RNAS St Merryn (HMS Vulture)

Royal Naval Air Station St Merryn, commonly referred to as RNAS St Merryn, (HMS Vulture, later HMS Curlew) is a former military airbase of the Royal Navy located 7.35 miles (11.83 km) northeast of Newquay, Cornwall and 11.8 miles (19.0 km) northwest of Bodmin, Cornwall, England.

RNAS St Merryn (HMS Vulture)
St Merryn, Cornwall in England
Three rocket-armed Fairey Swordfish of 774 Naval Air Squadron during a training flight in 1944
Site information
Type	Royal Naval Air Station
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Navy
Controlled by	Fleet Air Arm
Location
RNAS St Merryn Shown within Cornwall Show map of Cornwall RNAS St Merryn RNAS St Merryn (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates	50°30′15″N 004°58′40″W
Site history
Built	1937 (1937)
In use	1937-1956 (1956)
Garrison information
Garrison	School of Naval Air Warfare
Occupants	709 Fighter Ground Attack School 715 Fighter Air Combat and Fighter Leaders Course 719 Fighter Air Firing training squadron 725 Air Target Towing Unit 736 Fighter Combat School 794 School of Air Firing
Airfield information
Elevation	79 metres (259 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 01/19 1,000 yards (914 m) x 30 yards (27 m) Asphalt concrete 06/24 1,000 yards (914 m) x 30 yards (27 m) Asphalt concrete 10/28 1,030 yards (942 m) x 30 yards (27 m) Asphalt concrete 15/33 1,270 yards (1,161 m) x 30 yards (27 m) Asphalt concrete
Source: Royal Navy Research Archive[1]

History

RNAS St Merryn was constructed during World War 2 with the stone for the runway being quarried from nearby Stepper Point and brought by sea.^[2]

There were air raids on St Merryn Airfield and the nearby RAF St Eval on 9 October 1940 resulting in some damage at both locations. Two days later on 11 October there was another air raid on St Merryn. There were no casualties but some damage was caused on the airfield and to nearby houses.^[3]

Units

The following units were here at some point:^[4]

• 17th Carrier Air Group
• 21st Carrier Air Group
• No. 82 Gliding School RAF
• 709 Naval Air Squadron
• 715 Naval Air Squadron
• 719 Naval Air Squadron
• 725 Naval Air Squadron
• 736 Naval Air Squadron
• 741 Naval Air Squadron
• 748 Naval Air Squadron
• 750 Naval Air Squadron
• 762 Naval Air Squadron
• 774 Naval Air Squadron
• 787 Naval Air Squadron
• 792 Naval Air Squadron
• 794 Naval Air Squadron
• 796 Naval Air Squadron
• 800 Naval Air Squadron
• 801 Naval Air Squadron
• 802 Naval Air Squadron
• 804 Naval Air Squadron
• 807 Naval Air Squadron
• 808 Naval Air Squadron
• 809 Naval Air Squadron
• 810 Naval Air Squadron
• 813 Naval Air Squadron
• 817 Naval Air Squadron
• 819 Naval Air Squadron
• 820 Naval Air Squadron
• 825 Naval Air Squadron
• 826 Naval Air Squadron
• 828 Naval Air Squadron
• 829 Naval Air Squadron
• 836 Naval Air Squadron
• 837 Naval Air Squadron
• 860 Naval Air Squadron
• 879 Naval Air Squadron
• 880 Naval Air Squadron
• 882 Naval Air Squadron
• 883 Naval Air Squadron
• 884 Naval Air Squadron
• 885 Naval Air Squadron
• 886 Naval Air Squadron
• 887 Naval Air Squadron
• 888 Naval Air Squadron
• 891 Naval Air Squadron
• 893 Naval Air Squadron
• 895 Naval Air Squadron
• 897 Naval Air Squadron
• 1831 Naval Air Squadron
• 1832 Naval Air Squadron
• 1833 Naval Air Squadron

Current use

The site is now used for farming and a small amount of aircraft flying.^[4]

See also

• Cornwall portal

• List of air stations of the Royal Navy