Leanach

57°28'47"N 004°04'46"W

runway: n/a - grass

Leanach airfield (RAF Leanach) was an airfield 180 kilometers north-northwest of Edinburgh.
The airfield was built before World War II as an emergency landing ground for Longman airfield. It became RAF Leanach when it was selected to become 43 Secondary Landing Ground (SLG) for 46 Maintenance Unit (MU) at RAF Lossiemouth. The first landings were on 10 May 1941 by Hurricanes and Defiants, which were dispersed and camouflaged around the airfield immediately after arrival. Because of its commitment as a Relief Landing Ground (RLG), the airfield would often see visiting aircraft such as Dragon Rapides from Longman and aircraft from 2 Air Gunnery School at RAF Dalcross. Of course this meant that the secrecy of 46 MU operation was compromised. This practice ended when Civil and Military authorities were reminded that SLGs were to be used only for emergency landings.
On 22 April 1942 the airfield was assessed for suitability of Wellington size aircraft. For the trial, a Wellington was landed by an MU test pilot, who recommended that the airfield was suitable only for experienced pilots.
In the autumn of 1942, Leanach saw the arrival of Beaufighter aircraft, starting of its life as a storage facility. 19(P) Advanced Flying Unit (AFU) was given permission to use Leanach as a RLG on 6 June 1943. Simulated night flying with Oxford aircraft soon began with sodium flares being lit and the pilots practicing landings wearing dark blue goggles. Joint use of Leanach proved unsatisfactory and on 25 February 1944, 46 MU vacated the SLG moving to RAF Dornoch (although they kept Leanach as a reserve airfield). 19 (P) AFU remained at Leanach until its disbandment on 22 February 1944.
RAF Leanach was decommissioned on 30 March 1945.

After the war the airfield was returned to its owners and slowly dismantled. A flight hut building near the roadside is now the only reminder of RAF Leanach.


The MAP Office at Leanach Satellite Landing Ground, photographed in June 1982 (NorwichPaul)


The location of the former airfield in 2004 (Google Earth)