List of air stations of the Royal Navy
This is a list of Naval Air Stations of the Royal Navy. Naval Air Stations are land bases of the Fleet Air Arm, the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft.
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| Her Majesty's Naval Service of the British Armed Forces |
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| History and future |
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| Auxiliary services |
Current Naval Air Stations
Currently RNAS means "Royal Naval Air Station" and, in common with the Royal Air Force, is always followed by a geographical place in which the air station is located. (Historically RNAS is the "Royal Naval Air Service")
- RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) – Culdrose, Helston, Cornwall, England
- RNAS Predannack (satellite airfield) – Mullion, Cornwall
- RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) – Yeovilton, Somerset, England
- RNAS Merryfield (satellite airfield) – Ilton, Somerset
Former Naval Air Stations
| RNAS | HMS | RAF | RN Years active | Current county | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbotsinch | Sanderling | Abbotsinch | 1943–1963 | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Lodger facilities 1939–43. Now Glasgow Airport |
| n/a | n/a | Aldergrove | 1939–40 1977–1982 | Co. Antrim | Northern Ireland | Naval units as lodgers on an RAF Base. Now Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove |
| Angle | Goldcrest | Angle | 1943 | Pembrokeshire | Wales | |
| Anglesey | n/a | Mona | 1915–1918 | Anglesey | Wales | Airship station |
| Anthorn | Nuthatch | Anthorn | 1944–58 | Cumbria | England | Now Anthorn Radio Station |
| Arbroath | Condor | n/a | 1940–1971 | Angus | Scotland | Now RM Condor |
| Archerfield | Nabreekie | n/a | 1945–46 | Queensland | Australia | MONAB VII |
| Ayr | Wagtail | Heathfield Ayr | 1944–46 | South Ayrshire | Scotland | |
| Bacton | n/a | Bacton | 1915–19 | Norfolk | England | |
| Ballyhalbert | Corncrake | Ballyhalbert | 1945 | Co. Down | Northern Ireland | |
| Ballykelly | Sealion | Ballykelly | 1962–1971 | Co. Londonderry | Northern Ireland | RAF station hosting Joint Ant-Submarine School from 1947, RN having lodger status. Joint RAF-RN station from 1962. Now Shackleton Barracks |
| Bankstown | Nabberley | n/a | 1944–1946 | New South Wales | Australia | MONAB II. Now Bankstown Airport |
| Beccles | Hornbill II | Beccles | −1945 | Suffolk | England | Lodger facilities only. |
| n/a | n/a | Benbecula | Western Isles | Scotland | Lodger facilities only. Now Benbecula Airport and RRH Benbecula. | |
| n/a | n/a | Benson | Oxfordshire | England | Lodger facilities only. Now RAF Benson | |
| n/a | n/a | Bircham Newton | Norfolk | England | Lodger facilities only. | |
| Boaz Island | HMS Malabar | n/a | ? | Sandys Parish | Bermuda | |
| n/a | n/a | Boscombe Down | Wiltshire | England | Now MoD Boscombe Down | |
| Bramcote | Gamecock | Bramcote | 1946–58 | Warwickshire | England | Now Gamecock Barracks |
| n/a | n/a | Bratton | 1943–44 | Shropshire | England | Provided training facilities for RNAS Hinstock during 1943/44 |
| Brawdy | Goldcrest Goldcrest II | Brawdy | 1946–1971 | Pembrokeshire | Wales | Now Cawdor Barracks |
| Bungay | Europa II | Bungay Flixton | 1945–46 | Suffolk | England | |
| Burscough | Ringtail | n/a | 1943–46 | Lancashire | England | |
| n/a | n/a | Bush Barn No. 44 SLG | 1944–45 | Oxfordshire | England | |
| Calshot | n/a | Calshot | 1913–22 | Hampshire | England | |
| Campbeltown | Landrail Landrail II | n/a | 1940–45 | Argyll & Bute | Scotland | Located 1 mile SE of RAF Machrihanish, grass landing ground north of the B843. |
| Capel | n/a | Folkestone | 1915–19 | Kent | England | |
| Cattewater | n/a | Cattewater Mount Batten | 1917–18 | Devon | England | |
| Charlton Horethorne | Heron II | Charlton Horethorne | 1943–45 | Somerset | England | |
| China Bay | Bambara | n/a | Trincomalee | Sri Lanka | Now China Bay Airport | |
| Chingford | n/a | Chingford | 1915–19 | Greater London | England | Now William Girling Reservoir |
| n/a | Raven | Christchurch | ?-1945 | Dorset | England | Lodger facilities with a Naval Air Section and the Naval Air Radio Installation Unit. |
| n/a (Station in Reserve) | n/a | Cluntoe | 1947-mid 1950s | Co. Tyrone | Northern Ireland | Used occasionally. |
| Coimbatore Sulur | Garuda Vairi | n/a | 1942–46 | Cochin | India | Now Sulur Air Force Station |
| Colombo Racecourse | Bherunda | Colombo Racecourse | 1943–45 | Colombo | Sri Lanka | Now Colombo Racecourse |
| Covehithe | n/a | Covehithe | 1915–19 | Suffolk | England | |
| Cowdray Park | n/a | n/a | 1941–45 | West Sussex | England | Private airfield requisitioned for the storage of obsolescent naval aircraft. |
| Crail | Bruce Jackdaw | Crail | 1940–1961 | Fife | Scotland | |
| RNAS Training Establishment, Cranwell | Daedalus (Thunderbolt) | Cranwell | 1916–1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Now Royal Air Force College |
| Culham | Hornbill | n/a | 1944–1953 | Oxfordshire | England | Now Culham Science Centre |
| Culmhead | n/a | Culmhead Churchstanton | Somerset | England | Lodger facilities only. Now Culmhead Business Centre | |
| Dale | Goldcrest | Dale | 1943–48 | Pembrokeshire | Wales | |
| n/a | n/a | Defford | Worcestershire | England | RN Air Section attached to Telecommunications Flying Unit RAF. | |
| Dekheila | Grebe Nile II | LG-34/LG-235 | 1940–46 | Egypt | ||
| Diego Suarez | n/a | n/a | 1940–46 | Madagascar | ||
| n/a | Seaborn | n/a | 1940–46 | Canada | Lodger facilities only. Now CFB Shearwater | |
| n/a | n/a | Detling | 1940–41 | Kent | England | Lodger facilities only. |
| n/a | n/a | Docking | 1942–44 | Norfolk | England | Lodger facilities only. |
| Donibristle | Merlin | Donibristle | 1939–1959 | Fife | Scotland | |
| Dounreay | Tern II | 1944–54 | Highland | Scotland | Never commissioned. | |
| Drem | Nighthawk | Drem | 1945–46 | East Lothian | Scotland | Lodger facilities until 1945. |
| Dundee | Condor II | Dundee | 1941–44 | Dundee City | Scotland | Seaplane base / repair depot. |
| n/a | n/a | Dundonald | 1944 | South Ayrshire | Scotland | Lodger facilities only. |
| Dunino | Jackdaw II | Dunino | 1942–46 | Fife | Scotland | |
| n/a | n/a | Duxford | 1941–43 | Cambridgeshire | England | Lodger facilities only. |
| East Fortune | n/a | East Fortune | 1915–18 | East Lothian | Scotland | National Museum of Flight |
| East Haven | Peewit | 1943–46 | Angus | Scotland | ||
| Eastchurch | n/a | Eastchurch | 1910–1918 | Kent | England | Now HM Prison Standford Hill |
| n/a | Raven | Eastleigh Southampton | 1935–39, 1939–1947 | Hampshire | England | Now Southampton Airport |
| Eglinton | Gannet | Eglinton | 1943–1959 1960–63 | Co. Londonderry | Northern Ireland | Now City of Derry Airport |
| Evanton | Fieldfare | Evanton Novar | 1944–48 | Highland | Scotland | |
| Fairlop | n/a | Fairlop | ? | Essex | England | |
| Fearn | Owl | Fearn | 1942–46 | Highland | Scotland | |
| Felixstowe | n/a | Felixstowe | 1913–19 | Suffolk | England | See Seaplane Experimental Station |
| Fishguard | n/a | 1917–19 | Pembrokeshire | Wales | ||
| Ford | Peregrine | Ford Ford Junction | 1939–1958 | West Sussex | England | Now HM Prison Ford |
| n/a | n/a | Fraserburgh | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Lodger facilities only. | |
| Gan | Haitian | Gan | 1941–57 | Addu Atoll | Maldives | Now Gan International Airport |
| Goldhanger | n/a | Goldhanger | 1915–16 | Essex | England | |
| Gosport | Siskin | Gosport | 1940–56 | Hampshire | England | |
| Grimsetter | Robin | Grimsetter | 1943–45 | Orkney | Scotland | Now Kirkwall Airport |
| Haldon | Heron II | Haldon | 1941–43 | Devon | England | |
| Halifax | Canada Saker | ? | Nova Scotia | Canada | ||
| Halesworth | Sparrowhawk | Halesworth | 1945–46 | Suffolk | England | Lodger facilities until 1945 |
| Hastings | Spurwing | Hastings | 1943–44 | Sierra Leone | Lodger facilities until 1943 | |
| Hatston | Sparrowhawk Tern II | 1939–1945 | Orkney | Scotland | ||
| Heath Row | n/a | Heathrow | 1944–45 | Greater London | England | Lodger facilities for a flight of 781 Naval Air Squadron only. Now Heathrow airport |
| Henstridge | Dipper | n/a | 1943–46 1946–1954 | Somerset | England | Henstridge Airfield, The only Known station using 5 runways one of these having a dummy deck landing area with arrestor system |
| Hinstock | Godwit | Ollerton | 1943–47 | Shropshire | England | |
| Hiswa | Rapax | Hiswa | Aden | |||
| Hornsea Mere | n/a | Atwick | ?-1918 | East Yorkshire | England | |
| Inskip | Nightjar | n/a | 1943–46 | Lancashire | England | |
| n/a | n/a | Helier | 1940 | Jersey | Channel Islands | |
| n/a | Nabstock | n/a | 1945–46 | Queensland | Australia | MONAB VI |
| Jervis Bay | Nabswick | n/a | 1945–46 | New South Wales | Australia | MONAB V |
| Kai Tak | Nabcatcher Flycatcher | Kai Tak | 1947–? | Kowloon Bay | Hong Kong | MONAB VIII |
| Katukurunda | Ukussa | Katukurunda | Katukurunda | Sri Lanka.[1] | Now Katukurunda Airport | |
| Kete | Harrier | n/a | 1945–1961 | Pembrokeshire | Wales | |
| Kilindini | Kipanga | n/a | 1942–44 | Mombasa | Kenya | |
| Kingsnorth | n/a | Kingsnorth | 1914–25 | Kent | England | |
| Kirkistown | Corncrake II | Kirkistown | 1945–46 | Co. Down | Northern Ireland | Lodger facilities only during WWII. Satellite airfield from July 1945. |
| Komenda | Wara | Takoradi | Oct–Dec 1943 | Ghana | Now Takoradi Airport | |
| n/a | n/a | Langham | 1942–44 | Norfolk | England | Lodger facilities only. |
| Lawrenny Ferry | Daedalus II | n/a | 1942–43 | Pembrokeshire | Wales | |
| Lee-on-Solent | Ariel Daedalus III | Lee-on-Solent | 1939–1995 | Hampshire | England | |
| n/a | n/a | Leuchars | ?-1938 1972–78 | Fife | Scotland | Lodger facilities only. Now Leuchars Station |
| Lewiston | Saker | n/a | 1943–45 | Maine | United States | Now Auburn/Lewiston Municipal Airport |
| Limavady | n/a | Limavady | 1944 1945–? | Co. Londonderry | Northern Ireland | Lodger facilities during 1944. Naval charge from 1945. |
| Long Kesh | n/a | Long Kesh | 1944–45 | Co. Antrim | Northern Ireland | Lodger facilities only. |
| Lossiemouth | Fulmar | Lossiemouth | 1946–1972 | Moray | Scotland | Now RAF Lossiemouth. RN lodger status 1972–79. |
| Luce Bay | n/a | West Freugh | 1940–43 | Dumfries and Galloway | Scotland | Lodger facilities only. Now MoD West Freugh |
| Ludham | Flycatcher | Ludham | 1944–? | Norfolk | England | |
| Lympne | Buzzard Daedalus II | Lympne | 1939–1940 | Kent | England | |
| Machrihanish | Landrail | Machrihanish | 1941–46 1951–52 | Argyll & Bute | Scotland | Now MoD Machrihanish & Campbeltown Airport |
| Mackinnon Road | Tana Kipanga II | n/a | 1942–44 | Taita-Taveta | Kenya | Now Mackinnon Road Airport |
| Macmerry | Nighthawk II | Macmerry | 1945–46 | East Lothian | Scotland | |
| Manston | Manston | 1933–35 WW2 1974 | Kent | England | Used by FAA squadron between 1933 and 1935. Lodger facilities during WW2 and used by 845 Naval Air Squadron briefly during early 1974. Now Manston Airport | |
| Maydown | Shrike Gannet II | Maydown | 1943–45 | Co. Londonderry | Northern Ireland | |
| Maharagama | HMS Monara | 1943–46 | Maharagama | Ceylon | Royal Naval Air Ceylonese Training Establishment in Maharagama which was later taken over by the National Teachers' Training College.[2] | |
| Middle Wallop | Flycatcher | Middle Wallop | 1945–46 | Hampshire | England | Now AAC Middle Wallop |
| Milltown | Fulmar II | Milltown | 1946–1972 | Moray | Scotland | |
| Milton Pembroke | n/a | Carew Cheriton Pembroke | 1914–18 | Pembrokeshire | Wales | |
| Minnerya | n/a | Minnerya | 1942–46 | Sri Lanka | Lodger facilities only. Now Hingurakgoda Airport | |
| Narborough | n/a | Narborough | Aug 1916-1916 | Norfolk | England | Now RAF Marham |
| n/a | n/a | North Coates | 1940–41 | Lincolnshire | England | |
| Nowra | Nabbington Nabswick | n/a | Jan–Nov 1945 1945–1946 | New South Wales | Australia | MONAB I MONAB V. Now HMAS Albatross (air station) |
| Nutts Corner | Pintail | Nutts Corner | 1945–46 | Co. Antrim | Northern Ireland | |
| Palisadoes | Malabar III Buzzard | n/a | 1941–43 | Kingston | Jamaica | Now Norman Manley International Airport |
| n/a | n/a | Pembroke Dock | 1940–41 | Pembrokeshire | Wales | Lodger facilities only. |
| Peplow | Godwit II | Peplow | 1945–49 | Shropshire | England | |
| n/a | n/a | Perranporth | 1944 | Cornwall | England | Lodger facilities only. |
| n/a | n/a | Peterhead | 1942–44 | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Lodger facilities only. |
| Piarco | Malabar II Goshawk | n/a | 1940–46 | Trinidad | Now Piarco International Airport | |
| n/a | Kipanga | Port Reitz | ? | Mombasa | Kenya | Lodger facilities only. |
| Ponam | Nabaron | n/a | Apr–Nov 1945 | Admiralty Islands | Papua New Guinea | MONAB IV |
| Portland | Osprey | Portland | 1959–1999 | Dorset | England | Also previously HMS Sarepta |
| Prestwick | Gannet | Prestwick | 1971–2016 | South Ayrshire | Scotland | Now Glasgow Prestwick Airport |
| Pulham | n/a | Pulham | 1915-1918 | Norfolk | England | Airship station |
| Puttalam | Rajaliya | n/a | 1942–45 | Puttalam District | Sri Lanka | |
| Quonset Point | Asbury | n/a | 1942–1943 | Rhode Island | United States | Now Quonset Point Air National Guard Station |
| Ras el-Tin Point | Nile | Apr 1939– Jun 1946 | Alexandria | Egypt | ||
| Rattray Head Rattray Crimond | Merganser | Oct 1944– Sept 1946 | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | ||
| Roborough | Drake II | Roborough | 1939–1942 Postwar | Devon | England | Now Plymouth City Airport |
| Ronaldsway | Urley | Ronaldsway | 1944–46 | Isle of Man | ||
| Sandbanks | Daedalus | n/a | 1940–43 | Dorset | England | |
| Schofields | Nabthorpe Nabstock | n/a | Feb–Nov 1945 Nov 1945– ? | New South Wales | Australia | MONAB III MONAB VI. Now Schofields Defence Depot, up for sale. |
| n/a | n/a | St Davids | 1947–1961 | Pembrokeshire | Wales | |
| n/a | n/a | St Mawgan Trebelzue | 1954–56 | Cornwall | England | Used by 744 Naval Air Squadron |
| St Merryn | Curlew Vulure | 1940–1956 | Cornwall | England | ||
| Sembawang | Simbang Nabrock | Sembawang | Singapore | MONAB IX | ||
| Sigiriya | n/a | Sigiriya | Sri Lanka | Lodger facilities only. Now Sigiriya Airport | ||
| Skaebrae | Tern II | Skaebrae | 1940–? | Orkney | Scotland | Lodger facilities only initially. |
| n/a | n/a | Skitten | 1940–41 | Highland | Scotland | Lodger facilities only. |
| Speke | n/a | Speke | 1942–45 | Merseyside | England | Lodger facilities only initially, housed a RN Air Section. Now Liverpool John Lennon Airport |
| Stornoway | Mentor II | Stornoway | 1940–41 1943–44 | Western Isles | Scotland | Seaplanes operated from Stornoway harbour 1940–41. Subsequently, lodger facilities available at RAF Stornoway airfield. |
| Stretton | Blackcap | n/a | 1942–1958 | Cheshire | England | |
| Sullom Voe | n/a | Sullom Voe | 1940–41 | Shetland | Scotland | Lodger unit on an RAF seaplane base. |
| n/a | n/a | Sumburgh | 1941–42 | Shetland | Scotland | Lodger facilities only. Now Sumburgh Airport |
| Sydenham | Gadwall Gannet III | Sydenham | 1943–1973 | Co. Antrim | Northern Ireland | Also known as RNAS Belfast. Now George Best Belfast City Airport |
| n/a | n/a | Tain | 1942–44 | Highland | Scotland | Lodger facilities only. |
| Tambaram | Valluru | Tambaram | 1944–45 | Madras | India | Now Tambaram Air Force Station |
| Tanga | Kilele | n/a | 1942–44 | Tanzania | Now Tanga Airport | |
| n/a | Falcon | Hal Far | 1929–50 1952–67 | Malta | ||
| n/a | Goldfinch St Angelo | Ta Kali | 1945–53 | Malta | ||
| Tangmere | n/a | Tangmere | 1942–50 | West Sussex | England | Lodger facilities only initially, the Naval Air Fighting Development Unit was present at some point. |
| Thorney Island | n/a | Thorney Island | 1940–48 | West Sussex | England | Lodger facilities only initially, used by the Naval Air Sea Warfare Development Unit at some point. Now Baker Barracks |
| Tresco | n/a | Tresco | 1917–19 | Isles of Scilly, Cornwall | England | |
| n/a | n/a | Turnhouse | 1942–44 | City of Edinburgh | Scotland | Lodger facilities only. Now Edinburgh Airport |
| Twatt | Tern | Twatt | 1941–1957 | Orkney | Scotland | |
| Voi | Tana Kipanga II | n/a | 1944 | Kenya | Never commissioned | |
| Walmer | n/a | Walmer | 1917–1918 | Kent | England | Hawkshill Freedown (open land) |
| Wingfield | Malagas | n/a | 1942–46 | Western Cape | South Africa | Now SAS Wingfield |
| Woodvale | Ringtail II | Woodvale | 1942–45 1945–46 | Merseyside | England | Lodger facilities only initially, satellite airfield postwar. |
| Worthy Down | Kestrel Ariel | Worthy Down | 1938–39 1939–1950 1952–1960 | Hampshire | England | Lodger facilities only pre WWII. Now Worthy Down Barracks |
| Zeals | Hummingbird | Zeals | 1945–46 | Wiltshire | England |
Former Naval Air Stations by ship name (HMS xxx)
HMS means Her Majesty's Ship (or His Majesty's Ship if before February 1952).
Some smaller and some very early Naval Air Stations in the list above were not commissioned as HM Ships. Those below were commissioned and, therefore, have a ship's name. Royal Navy shore bases and naval air stations have traditionally been named in the same manner as seagoing ships.
Officers were appointed to HMS xxx rather than to RNAS xxx and, similarly, ratings' Service Certificates will show only the name of the ship when drafted to a Naval Air Station. Thus, this list may help when researching family history records.
See also
- Mobile Naval Air Base
- List of airports in the United Kingdom and the British Crown Dependencies
- List of Royal Air Force stations
- List of Royal Navy shore establishments
- Royal Navy Dockyard
- Seaplane bases in the United Kingdom
- Aircraft Handler
- List of airfields of the Army Air Corps
- Lists of military installations
- List of British Army installations
References
- Fleet Air Arm Officers' Association, FAAOA
- "H.M.S. MONARA". royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
"FAA Bases home page". Retrieved 21 March 2016.
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