OPENED

November 1942 'on books of LANKA'

COMMISSIONED

01 February 1942 as HMS RAJALIYA  'on books of LANKA', later 'UKUSSA'

Independent command 01 January 1944

PAID OFF

31 October 1945 to Care and Maintenance status

CLOSED

12 December 1945 and returned to local authorities.

C.O.

Commander J.E. Birstall 28.10.42

Lt. Commander D.R. Webster (ret) Oct 43

Captain F. M. Walton 01.07.44

Commander J.C. Cockburn, D.S.C., R.N. Dec 44

FUNCTION

Naval Fighter Training,

Reserve aircraft storage (104 a/c).

RN School of Malaria and Hygiene Control

ADDRESS

R.N. Air Station,

Puttalam,

Ceylon

LOCALITY

The airfield lies 3½ miles SSE. of Puttalam, a town on the SE. shore of Puttalam lagoon, near the centre of the W. coast of Ceylon. Kandy lies 62 miles SE. and Colombo 63 miles S.

LANDMARKS

Puttalam lagoon, the southern shore of which lies due west of the airfield, with the small town of Puttalam on its SE. shore.

The main coastal road from Puttalam, running S. to Colombo, lies 1¼ miles W. and the main road to Kandy from the town, distant 2½ miles E. A secondary road running E/W past the N. side of the airfield, connects to the main roads.

ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS

Access by secondary road to the main Puttalam - Colombo and Kandy - Puttalam roads.

The railway from Colombo terminates at Bangadaniya, distant 25 miles (R) S., on the Puttalam - Colombo road.

CONTROL

Control Building NW. of the runway, towards the centre of the airfield.

ELEVATION

50' above M.S.L.

RUNWAYS

One. Marston steel planking.

06/24 QDM. 055°-235° .... 1335 x 30 yds. 

TRACKS

25' circular perimeter track. New 40' track along SE. side of the runway, under construction.

OBSTRUCTIONS

Navigation

None.

Circuit

Tall palm trees and jungle surround the airfield, but flying gaps have been cut in the approaches to the runway.

Approach

None.

APPROACH

No special approach recommended.

WIND INDICATOR

Two; one S. of 06end of runway and one N. of 24 end of runway.

HOMING - VISUAL

By day -

None.

By night -

Landmark beacon bearing 337° - 2½ miles from airfield, flashing letters "XH"

HOMING--RADIO

D/F -

H/F, VH/F.

Beacons -

YG. and 251 MS.

APPROACH - VISUAL

By day -

None.

By night -

Chance light and Glim lights.

APPROACH - RADIO

Type 93S. and mobile 257S. beam approach.

COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

M/F & H/F

5 transmitters, 6 receivers.

VH/F

3 transmitters, 3 receivers.

GROUND RADAR

Fighter Direction using C.G.I. (no interrogator), and Fighter Direction using low and medium cover Radar set with Interrogator.

ACCOMMODATION

Living  quarters at camp, on shore of Puttalam lagoon, 4½ miles (R) W.

Capacity:

ARMOURIES

To accommodate 3 x 18 squadrons.

COMPASS BASE

One, diameter 50'. A second base is to be built.

DISPERSAL

4 double A/C standings on SE. side of the perimeter track. 16 singles standings (85' x 20') and 3 aprons (150 x 30 yards, approx.)

HANGARS

Dispersed around the perimeter track.

MEDICAL

Station Sick Quarters 600 yards. S. of the main camp. on the shores of the Puttalam lagoon; accommodation for 60 patients.

First Aid and Treatment Stations at camp and on airfield.

METEOROLOGICAL

Office in Control building.

Full service by Naval personnel.

Prevailing winds. April - October, SW; November variable; December - February, NE. to NW,; March variable,

Heaviest rains, October - December. No fog.

FUEL AND OIL

Aviation -

72.000 gallons in three installations.

100, 93 and 73 Octane.

M/T -

4.000 gallons.

Oil -

6,000 gallons. DTD 472 (B), type 1 and 3. DTD 472 (C). Type 1.

TEST BASE

A/C Radar base under construction.

TEST BUTT

Test butt for cannon and 25-yd. range under construction.

WORKSHOPS

One A.R.S. hangar (250' x 90'), one E.R.S., one large reserve servicing hangar, and workshops to 2 squadron scale.

VISITORS

Parking area on apron, close NE. of Control building.

BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES

Locations not known

Air to ground

One

Air to air

One

Dive bombing

One

Low dive booming

One

R.P. Range

One

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

729

Instrument Flying Training Squadron

Moved here from  RNAS Tambaram 20.07.45. moved to RNAS Katukurunda 30.0845

Equipped with Harvard IIIs and Oxfords.

757

Fighter Pool Squadron & Operational Training Unit

Formed here 20.10.43.   

Deck Landing Training carried out on escort carriers: BATTLER 5-6.11.44, STALKER 14-20.04.45, HUNTER 29-30.06.45, BEGUM 9-14.07.45.

Moved to RNAS Tambaram 15.07.45.

Equipped with Corsair, Hellcat, Wildcat and Seafire.

808

Single Seat Fighter Squadron

Disembarked from KHEDIVE 21.07.45 Re-embarked in KHEDIVE 05.08.45.

Equipped with 24 Hellcats.

889

Fleet Fighter Squadron

Disembarked from ATHELING 30.06.44. Disbanded at Puttalam 11.07.44 due to high attrition rate through accidents.

Equipped with 10 Seafire L.IIC.s

890

Single Seat Fighter Squadron

Personnel arrived Puttalam 11.07.44 after passage by sea in HMS LONDON. Squadron disbanded 01.08.44.

Equipped with 10 Wildcat IV.

898

Single Seat Fighter Squadron

Disembarked from PURSUER 18.08.45. Moved to RNAS Katukurunda 14.09.45.

Equipped with 24 Hellcat IIs.

1770

Two Seat Fighter Squadron

Disembarked from HMS INDEFATIGABLE 10-24.12.44

Equipped with 10 Firefly Is

1830

Single Seat Fighter Squadron

Moved here from RNAS Colombo Racecourse 17.11.44. A detachment of 8 a/c operated out of RNAS China Bay 21-25.11.44.Whole squadron moved to RNAS Katukurunda 27.11.44.

Equipped with 18 Corsair IIs.

1834

Single Seat Fighter Squadron

Disembarked from HMS VICTORIOUS 25.09.44. re-embarked in HMS VICTORIOUS 11.10.44.

Equipped with 14 Corsair IIs.

1836

Single Seat Fighter Squadron

Moved here from RNAS Colombo Racecourse 10.11.44. Returned to RNAS Colombo Racecourse 17.11.44

Equipped with 14 Corsair IIs.

1841

Single Seat Fighter Squadron

Disembarked from HMS FORMIDABLE 08-22.02.45.

Equipped with 18 Corsair IIs. Re-equipped with Mk.IVs.

1842

Single Seat Fighter Squadron

Disembarked from HMS FORMIDABLE 08-22.02.45.

Equipped with 18 Corsair IIs. Re-equipped with Mk.IVs.