Adrodd fel Amhriodol
Testun Gwreiddiol (Anodiad: EAW038181 / 1414467)
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Naval Air Station Grain, Britain's first naval air station, opened on the 3rd December 1912 and was commissioned on the 1st January 1914 as Royal Naval Air Station Grain. Its role was to be an experimental base for seaplanes in the Royal Navy and it was the first of 16 bases for hydro-aeroplanes (as seaplanes were then called) plus 3 for airships initially suggested by the Admiralty. RNAS Kingsnorth was an airship base 5.5 miles to the West South West (see image EPW047581 ), it was completed in April 1914.
RNAS Grain's main buildings were in the narrow triangle of land bounded by the sea wall to the East, the Old Counter Wall to the West with Cockleshell Hard at its apex in the South. I don't believe that any of the buildings shown in this image remained from the base.
On the 1st April 1918, upon the formation of the Royal Air Force, RNAS Grain became RAF Grain.
The station was closed on the 24th March 1924.
See the last post on this page for a brief history of military aviation at Grain: http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3206.10;wap2
For some photo's, see http://www.tondernraid.com/landingtrials.htm
For plans, see http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3054.0 but you have to register to see the items. '