KIRKWALL / RAF Grimsetter / HMS Robin
On 17 October 1940 Ops room staff moved to Grimsetter at Kirkwall from RAF Wick in the highlands, at first it was used as a fighter station operating in the 14 group area,and the old Ops block can still be seen on the old coast road and tends to be known as the `Black Building`.(See `Black Building` page on this website for more info).
The airfield was at first only used as a Satellite by Skeabrae, until 132 squadron moved in on 11 June 1942 with Spitfire MK1s until Mid Sept when they moved to Martlesham Heath, being replaced here by 129 squadron for local air defence, then 234 who were the last RAF Squadron at Grimsetter until April 1943 when they moved to Skeabrae and the Royal Navy took over the airfield.
The airfield was at first only used as a Satellite by Skeabrae, until 132 squadron moved in on 11 June 1942 with Spitfire MK1s until Mid Sept when they moved to Martlesham Heath, being replaced here by 129 squadron for local air defence, then 234 who were the last RAF Squadron at Grimsetter until April 1943 when they moved to Skeabrae and the Royal Navy took over the airfield.
Above: A large MT workshop at HMS Robin in 1982. Photo - Paul Francis.
The airfield was commissioned HMS Robin on 15 August 1943 and a number of Fleet Air Arm squadrons such as 848,1770 & 842 operated from here with Swordfish,Wildcat,Firefly,Seafire and Avenger types.
Runways constructed of Asphalt during WW2 were as follows:
07/25 3,832ft (1,168m) WSW to ENE
09/27 4,698ft (1,432m) E to W
15/33 1,837ft (560m) NW to SE
Runways constructed of Asphalt during WW2 were as follows:
07/25 3,832ft (1,168m) WSW to ENE
09/27 4,698ft (1,432m) E to W
15/33 1,837ft (560m) NW to SE
Above : Control tower at HMS Robin in 1982. Photo: Paul Francis.
The airfield at HMS Robin/Grimsetter became a civil airport in 1948 and is now Kirkwall Airport. Today the old Operations Block is still on site though at present its future is still uncertain. a few small buildings and air raid shelters still lay scattered about but much has been redeveloped to make way for the modern airport. The old control tower survived until about 2001 when it was replaced with a new one.
Old Wartime building still at Kirkwall in the late 1990s. Photo: Dave Earl
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All rights reserved. Due to the immense amount of research that enabled us to build this site we would like to point out that all material on this website is owned by A.R.G.O.S though photos are credited to their respective owners. Anyone wishing to use material for their own website or any other purpose are requested to contact us first expressing their wishes. Permission will usually be granted to none profit making ventures, i.e. websites for educational and/or historical purposes, though a link to this website and acknowledgement to the original owners of any photographs will usually be requested.