RNAS ''Caldale'' is a former

Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps t ...

airship station located west of Kirkwall,

Orkney Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...

and south east of Finstown, Orkney, Scotland. It was constructed in 1915 and was operational from 1916 to 1920.

History

Caldale had two large airship hangars which housed Submarine Scout Pusher airships that operated anti-submarine and mine spotting sweeps near to Orkney. However, this was fraught was danger as during November 1917 SSP-2 and SSP-4 were both destroyed in high winds with the crew of SSP-4 lost at sea. Not long after these losses and other damage caused to airships due to the wind the Admiralty decided to close the airship station and move the airship further south on mainland Britain. During January 1918, the airship station became a kite balloon repair station and was home to No. 20 Kite Balloon Base.

Current use

The site is currently open land.

References

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Caldale Royal Air Force stations in Scotland Buildings and structures in Orkney Defunct airports in Scotland Royal Naval Air Service Royal Naval Air Stations in Scotland Airports established in 1915 Airports disestablished in 1920 1915 establishments in Scotland 1920 disestablishments in Scotland Mainland, Orkney

History

Current use

See also

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