AIRFIELDS

SEAPLANE STATIONS

BALLOON STATIONS

AIRSHIP STATIONS

AIRSHIP SUB STATIONS

COMBINED STATIONS

The idea for this slideshow is based on the

map on the left produced by the

Fly Navy Heritage Trust.

One hundred years of

Royal Naval Air Stations.

Maps used in our production are prior to

the 1974 boundary changes.

While every care has been taken in the

preparation of this slideshow,

accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

Royal Naval Air Stations Over The Past 100 Years

The Admiralty ordered its first airship on 7 May 1909 and it is from this single standing point that naval aviation progressed so

rapidly. The first four naval pilots learned to fly on the Isle of Sheppey in 1911, home of the first Royal Naval Air Station at

Eastchurch. Once their wings had been awarded, naval pilots put their new skills to use very quickly. The Fleet experienced its

first take offs and landings to mention just one aspect of aerial warfare and by the end of World War 1 in 1918 the Royal Naval Air

Service could boast 67,000 officers and men, 2949 aircraft, 103 airships and 126 coastal stations.

Many of these coastal or naval air stations along with those that came into being during World War 2 still exist today, a few still in

use by the Royal Navy. Others have become civil airports or have been taken over by the RAF and Army whilst some have, sadly,

fallen into disuse and either left to fall down or have become industrial estates, business parks, leisure facilities or supermarkets;

one has even become a reservoir. The Fly Navy Heritage Trust has identified and is keen to identify even more of these former

sites and to formally designate them as Naval Aviation Heritage Sites.

Gill Charles

2010

1

Ross & Cromarty

Kirkcudbrightshire

Aberdeenshire

MorayshireNairn

2

2

Inverness-shire

Caithness

Sutherland

2

3

Perthshire

Angus

2

2

3

Lanarkshire

Fife

Berwickshire

East Lothian

Mid Lothian

Ayrshire

Dumfries

Roxburhshire

Wigtown

HMS Owl

Fearn/Evanton, Ross-shire

1942-1946

Transferred from RAF

HMS Fieldfare

Evanton Ross-shire

1920-1946

RNAS lodger between the wars

HMS Tern II, Skeabrae, Dounreay, Hatston

11944 – 1954. To Air Ministry 1954

HMS Tern, Twatt, Orkney

1942-1946. Satellite to Sparrowhawk 1941 Smoogroo, Scapa Flow

1915-1919

HMSSparrowhawk, Hatston, Orkney

1939-1945,

Became Tern II

HMS Robin, Grimsetter

Kirkwall, Orkney

1943-1945,

Ex RAF - tender toSparrowhawk

- back to RAF

HMS Fulmar

Lossiemouth

1946-1972

Ex RAF and returned to RAF

HMS Fulmar II

Milltown

1946-1972

Ex RAF and returned to

RAF – satellite of Fulmar

HMS Merganser

Crimmond/Rattery

1944-1946

Known as Crimmond until

1945 then Rattery

HMS Condor, Arbroath, Angus,

1940-1970,

Became RM Barracks

HMS Peewit

East Haven

Angus

1943-1946

Was to have been named Dotterel

Leuchers Fife

1914-1918

Then to RAF - lodger

basis

1935-38 &

1972-79

3

3

3

3

HMS Jackdaw II

Dunino, Fife

1942-1946

Ex RAF

HMS Jackdaw

Crail, Fife

1940-1947

RNAS

HMS Merlin

Donibristle, Fife

1917-18,1939-59

Ex RAF between the wars

HMS Nighthawk

Drem/MacMerry, E Lothian

1945-1946

Tender to Merlin - on loan from

RAF and both returned

Turnhouse, Midlothian

-1918

RNAS - RAF lodger 1942-1944

DNB - Dunbartonshire

CLK - Clackmannanshire

KRS - Kinross-shire

WL - West Lothian

KRSCLK

Orkneys

HMS Gannet

Prestwick, Ayr

1971-Lodger airfield 1940/41

HMS Wagtail

Heathfield, Ayr

1944-1946

Transferred from RAF on loan

HMS Landrail

Campbeltown

1940-1941

Civil airport requisitioned

by Air Ministry

HMS Landrail II

Campbeltown

1941-1945

HMS Sanderling

Abbotsinch 1943-1963

Lodger basis from 1939

-transferred from RAF - to

Min of Av

Airfields

1

Ross & Cromarty

Kirkcudbrightshire

Aberdeenshire

MorayshireNairn

2

2

Inverness-shire

Caithness

Sutherland

2

DNB - Dunbartonshire

CLK - Clackmannanshire

KRS - Kinross-shire

WL - West Lothian

3

Perthshire

Angus

2

2

3

Lanarkshire

Fife

CLKKRS

Berwickshire

East LothianMid Lothian

Ayrshire

Dumfries

Roxburhshire

Wigtown

3

3

3

Orkneys Seaplane

Balloon

Airship

Airship Sub Stations

Catfirth

Zetland,

Shetlands

-1918 RNAS

Caldale

Scapa Flow

1915-1919

North Queensferry

Forth

1917-1918

Balloon station

Houton Bay, Scapa Flow

1915-1919

Was also Kite Balloon Station

Steness, Scapa Flow

1915-1919

StrathbegAberdeen

-1918

LongsideAberdeen1915-1918

East Fortune

East Lothian

1916-1918

RNAS

Luce Bay

Wigtownshire

1916-1918

RNAS

Rosyth

Forth

1917-1918

HMS Condor II

Dundee, Scotland

1941-1944

Hawkscraig, Fife

1912-1919

RNAS - Seaplane station

Auldbar, Angus,

1917-1918,

To RAF

1

Ross & Cromarty

Kirkcudbrightshire

Aberdeenshire

MorayshireNairn

2

2

Inverness-shire

Caithness

Sutherland

2

DNB - Dunbartonshire

CLK - Clackmannanshire

KRS - Kinross-shire

WL - West Lothian

3

Perthshire

Angus

2

2

3

Lanarkshire

Fife

CLKKRS

Berwickshire

East LothianMid Lothian

Ayrshire

Dumfries

Roxburhshire

Wigtown

3

3

3

Orkneys

Swarbacks Minn

Scapa Flow

1915-1919

RNAS

***

HMS Campania

Scapa Flow

1914-1918

Used as Scapa seaplane

base, sunk in 1918

Scapa Bay

Scapa Flow

1915-1919

RNAS

***

HMS Icarus

Houton Bay

Scapa/Caldale

1917-1918

Central depot for air

services Orkney

Rattray, Aberdeen

WW1

RNAS

***

HMS Rattray

Crimond

1945-1946

Ex Merganser

HMS Dotterel

East Haven, Angus

1943

Original name selected

but opened as Peewit

***

Stannergate

Dundee,

1914-1918

RN seaplane site

HMS Bruce

Crail, Fife

1947-1949

Ex Jackdaw - listed as

reserve air station until at

least 1960

***

Leven, Fife

1913

Naval airfield and camp

***

HMS Merlin III Dunino,

Fife

1945

Ex HMS Jackdaw II

Roxburgh, Kelso,

Roxburgshire

WW2

Transferred to Air

Ministry 1942

HMS Siskin

Dounreay, Caithness

1944

Ex RAF transferred to

RN but little used

Lossiemouth Morayshire

WW1

RNAS - Combined station

Banff, Morayshire

Lent to RNAS for bombing 1947

- presumably Lossiemouth

Fort George

Cromarty

1912-1915

RNAS - Closed 1916

Inchinnan

Renfrewshire

WW1

RNAS

HMS Sanderling II

Macrihanish

1946

Landrail paid off and

re commissioned as

tender to Sanderling

***

HMS Landrail

Strabane/Machrihanish

1941 -1963

Strabane replaced by

Machrihanish -

Transferred to Air Min

***

Macrihannish

Argyll

1915-1918

RNAS

***

HMS Waterrail

Campbeltown

RNAS Campbeltown was

Landrail?

Lerwick Shetlands

1915-1918

RNAS - To RAF

Additional

Information…

Northumberland

CumberlandDurham

Yorkshire

1

Lancashire

Cheshire Lincolnshire

Shropshire

Staffordshire

RUT

RUT – Rutland

HUN – Huntingdonshire

BDF – Bedfordshire

MDX - Middlesex

HUN

Norfolk

Suffolk

Essex

Kent

Berkshire

Bu

ckin

gh

am

sh

ire

MDX

London

Sussex

1

BDF

Surrey

Hampshire

Wiltshire

IOW

DorsetDevonshire

Somerset

Airfields Part 1From Northumberland

across to Lancashire,

to Berkshire in the south.

New Haggerston,

Northumberland

WW1, RNASSeahouses

Northumberland

WW1, RNAS

Ashington

Northumberland

WW1, RNAS

Tynemouth

Northumberland

1918, RNASSeaton Carew ,Co Durham

WW1, RNAS

Redcar, Co Durham

1916-1918

RNAS

HMS Nuthatch

Anthorn, Cumberland

1944-1960,

RN lodger unit 1940 - NATO radio

station from 1964

HMS Urley

Ronaldsway,

IOM

1944-1946

Ex civil airport

HMS Nightjar,

Inskip, Lancs,

1943-1946

Originally called RNAS Elswick

- later became radio station

HMS Ringtail

Burscough, Ormskirk

1943-1946

RNAS

HMS Ringtail II,

Woodvale, Formby

1945-1946

Ex RAF on indefinite loan HMS Blackcap

Stretton, Lancs

1942-1958

Facilities no longer required by

RAF, transferred to RN HMS Godwit

Ollerton/Hinstock, Salop

1942-1947

Known as Ollerton until 1943

then as Hinstock

HMS Godwit II

Peplow/Weston Park, Salop

1945-1949

Ex RAF - satellite landing

ground at Weston Park

West Ayton, Yorkshire

WW1, RNAS

Atwick, Yorkshire

1914-1918

RNAS

Owthorne , Yorks,

1917, RNASGreenland Top

Lincs

1914-1918

RNAS

North Coates, Lincolnshire

1915-1918

RAF lodger 1940-41Holt , Norfolk

1916-1918

RNAS - Night landing ground

Bacton, Norfolk

1916-1918

Night landing ground

HMS Flycatcher

Ludham, Norfolk

1944-1945

Returned to RAF in 1945,

exchanged for Middle Wallop

Pulham, Norfolk

1916-1918

RNAS - Airship station

Covehithe, Suffolk

1916-1918

RNAS

HMS Sparrowhawk

Halesworth, Suffolk

1945-1946

Transferred from RAF

and returned to them

Aldeburgh ,Suffolk

RNAS

1916-1918

Butley, Suffolk

WW1

RNAS

Became RAF Bentwaters then to USAF

HMS Gamecock

Bramcote, Nuneaton

1943-1959

Ex RAF - transferred to Army

(Royal Artillery)

HMS Hornbill

Culham, Berkshire

1944 – 1953

Bush Barn

Berkshire

1944-1945

Out station airfield

for Kestrel

Chingford

Essex

1913-1918

RNAS - Now a reservoir

Northumberland

CumberlandDurham

Yorkshire

1

Lancashire

Cheshire Lincolnshire

Shropshire

Staffordshire

RUT

RUT – Rutland

HUN – Huntingdonshire

BDF – Bedfordshire

MDX - Middlesex

HUN

Norfolk

Suffolk

Essex

Kent

Berkshire

Bu

ckin

gh

am

sh

ire

MDX

London

Sussex

1

BDF

Surrey

HampshireWiltshire

IOW

DorsetDevonshire

Somerset

Airfields Part 2From the South East across

to the South West

Predannock, Cornwall

1958-

Satellite to RNAS Culdrose

HMS Seahawk

Culdrose, Cornwall

1947-

Was to have been

named Chough

HMS Vulture,

St Merryn, Cornwall

1940-1953

Renamed Curlew

in 1953

RNAS Trevose Head

Padstow, Cornwall

1917-1918

HMS Vulture II

Treligga, Cornwall

1916-1918

RNAS

Westward Ho,

Devon

WW1

RNAS

Prawle Point

Devon

1917-1918

RNAS

HMS Heron II

Haldon, Devon

1941-1946

Ex RAF

Merryfield, Somerset

1958-60,1972-

RNAS out field for

Heron

- also RAF Merryfield

HMS Heron,

Yeovilton Somerset

1940-

RAF Merrifield used

as satellite

HMS Heron II

Charlton Horthorne

1942-1945

To RAF in exchange for Zeals

HMS Dipper

Henstridge, Somerset

1941-1946

Early 1950's re-opened

as satellite to Heron

Chickerell ,Dorset

WW1

RNAS and between

the wars

Bembridge

Isle of Wight

WW1

RNAS

HMS Humming Bird

Zeals, Wiltshire

1945-1946

Ex RAF

HMS Flycatcher

Middle Wallop,

Hants 1945-1946

HQ MONAB

Org.- returned to RAF

HMS Raven

Eastleigh, Southampton

1939-1947

Included lodger facilities at

RAF Christchurch

HMS Kestrel

Worthy Down , Hampshire

1939-1952

Ex RAF - included airfields at

Bush Barn, Haslemere, Jersey

HMS Siskin

Gosport, Hants

1945-1956

Was to have been

named Woodpecker,

lent by RAF originally

HMS Peregrine Ford, Sussex

1939-1958

Ex RAF - returned 1940 with RN

as lodger - back to RN 1945

Telscombe Cliffs,

Sussex

WW1

Cowdray Park, Sussex

1941

Out station airfield

for Daedalus

HMS Buzzard

Lympne, Kent

1939

Ex 22 Gp RAF - handed

back to RAF May 1940

Dover Kent

1916-1919

Also RNAS Guston

Walmer Kent

-1918

RNASEastchurch, Sheppey

1913-1918

RNAS

Northumberland

CumberlandDurham

Yorkshire

1

Lancashire

Cheshire Lincolnshire

Shropshire

Staffordshire

RUT

RUT – Rutland

HUN – Huntingdonshire

BDF – Bedfordshire

MDX - Middlesex

HUN

Norfolk

Suffolk

Essex

Kent

Berkshire

Bu

ckin

gh

am

sh

ire

MDX

London

Sussex

1

BDF

Surrey

Hampshire

Wiltshire

IOW

DorsetDevonshire

Somerset

Seaplane

Balloon

Airship

Combined

Airship Sub Stations Ramsay

Isle of Man

WW1

Chathill

Northumberland

WW1

RNAS

Kirkleathan

Yorks

WW1

RNAS

Lowthorpe

Yorks

WW1

RNAS

Seaton Carew

Co Durham

WW1

Hornsea Mere

Yorks

1915-1919,

to close 1919 and

transferred

to Killingholme

Howden

Yorks

1915-1918

RNAS - Airship station Killingholme Haven , Lincs

1914-1918

To USN 1918 - vacated by USN 1919

- RAF station WW2

Immingham Lincolnshire

1916-1918

Cranwell

Lincs

1915-1918

Transferred to RAF

Hickling Broad

Norfolk

1916-1918

South Denes

Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

1911-1918

Lowestoft

Suffolk

WW1

Shotley

Suffolk

1912-1919

Felixstowe Harwich

Suffolk

1912-1918 Seaplane station

- Became radio station in 1920Isle of Grain,

Medway

1911-1918

Sheerness

Medway

1912-1919

Not required by Air MinistryKingsnorth,Kent

1912-1918 RNAS

Westgate,

Kent

1916Dover/Marine, Kent

WW1

Capel

Nr. Folkestone,

Kent

1915-1920

RNAS

Godmersham Park

Kent

WW1 West Mersham

Kent

WW1

Polegate,Sussex

1916-1918 Transferred from Dover

to Portsmouth Command 1917

Newhaven

Sussex

1917-1919

RNAS

Bembridge Harbour

Isle of Wight

1916-1918

HMS Daedalus II

Sandbanks, Dorset

1940-1943

HMS Osprey (Sarepta)

Portland, Dorset

1916-1918

To RAF as seaplane base

- closed 1919

Upton,

Dorset

WW1

Bridport, Dorset

1917-1918

RNAS Lands End

Newlyn, Cornwall

1917-1918

To RAF

Mullion Cornwall

1915-1918

To RAF - First

known as

Lizard Airship

Bude Cornwall

1915-1918

To RAF 1918-1919

- out station to Mullion

Merifield, Cornwall

1919

At Wilcove with detachment

at Torquay

Laira, Devon

WW1

Sub station for

Mullion

Tresco, Nr New Grimsby,

Scilly Is

1917-1918

Transferred to RAF

St Mary's Scilly Is

1917-1918 RNAS

Cattewater Laira,

Plymouth

1918

Torquay

Devon

1918

Calshot, Hants

1913-1918

To RAF between

the wars

HMS Daedalus

Lee-on-Solent,

Hants

1917-18,1939-96

39 back from RAF

- renamed Daedalus 1965 ex Ariel

Tipner , Portsmouth

-1918

Balloon station

-Closed 1919 and not

-required by Air Ministry

Slindon,

Sussex

WW1

Richmond Park

Surrey

WW1

Northumberland

CumberlandDurham

Yorkshire

1

Lancashire

Cheshire Lincolnshire

Shropshire

Staffordshire

RUT

RUT – Rutland

HUN – Huntingdonshire

BDF – Bedfordshire

MDX - Middlesex

HUN

Norfolk

Suffolk

Essex

Kent

Berkshire

MDX

London

Sussex

1

BDF

Surrey

Hampshire

Wiltshire

IOW

DorsetDevonshire

Somerset

Fairlop, Essex

1913-1918

Sub station to Chingford

- Now a Leisure Centre***

Chelmsford, Essex

1915-1918

RNAS

Barlow Nr Selby,

Yorkshire

1916-1920 Airship

construction station

RNAS

***

Scarborough

Yorkshire

1915-1916

RNAS

Cramlington

Northumberland

WW1 RNAS not

completed

***

Whitley Bay

Northumberland

1916

RNAS

Cardington,

Cambs

WW1

RNAS

Sedgeford Norfolk

1915-1917

Night landing ground

-To RFC 1917

***

Narborough Norfolk

1912 -1916

To War Office - later

became RAF Marham

-***

Burgh Castle Norfolk

-1918 Night landing

ground - RNAS

HMS Hornbill II

Beccles/Halesworth, Suffolk

1945-1953

Ex RAF - lodger facilities

Stratford London

1917-1918

To be Admiralty

Establishment

***

HMS Victory VI

Crystal Palace, London

1918

RNAS

***

Roehampton London

1918

RNAS

***

Wormwood Scrubs

London 1915-1917

RNAS

HMS Pembroke II

Eastchurch,

Sheppey 1913-1918

Transferred to RAF

***

Folkestone Kent

1915-1918

RNAS - Also naval

base during WW1 -

closed 1919

***

HMS Bluebird III

Folkestone, Kent

1942-1944

Ex Air Sea Rescue

Folkestone

***

Wittersham, Kent

WW1

RNAS

***

Ramsgate, Kent

1914-1918

RNAS

Lympne Kent

1914-1918

RNAS

***

HMS Daedalus II

Lympne, Kent

1939-1940

EX RAF and

transferred back to

them

***

Rochford, Kent

WW1

Transferred to War

Office 1916

***

Detling Maidstone,

Kent 1916-1918 to

Military 1917

-RAF lodger 1940-

1941 - RNAS

HMS Ariel II (Culcheth)

Warrington, Lancs J

ul-Dec1952

RNAS

***

Barrow in Furness

Lancs

1916-1918

RNAS

***

Ramsay

Isle of Man

WW1

Airship sub station

HMS Humming Bird,

Zeals, Wiltshire

WW1

RNAS

***

Stonehenge Wiltshire

1918

RNAS

Mount Batten,

Plymouth 1917-1918

To RAF - Used by RN

between wars

***

Teignmouth Devon

1940

RNAS

***

RNAS Tregantle Ft

Plymouth

1917

RNAS

***

Tregantle & Withnoe

Plymouth

918

RNAS

HMS Heron II Henstridge

Marsh Som.

1941-1957

Commissioned as HMS

Dipper - tender to HeronEastcote,

Ruislip

WW1

RNAS

Fort Grange Gosport,

Hants

1914-1918

RNAS - Became No 1

Naval Air Squadron

***

HMS Ariel Worthy Down

, Hampshire

Jul 1952-1959

Transferred from

Warrington

***

HMS Daedalus III

Lee/Bedhampton, Hants

1943-1947

Also release centre -

known as Bedhampton

Camp

***

Arnold House

Farnborough, Hants

1912-1918

RNAS

HMS Woodpecker

Gosport, Hants

1945

Name proposed for

RNAS Gosport but

Siskin used instead

***

HMS Ariel

Lee-on-Solent,

Hants 1959-1965

Daedalus renamed

Ariel when ground

training moved there

***

Lee-on-Solent

Portsmouth

-1918

RNAS

***

Gosport Portsmouth

-1918

RNAS

Lands End

Nr St Just,

Cornwall

1940

Temporary RNAS

HMS Curlew St Merryn,

Cornwall

1953-1956

Transferred to Air

Ministry

HMS Chough Culdrose,

Cornwall 1944-1947

Name whilst under

construction, changed on

completion

Moreton, Dorset

WW1

RNAS - Not completed

Additional Information…

Glamorgan

Brecknok

Carmarthenshire

Radnorshire

Conway

Anglesey

1916

RNAS

Bangor

Caernarvonshire

WW1

RNAS

Pembroke Dock

Pembrokeshire

WW1

Milford Haven

Pembrokeshire

1916

HMS Daedalus II

Lawrenny Ferry,

Pembsrokeshire

1942-1943

Ex RAF and detached

from Pembroke dock

Fishguard ,Pembs

1917-1918

RNAS

HMS Goldcrest

Dale, Pembrokeshire

1943-1948

From Angle to Ex RAF Station

- became Harrier in 1948

HMS Goldcrest

Brawdy,

Pembrokeshire

1952-1971

Ex Goldcrest II

- transferred to RAF

HMS St David

Pembs

1947-1961

Relief airfield

for Brawdy

Airfields

Seaplane

Balloon

Airship

HMS Goldcrest

Angle, Pembs

1943

Ex RAF and transferred back

to RAF

***

HMS Goldcrest II

Brawdy, Pembs

1946-1952

Ex RAF - Satellite to

Goldcrest (Dale)

Additional

Information…

Carlow

Lough

Neough

Armagh

DownFermanagh

Tyrone

AntrimLondonderry

Galway

Roscommon

Mayo

Sligo

CavanLeitrim

Donegal

Laois

KilkennyTipperary

Wexford

Waterford

Cork

Kerry

Limerick

Clare

Longford

Westmeath

Louth

Meath

Dublin

Wicklow

Kildare

Offaly

Airfields

Balloon

Airship Sub Stations

HMS Corncrake

Ballyhalbert, Co. Down

1945

Transferred to RAF in 1946 with

RN lodger facilities

HMS Corncrake II

Kirkistown, Co. Down

1945-1946

On loan from RAF

HMS Gadwall

Sydenham,

1943-1946

Ex RAF Became

Gannet III

HMS Pintail

Nutts Corner, Crumlin

1945-1946

From RAF - to RAF transport

command

HMS Shrike

Maydown, Co .Down

1943-1945

Ex RAF - became Gannet II

HMS Gannet

Eglinton, Co. Londonderry

1943-1959

Lent by RAF, transferred to RN 1947,

reopened as Sea Eagle

HMS Mermaid

Co. Dublin

1916-1919

Closed 1919

Malahide

Co. Dublin

WW1

RNAS

Larne

Co. Antrim

1916-1918

RNAS

Ballyliffan

Co. Donegal

WW1

RNAS

Rathmullan

Co. Donegal

-1918

Killeagh

Co. Cork

WW1

RNAS

Queenstown

Co. Cork

WW1

Used by USN not returned 1919

closed 1921

***

Whiddy Island

Co. Cork

WW1

Used by USN

Lough Foyle

Co. Donegal

1915-1919 RNAS

Lough Neough

N Ireland

WW1

RNAS Not completed

HMS Mermaid

Dublin

1916-1919

Closed 1919

Wexford

Ireland

WW1

Used by USN

HMS Gannet II

Sydenham, Co. Antrim

1946-1973

Ex HMS Gadwall - to RAF

HMS Gannet II

Maydown,

Londonderry1945-1953

Ex HMS Shrike

***

HMS Sea Eagle

Eglinton,

Co Londonderry

1959-1970

Ex Gannet

***

HMS Sealion

Ballykelly , Londonderry

RNAS Ballykelly

(Sea Eagle?)

Additional

Information…

Under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, "Home Rule"

institutions were created in two divisions of Ireland, 26

counties forming Southern Ireland and six counties

forming Northern Ireland. This partition was copper

fastened by the 1922 Anglo-Irish Treaty, under which

Ireland left the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland

rejoining two days later. Southern Ireland, which had

never functioned as a separate entity, became the Irish

Free State, now the Republic of Ireland.

Royal Naval Air Stations throughout the rest of the world.

Researched and compiled by Gill Charles.

Mobile Naval Operating Air Bases, MONABs, were a series of mobile, self-contained units able to repair, and prepare for service, aircraft, engines, and components as required for ships of the British Pacific Fleet.

Each were initially assembled at the MONAB HQ at HMS Flycatcher (Ludham then Middle Wallop). In total 10 MONABS were established and one Transportable Aircraft Maintenance Yard (TAMY)

HMS Seaborn Dartmouth, Nova Scotia 1939-1946

Pre-war RCAF station - transferred to RCN---

HMS Saker Dartmouth, Nova Scotia 1941-1942Ex Seaborn

RNAS Saker Brunswick Maine

1943-1945 RN/USN

HMS Moga Jamaica 1943-1944

RNAS

HMS Buzzard Kingston, Jamaica

1940-1945 Naval Base became HMS Morgan, RNAS remained Buzzard

HMS GoshawkPiarco, Trinidad

1940-1946 Originally known as

Malabar II

HMS Cormorant II Gibraltar 1940-1944

RAF North Front, transferred to RN then back to RAF

HMS Force Profit Iceland 1940

Comprised aircraft at Iceland - on

books Daedalus

Murmansk Russia 1914-1917

Transferred to Royal Marines 1917

HMS Wara ,Komenda Takoraal,

G. Coast 1942-1943 RNAS

Hyeres Toulon France

1940 - RNAS

DunkirkFrance

1916-1918 Closed 1919 - RNAS

BoulogneFrance

1915-1919 RNAS

Cherbourg,France

1917-1918 RNAS

VendomeLa Rochelle

1918 RNAS

RNAS Calafrana, Malta 1916-1919

To RAF - Seaplane base---

HMS Falcon Hal Far, Malta 1946-1965

Ex RAF- Shore base for a/c of Med Fleet 1923-RN use WW2

---HMS Goldfinch Takali, Malta

1943-1953 Civil airport pre WW2

---RNAS Kalafrana, Malta

1946-1965 To Air Ministry

HMS Eleusis Maleme, Crete WW2 RNAS

---RNAS Imbros Aegean

1917-1919 Abandoned and then

closed in 1919

HMS Grebe, Dekheila, Alexandria 1940-1946

Returned to Egytian control in 1946

Gibraltar 1915-1918 Seaplane base - To RAF Kite Balloon

station evacuated 1919

St Pol, France 1917 RNAS

HMS Spurwing, Hastings, Sierra Leone 1943-1944

Transferred from RAF

RNAS Tafar Oui Oran 1943

Under Cormorant II

MarquiseFrance

1915-1919 RNAS

HMS Queen IITaranto, S. Italy

1917-1918 Parent Ship

RNAS Southern Italy at Pizzone

RNAS ‘The Rest of the World’

PART 1

LangataNairobi, Kenya

WW2 RNAS

HMS Kipanga II Voi, Pt. Reitz,

Mackinnon Rd 1942-1944/45

RNAS

HMS KipangaKillindini, Kenya

1942-1944 Depot for RN air

personnel ashore in East Africa

HMS Rapax,Hiswa, Aden 1944-1945

RNAS at RAF Station HMS Maraga Addu Atoll 1944-1946

RNAS

HMS Vairi, Sular, Coinbatore, India

1944-1946 Transferred from RAF

HMS BambaraTrincomalee, Ceylon

1944-1947 Transferred to RAF 1951 - known as RNAS Trinco

RNAS Kantali Ceylon 1944-1950

Returned to RAF

HMS Flycatcher Kai Tak, Hong Kong

1947 Ex Nabcatcher(MONAB VIII)

---HMS Nabcatcher

Middle Wallop/Kai Tak, Hong Kong 1945-1947

MONAB VIII

HMS RajaliyaPuttalam, Ceylon

1943-1945 Transferred to local

civil authority

HMS NabaronLudham/Manus, Adm Is

1944-1945

MONAB IV

HMS Kilele,Tanga, Tanganyika

1942-1945 RNAS

HMS London Zanzibar-1918

Closed 1919 - given in exchange for Heligoland

in 1890

HMS BherundaColombo, Ceylon

1943-1945 Was Colombo racecourse,

RAF Station taken over by RNHMS Malagas

Wingfield/Wynberg, SA 1942-1946

Ex Union Government airfield which was

developed

HMS Ukussa Katakurunda, Ceylon

1942-1946 RNAS

HMS Sheathbill Pt San Carlos,

Falkland Is 1982 Unofficial name for

Forward Operating Base

HMS RajawaliMorib, Malaya

1941-1942 ---

Sembawang Malaya 1940-1971

RNAS---

RNAS SelangorMalaya WW2

HMS NabstockMiddle Wallop/Marybrough

1945-1946

MONAB VI

HMS NabberleyLudham/Bankstown,

Sydney 1944-1946

MONAB II---

HMS NabthorpeLudham/Schofields, NSW

1944-1945

MONAB III

HMS NabswickLudham/Jervis Bay/Nowra

1944-1946

MONAB V

MoribMalaya WW2 RNAS

HMS AlbatrossNowra, New South Wales

1944-1946 Used by Nabbington &

Nabswick then to RAAF & RAAN

---HMS Nabbington

Ludham/Nowra, NSW 1944-1945

MONAB I

HMS NasarSembawang, Singapore. 1941-1942, RNAS

---HMS Simbang Sembawang, Singapore 1945-1971 Administration transferred to ANZAV Force 1971

---HMS Nasar

Sembawang, Singapore. 1941-1942, RNAS

HMS NabreekieMiddle Wallop/Meeandah

1945

MONAB VII

RNAS ‘The Rest of the World’

PART 2

Compiled on behalf of Cloud Observers by MIS 2010

Acknowledgements

‘Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy’ by Lieutenant Commander Ben Warlow R.N.

Fly Navy Heritage Trust.

Research and Map of the World - GWC