RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail)
Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), is a former Royal Navy air station, close to Campbeltown in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
Location
Located 3 miles (5 km) west of Campbeltown on the western side of the Kintyre Peninsula, Machrihanish is a former RAF air station, notable for its weather forecasts. The base had an exceptionally long runway (3049m / 10,000 feet), together with a large number of technical buildings and accommodation.
History
Machrihanish was established as a naval air station in 1916, operating maritime patrol aircraft and airships until 1918.[1] A new airfield opened on 15 June 1941 as Strabane Naval Air Station, and named HMS Landrail, becoming RNAS Machrihanish later in the month and operated until 1946.[2] The old airfield became HMS Landrail II.
The Air Station was re-activated again during the Korean War for training purposes. Between 1960-62, the base was reconstructed and the current runway built. Thereafter the base developed in relation to NATO requirements during the Cold War, and was the focus of anti-submarine operations with US-controlled nuclear depth charges.[1] A US Navy SEAL unit is also said to have been based here.[1] £10 million was spent to upgrade the station in the early 1990s, keeping it on a care-and-maintenance basis to provide a runway for emergencies or in the event of conflict.[1] The base remained a UK and NATO military base until 1997.
Campbeltown Airport
Between the wars a commercial aerodrome was established and is still operated by the government-owned Highlands and Islands Airports Limited operates with IATA location code "GQJ".[3] It uses the same single runway which, at 3049m (10,000 feet), is the longest in Scotland.[3] The terminal building are at the south-eastern end. There are scheduled flights to Glasgow.
Units
A number of units were here at some point:[4]
- 21st Naval TBR Wing
- 30th Naval Fighter Wing
- No. 65 Squadron RAF
- 730 Naval Air Squadron
- 740 Naval Air Squadron
- 744 Naval Air Squadron
- 751 Naval Air Squadron
- 766 Naval Air Squadron
- 768 Naval Air Squadron
- 772 Naval Air Squadron
- 784 Naval Air Squadron
- 787 Naval Air Squadron
- 790 Naval Air Squadron
- 799 Naval Air Squadron
- 800 Naval Air Squadron
- 801 Naval Air Squadron
- 802 Naval Air Squadron
- 804 Naval Air Squadron
- 805 Naval Air Squadron
- 806 Naval Air Squadron
- 807 Naval Air Squadron
- 808 Naval Air Squadron
- 809 Naval Air Squadron
- 810 Naval Air Squadron
- 811 Naval Air Squadron
- 812 Naval Air Squadron
- 813 Naval Air Squadron
- 814 Naval Air Squadron
- 815 Naval Air Squadron
- 816 Naval Air Squadron
- 817 Naval Air Squadron
- 818 Naval Air Squadron
- 819 Naval Air Squadron
- 820 Naval Air Squadron
- 821 Naval Air Squadron
- 822 Naval Air Squadron
- 823 Naval Air Squadron
- 824 Naval Air Squadron
- 825 Naval Air Squadron
- 826 Naval Air Squadron
- 827 Naval Air Squadron
- 828 Naval Air Squadron
- 829 Naval Air Squadron
- 830 Naval Air Squadron
- 831 Naval Air Squadron
- 832 Naval Air Squadron
- 833 Naval Air Squadron
- 834 Naval Air Squadron
- 835 Naval Air Squadron
- 836 Naval Air Squadron
- 837 Naval Air Squadron
- 838 Naval Air Squadron
- 840 Naval Air Squadron
- 841 Naval Air Squadron
- 842 Naval Air Squadron
- 845 Naval Air Squadron
- 846 Naval Air Squadron
- 847 Naval Air Squadron
- 848 Naval Air Squadron
- 849 Naval Air Squadron
- 850 Naval Air Squadron
- 852 Naval Air Squadron
- 853 Naval Air Squadron
- 854 Naval Air Squadron
- 855 Naval Air Squadron
- 856 Naval Air Squadron
- 857 Naval Air Squadron
- 878 Naval Air Squadron
- 879 Naval Air Squadron
- 880 Naval Air Squadron
- 881 Naval Air Squadron
- 882 Naval Air Squadron
- 883 Naval Air Squadron
- 884 Naval Air Squadron
- 885 Naval Air Squadron
- 886 Naval Air Squadron
- 887 Naval Air Squadron
- 888 Naval Air Squadron
- 890 Naval Air Squadron
- 891 Naval Air Squadron
- 892 Naval Air Squadron
- 893 Naval Air Squadron
- 894 Naval Air Squadron
- 895 Naval Air Squadron
- 897 Naval Air Squadron
- 899 Naval Air Squadron
- 1771 Naval Air Squadron
- 1792 Naval Air Squadron
- 1830 Naval Air Squadron
- 1832 Naval Air Squadron
- 1833 Naval Air Squadron
- 1834 Naval Air Squadron
- 1836 Naval Air Squadron
- 1838 Naval Air Squadron
- 1840 Naval Air Squadron
- 1848 Naval Air Squadron
- 1853 Naval Air Squadron
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Machrihanish Air Station". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
- ↑ "RAF Machrihanish". Secret Scotland. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
- 1 2 "Campbeltown Airport". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
- ↑ "Machrihanish (Campbeltown) (Strabane)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 14 January 2016.