Stranraer, Raf Wig Bay, Seaplane Base
Seaplane Base (20th Century)
Site Name Stranraer, Raf Wig Bay, Seaplane Base
Classification Seaplane Base (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) The Wig; Kirkland; Low Salchrie Farm; Marian Port; Lochryan Caravan Centre
Canmore ID 91781
Site Number NX06NW 44
NGR NX 0358 6801
NGR Description From NX 0337 6524 to NX 0333 6858
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/91781
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Kirkcolm
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Wigtown
- Former County Wigtownshire
NX06NW 44.00 0337 6524 to 0333 6858
NX06NW 44.01 NX 03565 66403 Slipway; Buildings
NX06NW 44.02 NX 0331 6573, NX 0340 6538 and NX 0340 6528 Aircraft Hangars; Buildings
NX06NW 44.03 NX 0333 6545 Barracks; Hospital
For dispersed accommodation camps see NX06NW 53.00
A flying boat base situated on the W side of Loch Ryan extends between Low Salchrie farm and Kirkland, incorporating areas around The Wig Bay, Marian Port and what is now Lochryan Caravan Centre.
A series of frames from an RAF oblique aerial photographic sortie taken in 1948 (RAF 541/A/409, 0025-0041, flown 1948) shows the whole base. Visible on the oblique aerial photographs are up to fourteen flying boat mooring or servicing sheds, three main hangars, a slipway (NX 0355 6640) and pier. A further area centred at NX 035 680 was used as a dispersal point for flying boats awaiting scrapping.
An accommodation camp centred on NX 025 650 is also visible in the oblique aerial views.
Information from RCAHMS (DE) 31 August 1998.
The fying boat base occupies a total area of about 91.35 hectares and most of the standing structures have now been removed. Only hut bases, some hardstandings and a few extant Nissen huts and buildings remain on site. Two concrete slipways and a pier for the boat tender can be seen on the coast. All the flying boat servicing blocks and the aircraft hangars have been demolished or removed. A slipway for hauling up flying boats is at NX 03291 67657
The station as an active base is visible on vertcial air photographs taken in 1945 (106G/LA 136, 1053, 2050-2052 and 2061-2064 whilst the photographs from a 1947 sortie (CPE/Scot/UK 307, 3230-3232, 4232-4234 and 4241-4243, flown 4 October 1947) show that the breaking up of aircraft had by this date, started. The base was used mainly for the training of crew in anti-submarine tactics and the maintenance and servicing of Catalina and Sunderland flying boats. The final elements of a RAF presence remained until 1957.
Information from RCAHMS (DE), 2005
