ACQUISITION

R.A.F., S.A.A.F. and Kenyan Aux A.F.  operational on site from 01 August 940.

R.N.A.R.Y. established 1942

COMMISSIONED

01 September 1942 

CLOSED

01 October 1944 to Care & Maintenance

PAID OFF

15 October 1044

FUNCTION

R.N. Aircraft Repair Yard.

Reserve aircraft storage.

ADDRESS

R.N. Aircraft Repair Yard,,

Nairobi,

Kenya

LOCALITY

The airfield, at the western end of the high Athi Plains, lies one mile S. of the outskirts of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, and about 220 miles inland from the E. coast of Africa.

Mombasa lies 240 miles SE. and Lake Victoria 165 miles W.

R.A.F. airfield "Eastleigh" lies 4 miles NW.

LANDMARKS

.The town of Nairobi.

The main railway line, tinning NW. from Mombasa. passes 3 miles E. of the airfield and forks at Nairobi. one branch running  NE. and the other NNW.

The airfield lies ob the northern edge of a game reserve.

ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS

Good toad to Nairobi, and thence road or rail to Kilindini harbour, Mombasa.

There is an R.N. siding equipped with a 10-tone gantry 3/4 (R) N. of the airfield; the train journey from Mombasa rakes from 36 to 72 hours for goods, and 17 hours for passenger traffic.

Mombasa, using the all-weather road via Moati, is distant 420 miles (R) and lorries take about 3 days for the journey

Kilindini harbour gas 5 deepwater berths served by railway tracks.  There are several 3 and 5 ton mobile eclectic cranes, one 10-ton crane and a 60-ton floating crane available.

CONTROL

Control building  on W. side of the landing area, outside the perimeter track..

Low flying id strictly prohibited over the Game Reserve adjacent S. of the airfield.

ELEVATION

5,500' above M.S.L.

RUNWAYS /LANDING AREA

Two, red murram on stone foundations, but nor suitable foe very heavy aircraft

08/26 QDM. 076°/256° .... 1400 X 25 yds.

14/52 QDM. 139°/319° .... 1400 X 25 yds.

Note: Due to the altitude of the airfield the runways provide only the equivalent of a run of 1150 yds at M.S.L.

TRACKS

40'circcular perimeter track, widened to 115' in the S. sector to provide an aircraft dispersal area.

OBSTRUCTIONS

Navigation:

None.

Circuit:

None.

Approach:

None.

APPROACH

Recommended sector of approach, mean QDM. 270°

WIND INDICATOR

Windsock on the W. side of the landing area, outside the perimeter track..

HOMING - VISUAL

By day:

By night:

None.

None.

HOMING--RADIO

D/F: Beacon:

None. R.A.F,. "Eastleigh" has M/F D/F, M/F beacon and M/F responder beacon.

APPROACH - VISUAL

By day:  

By night:  

None.
Chance lights only.

APPROACH - RADIO

None.

COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

W/T and R/T:

VH/F:

Not known

Not know

One channel open to RNAS Mackinnon Road, Tanga and Port Riertz.

GROUND RADAR

None.

ACCOMMODATION

Living quarters on the N. and W. sides of the airfield:

Capacity:

ARMOURIES

Armament store, armament shop, and ammunition store in stone building.

COMPASS BASE

One, concrete, diameter 6' 6"

DISPERSAL

The southern part of the perimeter track has been widened for dispersal purposes.

Storage hangar area S. of the landing area.

HANGARS

On S. side of airfield.

Some of the hangars, originally provided for the station's function of reserve a/c storage were loaned to civil and military authorities, this arrangement was subject to 12 months notice.

RN Aircraft Repair Yard hangers on N. side of landing area not included in these figures. (see workshops)

MEDICAL

Sick bay in camp on W. side of airfield.

Accommodating for 6 officers, 40 ratings, 10 W.R.N.S. and 25 natives.

METEOROLOGICAL

Balloon hut on N. side of landing area near special M/T hangar. Air ministry provide metrological information, meteorological station at R.A.F. Eastleigh

Rainy seasons: March - June and October - November.

Low cloud over the mountains is frequent during the rainy season. .

FUEL AND OIL

TEST BASE

A/c radar  base available.

TEST BUTT

Available for M.G. and Cannon  with 25 yard range.

WORKSHOPS

3 A.R.S. hangars (180' x 110'), 1 American A.R.S. hangar (180' x 110').

2 overhead gantries, approximate lift 8½ tons. each

10 ton gantry with two stone buttress supporting walls.

Workshops, etc, to Repair yard scale.

EXPLOSIVES

Not known

BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES

None.

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

788

Fleet Requirements Unit

Equipped with Fulmar II, Walrus, Skua, & Swordfish

A detachment  from RNAS Tanga operated at Nairobi between May and November 1942.

796

Det 

Eastern Fleet TBR Pool.

Detachment from RN Air Sect. Port Reitz 0perated at Nairobi 22.06.43 - 22.11.43 equipped with Albacore, Swordfish & Walrus.

805

Fleet Fighter Squadron

Moved here from RNARY Fayid 27.09.42 to re-equip with Wildcat IVs. Disbanded at Nairobi 10.01.43.