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Wick Airport

Airfield (20th Century), Airport (20th Century)

Site Name Wick Airport

Classification Airfield (20th Century), Airport (20th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Raf Wick; Wick Airfield; Hillhead Farm; Highland Wick Airport

Canmore ID 91619

Site Number ND35SE 103

NGR ND 36068 52543

NGR Description Centred ND 36068 52543

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/91619

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Wick
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Caithness
  • Former County Caithness

Archaeology Notes

ND35SE 103.00 centred 36068 52543

ND35SE 103.01 centred ND 3645 5213 Aircraft Hangars

ND35SE 103.02 centred ND 3630 5315 Bomb Store

ND35SE 103.03 centred ND 3655 5318 Bomb Store (Torpedo store)

ND35SE 103.04 ND 3698 5195 Engine House

ND35SE 103.05 ND 3597 5360 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.06 ND 3548 5301 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.07 ND 3587 5331 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.08 ND 3719 5238 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.09 ND 3571 5228 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.10 ND 3545 5259 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.11 ND 3711 5150 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.12 centred ND 3543 5213 Pillbox; Buildings

ND35SE 103.13 ND 3601 5193 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.14 ND 36438 52209 Control Tower

ND35SE 103.15 ND c.3610 5251 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.16 ND c.3659 5230 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.17 ND c.3629 5211 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.18 ND 3649 5299 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.19 ND 3660 5297 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.20 c.ND 3661 5142 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.21 ND 3625 5176 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.22 ND 36950 51826 Pillbox

ND35SE 103.23 ND 3610 5190 Anti-aircraft site (Z battery)

RAF Wick was built on land adjoining the pre-war airstrip at Hillhead Farm. Tarmac runways were added at the beginning of the war along with wooden control tower and four 'C1' hangars. The tower survives as do two of the hangars, which in the 1980s were being used for storage. Many of the buildings in the technical area still survive in a derelict condition.

D J Smith 1983

This World War II airfield is situated N of Wick and E of the A9 trunk road. Many buildings are still extant, but most of those now outside the present airport perimeter fence have been demolished.

J Guy 2000; NMRS MS 810/10 Vol.1, 23, Vol.3, 20

The two remaining 'C1' type hangars are still in use, but for entirely different purposes. The furthest W is in use by Highland Council to provide hangarage for light aircraft repair and storage. This hangar has been modified, as the main doors at the NE end are no longer extant and have been replaced by corrugated iron sheeting. The doors at the SW end no longer open fully and the steel entension gantry that formerly supprted the tracking for the doors has also been removed. Most of the former window openings have recently been covered with metal sheeting. Apart from the above, the hangar is regularly maintained and apprently the intention is continue this for many years into the future.

The other hangar (to the NE) is in use for agricultural purposes and though not well maintained is in nearly original condition.

The original control tower (ND35SE 103.14) is still used for light aircraft movements and is one of the few remaining in Scotland of wooden construction. Several of the perimeter pillboxes also survive (ND35SE 05, .07 and.10) along with the bomb store (ND35SE 103.02 and ND35SE 103.03 ) which includes huts for storing torpedos. Few of the buildings in the former technical area survive, those that do are in use for purposes other than for the airfield.

Many of the taxiways can still be discerned in the perimeter areas and more recently a Pickett Hamilton turret has been extracted from the runway area after being found by the large grass mowers.

The airfield is now the civilian Highland Wick Airport.

Visited by RCAHMS (DE, SW), August 2000.

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