Wigtown Airfield

NX45SW 41.00 centred 43308 53612

NX45SW 41.01 Centred NX 4200 5310 Military Camp

NX45SW 41.02 NX 44572 52527 Tracked Target Range

NX45SW 41.03 NX 43317 53268 Control Tower

NX45SW 41.04 NX 43333 52923 Gas Decontamination centre

NX45SW 41.05 NX 42243 52945 Building (Squash Rackets Court)

NX45SW 41.06 NX 43885 53142, NX 43986 53124 and NX 43947 53037 Bomb Store

Originally built in connection with target towing on the Burrow Head ranges. At the start of WWII the area was obstructed against enemy landings, but in 1941, the airfield was activated. As there were no hard runways, the landing ground became unusable because of flooding. Two concrete runways were built during 1942, but by 1945 all flying training had ceased and the airfield was transferred to Maintainance Command. The airfield is till used by light aircarft today and many hangar bases can be found around the perimeter. The control tower still stands, but in 1983 it was planned to bulldoze them to provide hardcore for a new harbour project in the nearby town.

D J Smith 1983

The control tower (NX 43316 53268) had still not been demolished when the site was visited in March 2004. Several other buildings were also noted, including a gas decontamination centre (NX 43333 52923) and, to the W of the demolished railway bridge, a squash rackets court still retaining its roof(NX 42243 52945). Also noteworthy are fourteen extant air-raid shelters ranged throughout the site.

The airfield is visible on postwar RAF vertical air photographs (106G/Scot/UK 42, 4209-4213, flown 4 May 1946). The photographs show that the airfield was equipped with seven large hangars, possibly Bellmans and hard standings for at least 24 Blister hangars, of which twelve were extant on the date of photography. All the buildings and structures in the technical area and the accommodation camp W of Baldoon Hill are clearly shown.

Visited by RCAHMS (DE), March 2004