ACTION STATIONS REVISITED VOLUME 7 – The complete history of Britain’s military airfields Scotland and Northern Ireland

Often perceived as being out of the main theatres of war due to their northerly location, the airfields of Scotland and Northern Ireland have in fact carried out their own kind of aerial war, from the defence of Edinburgh against Zeppelins in 1916, to operating airships and aircraft over the open seas.

These airfields also provided a valuable service in the Second World War not only in training, fighter and bomber bases but also protecting precious shipping and routing out - often sinking their attacker, the U-boat. Beaufighters based at Dallachy and Mosquitoes from Banff flew operations against targets along the Norwegian coast during the closing months of the Second World War, giving the airfields along the Grampian coast almost legendary status.

Operations continued into peace time, with Shackletons and later Nimrods patrolling the high seas and defending British shores. Other bases serve the weapons ranges of the western coasts and others still have less clear purposes, protected from preying eyes by their remote locations.

All these airfields large and small, long disused or still active, have played a role in defending British shores and the telling of their stories, as detailed in Action Station Revisited, ensures that their valuable histories are not forgotten.