Full WW2 control tower details and photos for this wartime airfield are coming soon. Please check back later as this is work progress. If you would like to contribute information or photos please get in touch.
Overview
RNAS Dunino, near St Andrews in Fife, began the war as an RAF satellite station and later transferred to the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. Its history reflects how airfields in coastal Scotland were adapted to shifting needs – ranging from fighter and army co-operation work to naval training and support for carrier aviation.
RAF satellite for Leuchars
In its RAF phase, Dunino functioned as a satellite to RAF Leuchars, providing additional runway and dispersal space. One of the better-known units associated with the station was No. 309 (Polish) Squadron, which operated a mix of army co-operation and fighter aircraft over time. Aircraft such as the Westland Lysander suited army co-operation tasks – short-field work, low-level reconnaissance and liaison – while later fighter types, including the North American Mustang, represented the RAF’s growing emphasis on speed, range and modern tactical capability. A satellite station like Dunino helped reduce congestion at parent airfields and provided flexibility for training, exercises and operational readiness.
Transfer to the Royal Navy
On 1 September 1944 Dunino was transferred to the Royal Navy and commissioned as HMS Jackdaw II, bringing it into the Fleet Air Arm’s network. In this phase, the station supported naval flying training and operations with aircraft types appropriate to carrier and maritime roles. Aircraft recorded in association with the airfield include the Fairey Barracuda and the venerable Fairey Swordfish – types linked with anti-submarine warfare, torpedo attack and strike training. The station also saw the Supermarine Walrus, a versatile amphibian used for maritime duties and support tasks.
Support and specialist units
Fleet Air Arm stations relied on a web of support units that rarely feature in popular narratives. At Dunino, the presence of specialist flights and units – such as those connected to maintenance, aircraft handling and operational training – helped prepare aircrew and aircraft for the demanding environment of naval aviation. Coastal Scotland offered weather and sea conditions that could be as challenging as any combat zone, and training here helped crews develop the judgement needed for over-water flying, carrier approaches and navigation in rapidly changing conditions.
Post-war decline and legacy
After the war, as Britain’s armed forces reduced and consolidated, Dunino’s operational importance declined. Like many wartime airfields, it entered a quieter post-war period and was eventually reduced or closed, with parts of the site used for storage and other functions before returning largely to non-aviation use.
For visitors today, RNAS Dunino’s value lies in its layered identity: an RAF satellite in the early war years and a Royal Navy air station in the final phase, linked to the Polish contribution to Britain’s air effort and to the Fleet Air Arm’s training system. Its story adds depth to the history of Scotland’s coastal airfields and their role in protecting and training for operations across the northern seas.