Kerrera, Seaplane Base
Boat Yard (20th Century), Seaplane Base (20th Century)
Site Name Kerrera, Seaplane Base
Classification Boat Yard (20th Century), Seaplane Base (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Oban; Ardantrive Bay
Canmore ID 95330
Site Number NM83SW 14
NGR NM 8430 3063
NGR Description Centred NM 8430 3063
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/95330
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Kilmore And Kilbride
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NM83SW 14 centred 8430 3063
Not to be confused with seaplane (maintainance) base at Oban, Ganavan bay (centred NM 8621 3268), for which see NM83SE 52.
The first recorded use of Oban Bay by a flying boat took place in 1933. The RAF recognised Oban's potential as a base and began to use it in December 1937, although at first only as a convenient refuelling point on round-Britain cruises.
It was elevated to full station status when the war started. Oban was reduced to Care and Maintainance on April 28 1945 and little remains on Kerrera Island apart from the sites of the bomb dumps (centred NM 8450 3095). The crews used to be billeted in hostels in the town and maintainance was done at Ganavan Sands (NM83SE 52, NM 8621 3268) at which the old slipway and steel door runners of the hangar betray the site.
D J Smith 1983
A vertical aerial photograph taken by the Luftwaffe in 1940 (C47665) shows the seaplane base at Ardantrive Bay with an aircraft on the slipway at what is now a boat yard.
Information from RCAHMS (DE) 18 March 1996.
This Flying Boat Station is situated in Ardantrive Bay at the N end of Kerrera. The pier, bomb stores and other buildings are extant, most are of brick and concrete construction.
J Guy 2001; NMRS MS 810/11, Part 1, 18-22
