RAF Stranraer

54.9535, -5.0693 — view on OpenStreetMap ↗

About

RAF Stranraer, also known as Wig Bay, was a flying-boat station on Loch Ryan in Wigtownshire in south-west Scotland. Under Coastal Command its sheltered waters were used for maritime-patrol flying boats and, increasingly, as a major maintenance and storage base where Short Sunderlands and Consolidated Catalinas were serviced and held; British, Canadian and New Zealand squadrons passed through. The base closed in the 1950s, and little now remains on the loch shore.

Sources: This page was compiled from publicly available historical sources, including RAF Wig Bay (Stranraer) — Wikipedia and Stranraer / Wig Bay — Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. The text is original and has been written from factual source material; no source text has been copied unless specifically quoted and attributed.

Photographs

Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Coastal Command On board a No 240 Squadron Catalina at Stranraer, March 1941. A WOp/AG (wireless operator/air gunner) poses with his twin Vickers 'K' guns at the starboard blister hatch, while being serenaded by the banjulele-playing navigator!
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer, Tovey P H F (Mr) / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945-_Coastal_Command_CH2450.jpgView source & full licence →
Consolidated Catalina Mk II of No. 240 Squadron RAF based at Stranraer in Scotland, March 1941. Catalina Mark II, AM269 ‘BN-K’, of No 240 Squadron RAF based at Stranraer, Ayrshire, moored on Loch Ryan.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer, Tovey P N F (Mr) / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Consolidated_Catalina_Mk_II_of_No._240_Squadron_RAF_based_at_Stranraer_in_Scotland,_March_1941._CH2448.jpgView source & full licence →
American Aircraft in RAF Service 1939-1945- Consolidated Model 28 Catalina. Catalina Mark II, AM269 ‘BN-K’, of No 240 Squadron RAF based at Stranraer, Ayrshire, moored on Loch Ryan.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer, Tovey P N F (Mr) / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_Aircraft_in_RAF_Service_1939-1945-_Consolidated_Model_28_Catalina._CH2447.jpgView source & full licence →
Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Supermarine Stranraer. Stranraer Mark I, K7295 ‘BN-L’, of No. 240 Squadron RAF based at Stranraer, Ayrshire, landing on Loch Ryan.
ⓘ licence & creditDaventry B J (Mr), Royal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aircraft_of_the_Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945-_Supermarine_Stranraer._CH2551.jpgView source & full licence →
Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Saro S.36 Lerwick. Lerwick, L7265 ‘WQ-Q’, of No. 209 Squadron RAF based at Stranraer, Ayrshire, taking off from Loch Ryan.
ⓘ licence & creditDaventry B J (Mr), Royal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aircraft_of_the_Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945-_Saro_S.36_Lerwick._CH2363.jpgView source & full licence →

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