Evanton Airfield

Military rationalization and post-World War II drawdown. With the end of the war, the extensive training and support facilities at Evanton were no longer required by the RAF and Fleet Air Arm. The base was deemed surplus to requirements as part of the nationwide reduction of military establishments.

The site of the former airfield is now the Evanton Industrial Estate, a major commercial and industrial hub for the region. Many of the original airfield features are still clearly visible and have been repurposed. The main runways and taxiways now form the road network for the estate, and several of the original large Bellman and T2-type hangars are still standing and are used by various businesses for manufacturing, storage, and logistics. The site is particularly important for the renewable energy and oil and gas fabrication industries.

Originally opened in 1922 as RAF Novar, it served as a base for Royal Air Force Fleet Air Arm units operating with the Royal Navy's Home Fleet, which was anchored nearby in the Cromarty Firth. It was placed on care and maintenance in 1924 but was reactivated and significantly expanded in 1937 in the build-up to World War II, at which point it was renamed RAF Evanton. During the war, it became a crucial training station, primarily for the Fleet Air Arm. It was home to No. 8 Air Gunnery School and No. 8 Armament Training School, training thousands of aircrew, including pilots, observers, and telegraphist air gunners. Squadrons operated a variety of aircraft from Evanton, including the Fairey Swordfish, Blackburn Skua, Fairey Fulmar, and Miles Master. Its strategic location made it vital for supporting naval operations from Scapa Flow and the Cromarty Firth. The ICAO code 'GB-1022' is a modern, non-official identifier for the disused site, not its historical operational code.

None. The site has been extensively and successfully redeveloped into a large, active industrial estate. The original airfield infrastructure is now integrated into this commercial development, with numerous buildings and businesses established on the former runways and aprons. The region's aviation needs are fully served by the nearby Inverness Airport (EGPE), making any prospect of reopening Evanton as an airfield economically and logistically unfeasible.