RNAS HMS Tern Air Base

Military Decommissioning. Following the end of World War II in 1945, the strategic need for a large airbase to defend the Scapa Flow naval anchorage diminished significantly. Like many other wartime airfields, HMS Tern was surplus to the peacetime requirements of the Royal Navy. Major flight operations ceased in 1945, and the base was placed into a state of care and maintenance before being officially paid off and closed in 1949.

The site is now a relic of its wartime past and has largely been returned to agricultural use. The original concrete runways are still clearly visible, though they are cracked, weathered, and partially overgrown with grass. Local farmers use the runways and perimeter tracks for access and for storing silage bales. Many of the original buildings remain in a derelict state, including the iconic control tower, several Nissen huts, and various technical and administrative buildings. The site is a scheduled monument, recognizing its historical importance. It has become a point of interest for military historians and tourists exploring Orkney's extensive WWII heritage. In 2014, a memorial plaque was unveiled on the control tower to commemorate all who served at HMS Tern.

RNAS HMS Tern was a crucial Royal Naval Air Station during World War II, commissioned on April 1, 1941. Its primary role was to serve as a satellite airfield for the main Fleet Air Arm base at RNAS Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk). Located on the Orkney mainland, its strategic purpose was to provide air defense for the vital British Home Fleet anchorage at Scapa Flow. The base was heavily involved in training, particularly Deck Landing Training (DLT), where pilots practiced the difficult task of landing on aircraft carriers. It functioned as a 'disembarked' or shore-based airfield for numerous Fleet Air Arm squadrons when their carriers were in port at Scapa Flow. These squadrons would use HMS Tern for rest, re-equipment, and 'working-up' (intensive training) before deploying on critical operations, including the Arctic Convoys and strikes against German naval assets in Norway, such as the battleship Tirpitz. The airfield hosted a wide variety of naval aircraft, including Fairey Swordfish, Fairey Barracudas, Grumman Martlets (Wildcats), and Supermarine Seafires. At its peak, the base was a sprawling complex with four runways, hangars, a control tower, and accommodation for over 1,200 personnel.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RNAS HMS Tern as an active airport. The site is historically protected as a scheduled monument, and its infrastructure is derelict and unsuitable for modern aviation without a complete and prohibitively expensive reconstruction. The Orkney Islands are adequately served by the modern Kirkwall Airport (KOI / EGPA), making a second major airfield redundant. The site will remain a historical landmark and a testament to Orkney's role in World War II.