RAF Skeabrae

Former Royal Air Force station on Mainland, Orkney, Scotland

59°03′52″N 003°16′09″W / 59.06444°N 3.26917°W / 59.06444; -3.26917TypeRoyal Air Force stationCodeKJ^[1]Site informationOwnerAir MinistryOperatorRoyal Air Force
Royal NavyControlled byRAF Fighter Command
Fleet Air ArmSite historyBuilt1940 (1940)In useAugust 1940 (1940) - 1957 (1957)Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War IIAirfield informationElevation18 metres (59 ft)^[1] AMSL

Runways
Direction	Length and surface
09/27	976 yd (892 m) Concrete
05/23	976 yd (892 m) Concrete
14/32	992 yd (907 m) Concrete
01/19	970 yd (887 m) Concrete

Royal Air Force Skeabrae, or more simply RAF Skeabrae, is a former Royal Air Force station located in Orkney, Mainland, United Kingdom.

History

The following units were here at some point:

Squadrons

No. 3 Squadron RAF (1941)^[2]
No. 66 Squadron RAF (1943)^[3]
No. 118 Squadron RAF (1944)^[4]
No. 129 Squadron RAF (1943)^[5]
No. 132 Squadron RAF (1942)^[5]
No. 164 Squadron RAF (1942)^[6]
No. 234 Squadron RAF (1943)^[7]
No. 253 Squadron RAF (1941)^[8]
No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF (1943)^[9]
No. 313 Squadron RAF (1944)^[9]
No. 329 Squadron RAF (1945)^[10]
No. 331 Squadron RAF (1941-42)^[10]
No. 441 Squadron RCAF (1944-45)^[11]
No. 451 Squadron RAAF^[11]
No. 453 Squadron RAAF (1943-44)^[12]
No. 598 Squadron RAF^[13]
No. 602 Squadron RAF (1942-43 & 1944)^[13]
No. 603 Squadron RAF^[13]
No. 611 Squadron RAF (1944)^[14]

Units

Advanced Ship Recognition Flight RAF (January - February 1943) became No. 1476 (Advanced Ship Recognition) Flight RAF (February - June 1943 & June - January 1944)^[15]
No. 1491 (Fighter Gunnery) Flight RAF (November 1942 - August 1943)^[16]
1841 Naval Air Squadron^[17]
No. 2714 Squadron RAF Regiment^[17]
No. 2745 Squadron RAF Regiment^[17]
No. 2766 Squadron RAF Regiment^[17]
No. 2824 Squadron RAF Regiment^[17]

Royal Navy

Current use

The site is currently private agricultural land.^[17]

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b Falconer 2012, p. 177.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 24.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 45.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 57.
^ ^a ^b Jefford 1988, p. 59.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 64.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 75.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 78.
^ ^a ^b Jefford 1988, p. 86.
^ ^a ^b Jefford 1988, p. 87.
^ ^a ^b Jefford 1988, p. 92.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 93.
^ ^a ^b ^c Jefford 1988, p. 98.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 100.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 134.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 136.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o "Skeabrae". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 26 April 2020.

Bibliography

Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.

Royal Air Force

Ministry of Defence

formations
and units

units	Commands Groups Wings Squadrons Flights Conversion units Operational Training units Schools / Training units Ferry units Glider units Misc units
stations	Active Former Satellite Landing Grounds
Regiment	Wings Squadrons Flights

branches and
components

reserve forces

equipment

personnel

appointments

symbols and uniform

associated civil
organisations

Royal Naval Air Stations

current

RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (1947–)
Predannack Airfield (1959–)
RNAS Merryfield (1956–1958, 1960–1961, 1972–)
RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) (1940–)

former UK

A	Abbotsinch (1943–1963) Angle (HMS Goldcrest) (1943) Anthorn (HMS Nuthatch) (1944–1958) Arbroath (HMS Condor) (1940–1971) Ayr (HMS Wagtail) (1944–1946)
B	Ballyhalbert (HMS Corncrake) (1945) Ballykelly (HMS Sealion) (1945–1971) Bramcote (1946–1958) Brawdy (HMS Goldcrest) (1946–1971) Bungay (HMS Europa III) (1945–1946) Burscough (HMS Ringtail) (1943–1946) Bush Barn (1944)
C	Campbeltown (HMS Landrail II) (1940–1945) Charlton Horethorne (HMS Heron II) (1943–1945) Cowdray Park (1941–1945) Crail (HMS Jackdaw) (1940–1947) Culham (HMS Hornbill) (1944–1953)
D	Dale (HMS Goldcrest) (1943–1948) Donibristle (HMS Merlin) (1939–1959) Dounreay (HMS Tern II) (1944–1954) Drem (HMS Nighthawk) (1945–1946) Dundee (HMS Condor II) (1941–1944) Dunino (HMS Jackdaw II) (1942–1946)
E	East Haven (HMS Peewit) (1943–1946) Eastleigh (HMS Raven) (1939–1946) Eglinton (HMS Gannet & HMS Sea Eagle) (1943–1963) Evanton (1944–1948)
F–G	Fearn (HMS Owl) (1942–1946) Ford (HMS Peregrine) (1939–1940, 1945–1948, 1950–1958) Gosport (HMS Siskin) (1945–1956) Grimsetter (HMS Robin) (1943–1945)
H	Haldon (HMS Heron II) (1941–1943) Halesworth (HMS Sparrowhawk) (1945–1946) Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) (1939–1945) Henstridge (HMS Dipper) (1943–1946, 1959–1954) Hinstock (HMS Godwit) (1942–1947)
I–K	Inskip (HMS Nightjar) (1943–1946) Kirkistown (HMS Corncrake II) (1945–1946)
L	Lawrenny Ferry (HMS Daedalus II) (1942–1943) Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus & HMS Ariel) (1939–1996) Limavady (1945–19??) Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar) (1945–1972) Ludham (HMS Flycatcher) (1944–1945) Lympne (HMS Buzzard & HMS Daedalus II) (1939–1940)
M	Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) (1941–1946, 1951–1952) Macmerry (1945–1946) Maydown (HMS Shrike & HMS Gannet II) (1943–1945) Middle Wallop (HMS Flycatcher) (1945–1946) Milltown (HMS Fulmar II) (1946–1972)
N–P	Nutts Corner (HMS Pintail) (1945–1946) Peplow (HMS Godwit II) (1945–1949) Portland (HMS Osprey) (1959–1999) Prestwick (HMS Gannet) (1971–)
R	Crimond/Rattray/Rattray Head (HMS Merganser) (1944–1946) Roborough (HMS Drake II) (19??–19??) Ronaldsway (HMS Urley) (1944–1946)
S	Sandbanks (HMS Daedalus II) (1940–1943) St Davids (1947–1961) St Merryn (HMS Vulture & HMS Curlew) (1940–1952, 1952–1956) Skaebrae (HMS Tern II) (19??–19??) Stretton (HMS Blackcap) (1942–1958) Sydenham (1943–1973)
T–Z	Toome (1947–1954) Treligga (HMS Vulture II) (1939–1955) Twatt (HMS Tern) (1941–1957) Weston Park (HMS Godwit II) (1945) Woodvale (HMS Ringtail II) (1945–1946) Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel & HMS Ariel II) (1939–1950, 1952–1960) Zeals (HMS Hummingbird) (1945–1946)