Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish, (RNAS Machrihanish; or HMS Landrail), is a former Royal Navy air station located near Machrihanish, close to Campbeltown in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The airfield opened during the Second World War and served at various times as a Fleet Air Arm naval air station, a Royal Air Force facility, and a United States Navy operating base. Part of the site later became the civilian Campbeltown Airport.
Situated to the west of Campbeltown on the western flank of the Kintyre Peninsula, Machrihanish is a former military airbase, recognised for its weather forecasting capabilities. The facility eventually featured an unusually lengthy runway , in addition to a substantial array of technical structures and living quarters.
History
Machrihanish was established as a naval air station in 1916, operating maritime patrol aircraft and airships until 1918.
Second World War
The onset of the Second World War prompted the Royal Navy to take control of the original airfield and the surrounding area to the north. Sunley's, a construction firm based in England, initiated the development of a new airfield situated to the north of the existing location, on a flat expanse referred to as The Laggan. Upon its completion, the new airfield was inaugurated as Strabane Naval Air Station and commissioned HMS Landrail on 15 June 1941, subsequently becoming RNAS Machrihanish on 23 June 1941. The original airfield was reclassified as RNAS Campbeltown and commissioned as HMS Landrail II and continued to function as a satellite facility of the newly established airfield.
One of the longer-serving units was 772 Naval Air Squadron, which was based at the airfield from its opening until 1944. The squadron functioned as a Fleet Requirements Unit (FRU), carrying out support tasks such as target towing and later operating the Supermarine Walrus amphibious aircraft for air sea rescue duties.
Another early unit was 790 Naval Air Squadron, an air target towing unit which formed at and operated from Machrihanish for several months from June 1941 before being absorbed by 772 Squadron.
During the war a number of other Fleet Air Arm units made temporary visits, operating aircraft such as the Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Barracuda. Royal Air Force units also used the airfield, including No. 65 Squadron RAF, flying Supermarine Spitfire VB fighters. One of the more permanent residents in the later war years was 740 Naval Air Squadron, which operated communications aircraft at the station between December 1943 and September 1945.
Following the end of the war, flying activity declined and the airfield was placed under care and maintenance in April 1946.
Korean War reactivation
The station was reactivated in December 1951 during the Korean War, once again commissioned as HMS Landrail.
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. 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: