RNAS Twatt (HMS Tern)

RNAS Twatt (HMS Tern)
Twatt, on the Mainland of Orkney Near Stromness, Orkney, in Scotland
HMS Tern
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Coordinates	59°05′16″N 3°17′02″W / 59.08778°N 3.28389°W / 59.08778; -3.28389
Grid reference	HY265230
Type	Naval Air Station
Code	T
Area	564 acres (228 ha)[1]
Site information
Owner	Admiralty
Operator	Royal Navy
Controlled by	Fleet Air Arm
Condition	Disused
Site history
Built	1941 (1941)
In use	1941-1946 (1946) (Care & maintenance until 1957)
Fate	Closed
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II
Garrison information
Garrison	Fleet Air Arm
Occupants	Accommodation for disembarked Front-Line squadrons H.Q. 700 Squadron (Accommodation for disembarked Ship's Flight Aircraft) 771 squadron (Home Fleet Fleet Requirements Unit)
Airfield information
Elevation	20 metres (66 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 04/22[2] 914 metres (2,999 ft) Asphalt concrete 10/28 940 metres (3,084 ft) Asphalt concrete 14/32 1,095 metres (3,593 ft) Asphalt concrete 18/36 914 metres (2,999 ft) Asphalt concrete

Royal Naval Air Station Twatt, (RNAS Twatt; or HMS Tern) is a former military airfield, located near Twatt, Orkney, Scotland, of the Royal Navy. It was built by the Admiralty and was commissioned on 1 April 1941 (on books of HMS Sparrowhawk). On 1 January 1942 it became an independent command as HMS Tern. The airbase was designed to provide accommodation for disembarked Front-Line squadrons and accommodation for disembarked Ship's Flight Aircraft and was home to the Home Fleet Fleet Requirements Unit, 771 Naval Air Squadron.

The airbase is situated near two notable landmarks, on the south east side of Loch of Isbister, with Brough Head 3.25 miles (5 km) north west. The town of Kirkwall is 12 miles (19 km) south east and the town of Stromness lies 7.5 miles (12 km) to the south.^[3]

Twatt was mainly used as a training airfield. On 30 March 1944 initial plans were to make Twatt the only airfield suitable to aid the disembarkation of squadrons of the Home Fleet.^[2]

It closed and was ‘paid off’ on 20 October 1945 to care and maintenance, on the books of HMS Owl.^[3] During the 1970s it was proposed to merge with nearby RAF Skeabrae to create a large NATO base, but Iceland was chosen instead.^[4]