RAF Heathfield

RAF Heathfield
RNAS Ayr
HMS Wagtail
USAAF Station 570
Near Prestwick, South Ayrshire in Scotland
Site information
TypeRoyal Air Force station
CodeAR
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
ConditionDisused
Location
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
Site history
Built1940 (1940)
In useApril 1941-1946 (1946)
FateFarmland / Housing / Industry / Leisure
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation50 feet (15 m) 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

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. The airfield was situated 0.75 miles (1 km) from the coastline, on the periphery of the towns of Prestwick and Ayr, and is located 4 miles (6 km) away from the town and port of Troon.

It opened in April 1941 as an airbase for Royal Air Force day and night fighter squadrons. In September 1944 it was transferred to the Royal Navy. Known as Royal Naval Air Station Ayr (RNAS Ayr) and was commissioned as HMS Wagtail. It was 'paid off' in March 1946 and reduced to care and maintenance. The United States Air Force used it for storage between 1951 and 1957.

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

History

Royal Air Force use

The following units were posted here at some point:

Units

Royal Navy

HMS Wagtail (1944-1946)

The airbase was transferred on loan from No. 13 Group RAF to the Admiralty on 6 September 1944, when the Royal Navy assumed control under Commander(A) H. L. McCullock. Renamed Royal Naval Air Station Ayr (RNAS Ayr), the station was commissioned shortly afterwards, on 20 October 1944, as HMS Wagtail. One of the runways was redesigned for use by the Fleet Air Arm, enabling pilots to practise aircraft carrier landing techniques. During its period of naval control, HMS Wagtail supported a range of Fleet Air Arm activities. The station provided facilities for disembarked fighter squadrons and hosted a Bombardment Spotting School, No. 3 Barracuda Servicing Unit, and the Flag Officer Carrier Training Squadron. It also offered accommodation for two RAF squadrons. HMS Wagtail was 'paid off' on 10 March 1946, after which the station was placed on Care and Maintenance Status under the administration of RNAS Abbotsinch.

Squadrons at HMS Wagtail

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

United States Air Force

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.

Current use

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

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Falconer 2012, p. 38.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 "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. ↑ "Ayr". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  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. 1 2 Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 357.
  18. ↑ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 359.

Bibliography