RAF Tain


RAF Tain is a Ministry of Defence air weapons range on the Dornoch Firth near Tain in Scotland. Royal Air Force aircrews from RAF Lossiemouth are trained in air weaponry on the range, along with NATO aircrew.

History

The following units were posted to the airfield at some point during the Second World War:
The original airfield is no longer in operation, but still exists within the boundaries of the range. The current station is the largest live weapons range in the Defence Training Estates. It was one of only three ranges in Europe where live bombs could be dropped and Otterburn ), and thus crucial to the final certification of bomber pilots. Several Second World War airfield buildings in various states of decay can be seen from the road to Inverness and Portmahomack.
RAF Tain is now under the control of DIO. The range has no live bombing as it is all done at the Cape Wrath range in the far northwest of Scotland at Durness. The weapons at Tain are practice bombs and inert concrete bombs. The Americans have in the past dropped BDU-39 and -50s and some inert bombs. Typhoon Squadrons from RAF Lossiemouth are primary users of the range, and it is available to aircrews from across the United Kingdom. It is also an important range for UK Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and their NATO counterparts to maintain their air weapons qualifications.
There are various bombing targets spread throughout the range, including strafe targets. The range is staffed by RAF controllers and support staff from Landmarc Support Services, both of whom also man the Cape Wrath range.
As a Royal Naval Air Station, it was also known as RNAS Tain.

Citations