Royal Naval Air Station Dunino or more simply RNAS Dunino, (HMS Jackdaw II) is a former Royal Navy Naval Air Station located west of Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland and south east of St Andrews, Fife.
History
The base started life as RAF Dunino. No. 309 Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron used it from 8 May 1941, equipped with the Westland Lysander IIIA and then, from 1942, the North American Mustang I. The squadron had detachments at RAF Gatwick, RAF Longman and RAF Findo Gask and left on 26 November 1942, going to RAF Findo Gask. The airfield was then transferred to the Royal Navy and renamed RNAS Dunino (HMS Jackdaw II). The first naval squadron was 825 Naval Air Squadron, which operated the Fairey Swordfish from Dunino between February and March 1943.
Between April 1943 and August 1943, the base was used by 827 Naval Air Squadron equipped with Fairey Barracudas, and then, between February 1943 and September 1943, by 737 Naval Air Squadron flying Supermarine Walrus amphibians. Between December 1943 and January 1944, the base was home to 813 Naval Air Squadron flying Swordfish torpedo bombers.
Units
A number of units were here at some point:
Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain No. 309 Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron
Royal Navy
Remains
The derelict control tower remains, but everything else appears to have been either demolished or removed.
See also List of air stations of the Royal Navy List of former Royal Air Force stations
References Citations
Bibliography