RAF Stracathro

RAF · Angus · Scotland · United Kingdom

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Our visit to RAF Stracathro on 28 September 2023 was very successful. We were on a Scottish road trip from Edinburgh airport via Blair Atholl, Montrose, Crail and then the East Lothian airfields. You never have all the time in the world on these trips, but we managed a nice walk around two sites at RAF Stracathro with the permission of Mr John Zimmerman and his Son. We met them at the Airfield site and they allowed us access to the Communal by the farm. Thank you to you both. Also I would like to thank Graham Innes for his help. Last but not least, Terry Grace for a great trip.

RAF Stracathro, Angus

1940 Luftwaffe high level reconnaissance. Luftwaffe Reconnaissance Operations German aerial reconnaissance of Scotland, for military use during WWII, was first carried out by Theodore Rowehl in 1938-9. Under the guise of checking out new air routes for the German airline, Lufthansa, he used a civilian Heinkel He-Ill fitted with concealed cameras to clandestinely photograph the North Sea coast of Scotland and Eng land, the Channel coastlines of both England and France and the Baltic coast as far as Leningrad. Once WWII had commenced, Luftwaffe (German air force) Dornier Do-17, 00-2 15, 00-217, Junkers Ju-86, Ju-88, Ju-188 and Arado Ar-234 aircraft were all used to take photographs of parts of Scotland, usually flying at altitudes of up to 30,000 feet (I O,OOOm) to evade interception by British fighters, but occasionally arriving at low level to obtain oblique images. (Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.)

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Landing area grass. 3 x runways. 8 x 69' Blister hangars. 329 Officers and men. RLG to RAF Montrose. No 2 Flying Instructors School (Advanced). (FIS). No 8 Service Flying Training School with Miles Masters (SFTS). No 1541 Beam Approach Training Flight with Airspeed Oxfords. (BAT Flight). 17 May 1943/11 July 1945. No 260 Maintenance Unit. (MU). Planned as a relief landing ground (RLG), opening in 1941 as a RLG for RAF Montrose with Miles Master. When 2 FIS took over at Montrose in January 1942, the RLG remained in operation. The airfield normally had around 200 personnel assigned, but they were not lodged on the station. Instead, they were bussed here every day from Montrose. No 1541 BAT Flight was formed at Stracathro in April 1943. After the war was over, the site was used as a storage site for munitions by No.206 MU, until July 1948 and then reverted to farming.

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RAF Stracathro, Angus

Airfield site. I cannot get any plans as Hendon seems closed to any inquiries So this is the best I can do and also copying Graham Innes's Flickr site.

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No 8 Service Flying Training School.
Awarded: September 1937Blazon: In front of two Keys in saltire Or and a Claymore erect proper a double Rose Gules seeded and barbed proper.Link: One key stands for the skill required to fly whilst the other represents the knowledge needed to operate aircraft in war. The Claymore alludes to courage and, together with the rose for Montrose, the location in Scotland.Motto: Latin: More Optimo Exercemur – We train in the best traditions.History: Formed Montrose 1 January 1936. Disbanded Swinderby 19 March 1964. — No 8 Service Flying Training School. Awarded: September 1937Blazon: In front of two Keys in saltire Or and a Claymore erect proper a double Rose Gules seeded and barbed proper.Link: One key stands for the skill required to fly whilst the other represents the knowledge needed to operate aircraft in war. The Claymore alludes to courage and, together with the rose for Montrose, the location in Scotland.Motto: Latin: More Optimo Exercemur – We train in the best traditions.History: Formed Montrose 1 January 1936. Disbanded Swinderby 19 March 1964.

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Defence ablutions, bath house and latrine.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Defence site latrine, possibly a 9026/41 type. I have seen several of these up here that seem to have more doors and larger windows?

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Defence unit ablution and bath hut 10026/41

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Defence unit ablution and bath hut 10026/41 Through the window.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Defence unit ablution and bath hut 10026/41.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Defence unit ablution and bath hut 10026/41.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Defence unit ablution and bath hut 10026/41. Looking out on the airfield.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air Ministry Timber Hutting. There may have been a few more smaller huts around?

Plan

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air Ministry Timber Hutting.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air Ministry Timber Hutting. This could be the administration building for the airfield and where the Co's office would have been.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air Ministry Timber Hutting. One of the chimneys and the main entrance.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air Ministry Timber Hutting. One of the chimneys and the main entrance.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Squadron Offices & Crew Rooms 3469/41

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Squadron Offices & Crew Rooms 3469/41

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Squadron Offices & Crew Rooms 3469/41. Turned into a Piggery.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Squadron Offices & Crew Rooms 3469/41.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Squadron Offices & Crew Rooms 3469/41.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Romney hut.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Romney hut. Romney huts were constructed of a clamped tubular steel frame with a central entrance.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Romney hut. Usually the steel hoops would be bolted down to a concrete foundation. By extending these with angle irons, it has lifted the hut that much higher. Expanding the inside space and allowing larger vehicles access. Now was this done post war by the farmer, or is it an original build. Graham states it was built on the site of a Blister hangar? Either may be true.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Romney hut. Rear entrance door.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Romney hut. Sheeted in concrete/asbestos sheets but could be covered in corrugated iron sheets.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Romney hut. The hoops come in a standard length and bend, so any length can fit in any position. Then wooden stringers added to allow the outer sheets to be bolted on. Windows added both sides as needed.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Romney hut. So was it a Blister hangar base. I am not sure, looking at the area around the base, there seems to be no sign. So this may have been a shed for a fire tender, the re-fuelers, aircraft tractor tugs and any other vehicle.

28 September 2023

Coles EMA 6 ton Electro Mobile Aerodrome crane.

Over 200 men were shipped in and out daily from RAF Montrose.

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Entrance from the Romney hut/Blister hangar to the perimeter track.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Perimeter track and airfield. It is hard to define the size of the airfield today, it was either the size of the fields there today, or its larger and the woodland on the right has been added.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Armoury/Maintenance Unit 3470/41 This was two buildings, first the armoury and then the maintenance unit. Now joined when turned into a piggery

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Armoury/Maintenance Unit 3470/41. Centre corridor.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Armoury/Maintenance Unit 3470/41.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Armoury/Maintenance Unit 3470/41. Left over foundations for the perimeter track, large pebles from a beach somewhere.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

We now move on to the Communal site by the farm.

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RAF Stracathro, Angus

The communal site 2006. A simple method of finding out how many people were on an air station, Count the air raid shelters and multiply by 50. A rough guide. Here that makes at least 300 people.

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RAF Stracathro, Angus

The entrance into the Communal site.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air raid shelter.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air raid shelter. Pre cast entrance.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air raid shelter. These all have wooden door frames in place.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air raid shelter. Looking down its length to the escape ladder at the end. Designed exactly like a Stanton shelter, but made of cast concrete not bolted pieces.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air raid shelter. The second one here.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air raid shelter.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Air raid shelter.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

View towards the airfield.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Unknown building foundations.

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Institute NAAFI Staff Quarters 3468/41

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Institute NAAFI Staff Quarters 3468/41

28 September 2023

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Institute NAAFI Staff Quarters 3468/41. Plan.

3468/41

RAF Stracathro, Angus

Institute NAAFI Staff Quarters 3468/41. The entrance porch. The reasons for this is to have two doors. So at night, you open, enter and close the outer door. Then open and close the inner door, to stop the light showing up in the blackout.

28 September 2023