Wikipedia

RAF Heathfield

(Redirected from HMS Wagtail)

Royal Air Force Heathfield, or more commonly RAF Heathfield, sometimes known as RAF Ayr/Heathfield due to its proximity to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, which was also used by military flights, is a former Royal Air Force station. It opened in April 1941 as an airbase for day and night fighter squadrons. In September 1944 it transferred to Fleet Air Arm control and commissioned as HMS Wagtail. The Royal Navy paid off the airbase in March 1946 and it was reduced to care and maintenance. The United States Air Force used it for storage between 1951 and 1957.

RAF Heathfield
RNAS Ayr (HMS Wagtail)
USAAF Station 570
Prestwick, South Ayrshire in Scotland
RAF Heathfield is located in South Ayrshire
RAF Heathfield
RAF Heathfield
Shown within South Ayrshire
RAF Heathfield is located in the United Kingdom
RAF Heathfield
RAF Heathfield
RAF Heathfield (the United Kingdom)
Coordinates55°29′10″N 004°35′56″W / 55.48611°N 4.59889°W / 55.48611; -4.59889
TypeRoyal Air Force station
Parent Station
CodeAR[1]
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Royal Navy
United States Air Force
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command 1941-44
* No. 13 Group RAF
Fleet Air Arm 1944-46
Site history
Built1940 (1940)
In useApril 1941-1946 (1946)
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation15 metres (49 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
01/19 1,261 metres (4,137 ft) Tarmac/Asphalt
06/24 1,463 metres (4,800 ft) Tarmac/Asphalt
13/31 1,097 metres (3,599 ft) Tarmac/Asphalt

Like many other wartime airfields, its runways were of the triangular layout.

History

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Royal Air Force use

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The following units were posted here at some point:

Units

Royal Navy

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HMS Wagtail (1944-1946)

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The airbase was transferred on loan to the Admiralty, from No. 13 Group RAF, on 6 September 1944. The Royal Navy took over with Commander(A) H.L. McCullock as CO. Known as Royal Naval Air Station Ayr (RNAS Ayr), it was commissioned shortly afterwards, on 20 October, as HMS Wagtail.[11] One runway was redesigned and used by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm to practice aircraft carrier landings.

HMS Wagtail was 'paid off' by the Royal Navy on 10 March 1946 and it was reduced to Care & Maintenance Status, administered by RNAS Abbotsinch.[11]

Commanding officers

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List of commanding officers of HMS Wagtail with date of appointment:

Units based at HMS Wagtail

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List of units associated with HMS Wagtail, in support of disembarked fighter squadrons and a Fleet Requirements Unit:[11]

Function
  • Support for disembarked fighter squadrons
  • Bombardment Spotting School
  • No.3 Barracuda Servicing Unit
  • Flag Officer Carrier Training Squadron.
  • Accommodation for two RAF Squadrons.

Squadrons at HMS Wagtail

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A list of Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm aviation squadrons that were either stationed at or deployed to HMS Wagtail:

United States Air Force

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The site was used by the United States Air Force (USAF) between 1951 and 1957 for aircraft storage use. From then on the USAF decided to solely use the adjacent Prestwick.[2]

Current use

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The site is now a mixture of housing, farmland and a golf club.[2]

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b Falconer 2012, p. 38.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs "Ayr II (Heathfield)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  3. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 163.
  4. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 179.
  5. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 314.
  6. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 242.
  7. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 54.
  8. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 136.
  9. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 74.
  10. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 137.
  11. ^ a b c "R.N.A.S. Ayr". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  12. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 338.
  13. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 339.
  14. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 352.
  15. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 353.
  16. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 355.
  17. ^ a b Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 357.
  18. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 359.

Bibliography

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  • Berry, P (2005) Prestwick Airport and Scottish Aviation
  • Falconer, J (1998). RAF Fighter Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0-7110-2175-9.
  • Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
  • Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
  • Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.
  • "RAF Ayr". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. 15 July 2023.
  • "Ayr (HMS Wagtail)". Fleet Air Arm Archive. Archived from the original on 17 October 2008.
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