Also known as Kinloss Barracks
The story of RAF Kinloss
From May 1940 No. 19 Operational Training Unit trained heavy bomber crews on Whitleys, later Wellingtons. Paved runways were laid in 1942, and Kinloss became a diversion airfield. By the end of 1943 around 350 aircraft were stored here. The OTU disbanded in May 1945.
From October 1945 Kinloss trained maritime crews and turned to anti-submarine work. Through the Cold War adapted Lancasters, Neptunes and then Nimrods tracked Soviet ships and submarines. Nimrods watched the Cod Wars, supported the Falklands and Gulf Wars, and flew over Afghanistan. Nimrod XV230 was lost there on 2 September 2006 with fourteen men. The MR2 retired in March 2010, and the MRA4 was cancelled. The RAF ensign was lowered on 26 July 2012, and the base became Kinloss Barracks. Morayvia keeps the station's maritime story.
Flying units
| Unit | Years | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| No. 14 Flying Training School | 1939–1940 | Airspeed Oxford, Hawker Hart, North American Harvard |
| No. 19 Operational Training Unit | 1940–1945 | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Vickers Wellington |
| No. 45 Maintenance Unit | 1940 | |
| No. 217 Squadron | 1951 | Lockheed Neptune MR.1 |
| Nos. 120, 201 and 206 Squadrons | 2010 | Hawker Siddeley Nimrod |
What survives
- The main runway, 07/25
- Kinloss Barracks, home of 39 Engineer Regiment since 2012
The museum on the airfield
| Museum | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|
| MorayviaForres, Moray | £8 | 35 | Nimrod XV244 (complete, and the crew who operated her sometimes give the tours) alongside a Sea King in RAF SAR yellow — the machine that… |