Archaeology Notes

Event ID 744475

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/744475

NS32NE 39.00 centred 36270 26850

NS32NE 39.01 NS 3522 2702 Terminal Buildings

NS32NE 39.02 NS c.3657 2770 Pillbox

NS32NE 39.03 NS c.3640 2740 Pillbox

NS32NE 39.04 NS c.3630 2718 Pillbox

NS32NE 39.05 NS c.3610 2710 Pillbox

Prestwick Airport opened as a grass field on 17 February 1936 and had become a transatlantic terminal by 1941. September 1945 saw the departure of the USAAF support units and a significant reduction in aircraft movements and on 1 April 1946 the airport was transferred to State ownership. The USAF base was reactivated in 1951 and the subsidiary runway closed to enable a huge parking apron to be constructed. The main runway was lengthened to 2,987m and an entirely new cross runway added which encroached upon the former RAF Ayr (NS32SE 23). In the mid-1960s a modern terminal and tower were built and the old tower and surrounding hut complex were pulled down.

D J Smith 1983.