RAF Skeabrae

Initially developed as a naval air station for the Admiralty, Skeabrae was handed over to the Air Ministry, albeit unfinished, on 2 May 1940. This transfer was executed to address the demand for additional Royal Air Force fighter bases in the Orkneys. Lodger facilities for Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm squadrons were granted by No. 13 and No. 14 Groups from May 1940 with accommodation for one Fleet Air Arm squadron. The RAF commenced its arrival on 15 August 1940, then on 30 August, No. 14 Group RAF took over the administrative management of the station.

It was proposed that the airfield might be combined with RNAS Twatt to create a substantial NATO base; however, Iceland was ultimately selected as the site instead. Skeabrae had a range of hangars and other structures. A significant number of these remained intact until the 1970s and 1980s, when extensive demolition activities commenced. For instance, the control tower was taken down in February 1990. The former bomb storage facility and the cinema and gymnasium are among the few buildings still standing at the airfield, while the runways have been nearly completely dismantled.