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Comments (5)
I lived 3 doors down from the Attacker. Anyone interested in some photos?
Some photos by CdrE LHWE Luckraft, my Dad, who helped shut down HMS Sanderling (Donibristle & Halfar)
Only one photo seems to want to up load !
Remember living in glasgow road in Paisley in the early 60's and seeing aircraft being delivered late at night
i remember as a child in te very early 1950's seeing aircraft from there flying low over kilbarochan where i lived later in the late 1950's we went to an airshow there the main display was of 4 scimitars doing a display and also a swordfish which did very much the same display as they do today you could get a flight in a dragon rapide for i think 10 bob i saw an avenger lying behind one of the hangers i would have been about 10 at that time happy memories
I was a student at Paisley Technical College, on my way home to Cardonald in Glasgow. But, exploring back roads on my way home one day, I found a farm track which petered out into a path. Eventually I came to a low wire fence with a hut of electronics on the other side. So I continued on the concrete path on the other side, wondering why the concrete was getting wider and wider and then excessively wide. When I saw the control tower I got off pretty fast and cycled through the compound and out the main gate - saluting the Naval guards as I went past.
So, to this day, I can truthfully say that I cycled down the main runway at Glasgow Airport! Even the control tower is as I remembered it, but the buildings behind it look totally gone.
Great memories,
Brian Farley.