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
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