Arbroath Airfield, Royal Naval Air Station
Airfield (20th Century)
Site Name Arbroath Airfield, Royal Naval Air Station
Classification Airfield (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Hms Condor; Rm Condor
Canmore ID 35558
Site Number NO64SW 29
NGR NO 6231 4338
NGR Description Centred on NO 6231 4338
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/35558
- Council Angus
- Parish Arbroath And St Vigeans
- Former Region Tayside
- Former District Angus
- Former County Angus
NO64SW 29.00 centred 6231 4338
For dispersed aircraft hangar see NO64SW 30
NO64SW 29.01 NO 61407 43748 Woodlands House (Captain's House)
NO64SW 29.02 NO 61894 43585 Control Tower
NO64SW 29.03 centred NO 61768 43629 Aircraft Hangars; Buildings; Gym; Guard Room (Technical area)
NO64SW 29.04 centred NO 62110 42947 Aircraft Hangars; Buildings; Huts
NO64SW 29.05 NO 61001 44743 Aircraft Hangar; Huts
NO64SW 29.06 c. NO 603 473 Operations Block
NO64SW 29.07 NO 61456 43780 Farmstead
NO64SW 29.08 NO 62175 44018 Pillbox
NO64SW 29.09 c. NO 6215 4323 Pillbox
NO64SW 30 NO 62252 44752 Aircraft Hangar; Hut
Built in 1939/40 and commissioned as HMS Condor on 19 June 1940. HMS Condor was an air engineer school unit until closure in September 1970. Much of the airfield today is surrounded by trees, but three 'T2s hangars and a large hangar similar to the one at Crail airfield (NO60NW 49.00) can be seen.
D J Smith 1983.
This airfield is still in use by the Royal Marines.
J Guy 2000; NMRS MS 810/9.
World War II airfield now occupied by the Royal Marines with many contemporary buildings still extant. Several dispersed areas to the N, NE and E, some retaining buildings from more recent periods. The airfield has an almost square shape in plan, mainly due to the taxiways, and has two main runways in the NE-SW and NNW-SSE directions.
An early Royal Naval Air Service control tower (NO 61866 43433), similar to that found at Crail Airfield (NO60NW 49.00), survives to the E of the main technical area (NO64SW 29.02). The technical area includes many wartime buildings, some now used for other pruposes. Aircraft hangars of the T2, Bellman, Tee-side 'S' types, Naval aircraft repair shops and a Bain hangar, which is now in use for electrical repairs, all survive in the technical area. There are also accommodation huts, two torpedo attack trainers, naval guard rooms, gym/concert hall with many other buildings within this area.
On the NW side of the technical area is the naval operations block (NO 61198 43857), a low flat roofed concrete and brick building.
The airfield is visible on vertical air photographs taken in 1947 (CPE/Scot/UK 243, 3013-3017; 3039-3043 and 40410-4044, flown 22 July 1947). Vertical air photographs taken in 1988 (All Scotland Survey [JASAIR], 504880 35-37, flown 15 June 1988), show that several alterations, demolitions and new construction has taken place since the date of the 1947 coverage.
Information from RCAHMS (DE), October 2005
EXTERNAL REFERENCE:
PSA Photograph Collection:
G/7972/1-35 Water supply 1987
G/8010/1-6 Water supply 1987
G/8002/1-37 J R's accommodation 1987
G/8085/1-4 Water supply 1987
G/8086/1-9 J R accommodation 1987
G/8126/1-17 Water supply 1987
G/8137/1-14 J R accommodation 1987
G/8213/1-4 Water supply 1987
G/8214/1-6 Water supply 1987
G/8217/1-13 J R accommodation 1987
G/8218/1-2 Water supply 1987
G/8252/1-4 Water supply 1987
G/8253/1-9 J R accommodation 1987
G/8303/1-3 Water supply 1988
G/8363/1-18 J R accommodation 1988
G/8413/1-16 J R accommodation 1988
G/8457/1-20 J R accommodation 1988
G/8526/1-6 J R accommodation 1988
G/8527/1-18 J R accommodation; completed view 1988
G/8580/1-13 J R accommodation; completed view 1988
G/8657/1-6 Ski slope 1989
G/8664/1-11 J R accommodation 1989
G/8665/1-20 J R accommodation 1989
G/8706/1-25 J R accommodation 1989
G/8789/1-23 J R accommodation 1989
G/8867/1-16 J R accommodation 1989
G/89571-15 J R accommodation 1989
G/9021/1-13 J R accommodation 1989
G/9072/1-20 J R accommodation 1989
