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RNAS Fearn (HMS Owl)
Fearn, Scottish Highlands in Scotland
RNAS FearnShown within the Scottish HighlandsShow map of HighlandRNAS FearnRNAS Fearn (the United Kingdom)Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates	57°45′28″N 003°56′54″W / 57.75778°N 3.94833°W / 57.75778; -3.94833
Type	Royal Naval Air Station
Site information
Owner	Admiralty
Operator	Royal Navy
Controlled by	Fleet Air Arm
Site history
Built	1941 (1941)
In use	October 1942 - July 1946 -1957 (1957)
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation	8 metres (26 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 05/23 1,348 metres (4,423 ft) Concrete 11/29 1,152 metres (3,780 ft) Concrete 18/36 1,078 metres (3,537 ft) Concrete

Royal Naval Air Station Fearn (RNAS Fearn; or HMS Owl) is a former Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm airbase, located 5.4 miles (8.7 km) southeast of Tain, Scottish Highlands and 21.9 miles (35.2 km) northeast of Inverness, Scottish Highlands, Scotland. The Tower has now been converted to residential use. See Restoration Man George Clarke.

Situated around 1 mile (2 km) from the north west shore of the Moray Firth, the airfield is 8.5 miles (14 km) north east of the town and port of Invergordon and 1 mile (2 km) south east of the village of Fearn. Notable landmarks include Tarbat Ness and Cromarty Firth.

History

The Royal Navy acquired the airbase when on 15 July 1942 it was transferred from the RAF to the Admiralty and was known as Royal Naval Air Station Fearn (RNAS Fearn). On 11 October it was commissioned as HMS Owl. The airbase had initially opened in late 1941 as a satellite for RAF Tain, known as RAF Fearn, before the Fleet Air Arm took it over. HMS Owl was home to the Royal Navy’s Barracuda Operational Training Unit, No. 1 Barracuda Servicing Unit and No. 3 Barracuda Servicing Unit along with No. 1 Avenger Servicing Unit. There was also No. 2 Torpedo School. The site also included accommodation for disembarked squadrons.

Units

A number of units were here at some point:

• No. 8 Advanced Flying Training School RAF
• 708 Naval Air Squadron
• 714 Naval Air Squadron
• 717 Naval Air Squadron
• 719 Naval Air Squadron
• 736B Flight
• 747 Naval Air Squadron
• 812 Naval Air Squadron
• 814 Naval Air Squadron
• 815 Naval Air Squadron
• 816 Naval Air Squadron
• 817 Naval Air Squadron
• 818 Naval Air Squadron
• 819 Naval Air Squadron
• 821 Naval Air Squadron
• 822 Naval Air Squadron
• 823 Naval Air Squadron
• 824 Naval Air Squadron
• 825 Naval Air Squadron
• 826 Naval Air Squadron
• 828 Naval Air Squadron
• 837 Naval Air Squadron
• 841 Naval Air Squadron
• 847 Naval Air Squadron
• 860 Naval Air Squadron

Current use

The site is currently used as farmland. On the southeast edge, a new, separate, aerodrome has been created by the name of "Easter Airfield". The control tower is now a private residence owned. It was in a 2015 episode of Channel 4's The Restoration Man. A lot of the original buildings on the other side of the camp are derelict and only have trash from fly-tipping, crows and bugs in them.

See also

• Military history of Scotland
• Naval air station

References

Citations

1. ^ "R.N.A.S. Fearn". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
2. ^ "Fearn (Clay of Allan) (including Easter)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
3. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 31.
4. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 36.
5. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 38.
6. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 40.
7. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 58.
8. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 68.
9. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 168.
10. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 175.
11. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 182.
12. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 187.
13. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 189.
14. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 192.
15. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 194.
16. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 205.
17. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 207.
18. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 209.
19. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 213.
20. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 219.
21. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 223.
22. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 231.
23. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 252.
24. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 254.
25. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 273.
26. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 294.
27. "Locate - www.easterairfield.co.uk". www.easterairfield.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 June 2014.
28. "HMS Owl Restoration Case Study". British Standard. Retrieved 6 November 2017.

Bibliography

• Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.

External links

• HMS Owl official website

v t e Royal Naval Air Stations
current	RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (1947–) Predannack Airfield (1959–) RNAS Merryfield (1956–1958, 1960–1961, 1972–) RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) (1940–)
former UK	A Abbotsinch (1943–1963) Angle (HMS Goldcrest) (1943) Anthorn (HMS Nuthatch) (1944–1958) Arbroath (HMS Condor) (1940–1971) Ayr (HMS Wagtail) (1944–1946) B Ballyhalbert (HMS Corncrake) (1945) Ballykelly (HMS Sealion) (1945–1971) Bramcote (1946–1958) Brawdy (HMS Goldcrest) (1946–1971) Bungay (HMS Europa III) (1945–1946) Burscough (HMS Ringtail) (1943–1946) Bush Barn (1944) C Campbeltown (HMS Landrail II) (1940–1945) Charlton Horethorne (HMS Heron II) (1943–1945) Cowdray Park (1941–1945) Crail (HMS Jackdaw) (1940–1947) Culham (HMS Hornbill) (1944–1953) D Dale (HMS Goldcrest) (1943–1948) Donibristle (HMS Merlin) (1939–1959) Dounreay (HMS Tern II) (1944–1954) Drem (HMS Nighthawk) (1945–1946) Dundee (HMS Condor II) (1941–1944) Dunino (HMS Jackdaw II) (1942–1946) E East Haven (HMS Peewit) (1943–1946) Eastleigh (HMS Raven) (1939–1946) Eglinton (HMS Gannet & HMS Sea Eagle) (1943–1963) Evanton (1944–1948) F–G Fearn (HMS Owl) (1942–1946) Ford (HMS Peregrine) (1939–1940, 1945–1948, 1950–1958) Gosport (HMS Siskin) (1945–1956) Grimsetter (HMS Robin) (1943–1945) H Haldon (HMS Heron II) (1941–1943) Halesworth (HMS Sparrowhawk) (1945–1946) Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) (1939–1945) Henstridge (HMS Dipper) (1943–1946, 1959–1954) Hinstock (HMS Godwit) (1942–1947) I–K Inskip (HMS Nightjar) (1943–1946) Kirkistown (HMS Corncrake II) (1945–1946) L Lawrenny Ferry (HMS Daedalus II) (1942–1943) Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus & HMS Ariel) (1939–1996) Limavady (1945–19??) Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar) (1945–1972) Ludham (HMS Flycatcher) (1944–1945) Lympne (HMS Buzzard & HMS Daedalus II) (1939–1940) M Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) (1941–1946, 1951–1952) Macmerry (1945–1946) Maydown (HMS Shrike & HMS Gannet II) (1943–1945) Middle Wallop (HMS Flycatcher) (1945–1946) Milltown (HMS Fulmar II) (1946–1972) N–P Nutts Corner (HMS Pintail) (1945–1946) Peplow (HMS Godwit II) (1945–1949) Portland (HMS Osprey) (1959–1999) Prestwick (HMS Gannet) (1971–) R Crimond/Rattray/Rattray Head (HMS Merganser) (1944–1946) Roborough (HMS Drake II) (19??–19??) Ronaldsway (HMS Urley) (1944–1946) S Sandbanks (HMS Daedalus II) (1940–1943) St Davids (1947–1961) St Merryn (HMS Vulture & HMS Curlew) (1940–1952, 1952–1956) Skaebrae (HMS Tern II) (19??–19??) Stretton (HMS Blackcap) (1942–1958) Sydenham (1943–1973) T–Z Toome (1947–1954) Treligga (HMS Vulture II) (1939–1955) Twatt (HMS Tern) (1941–1957) Weston Park (HMS Godwit II) (1945) Woodvale (HMS Ringtail II) (1945–1946) Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel & HMS Ariel II) (1939–1950, 1952–1960) Zeals (HMS Hummingbird) (1945–1946)
former overseas	Bermuda

• Royal Naval Air Stations in Scotland