Dates: 1932 - 1963
The history of the present Glasgow Airport goes back to 1932, when the site at Abbotsinch, between the Black Cart Water and the White Cart Water, near Paisley in Renfrewshire, was opened and the Royal Air Force 602 Squadron (City of Glasgow) Auxiliary Air Force moved its Wapiti IIA aircraft from nearby Renfrew in January 1933. The RAF Station HQ, however, was not formed until 1 July 1936 when 6 Auxiliary Group, Bomber Command, arrived. From May 1939, until moving away in October 1939, the Squadron flew the Supermarine Spitfire.
In 1940 a Torpedo training unit was formed, which trained both RAF and Royal Navy crews. On 11 August 1943 Abbotsinch was handed over solely to the Royal Navy and it became a Stone frigate. All Her Majesty’s Ships and Stone Frigates are given names and Abbotsinch’s was HMS Sanderling; however Abbotsinch had been known as HMS Sanderling since June 1940. During the 1950s, the airfield had housed a large aircraft storage unit and squadrons of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
The Royal Navy left in October 1963. The name Sanderling was however retained as a link between the two: HMS Sanderling’s ship’s bell was presented to the new airport and a bar in the airport was named The Sanderling Bar.
In the 1960s Glasgow Corporation decided that a new airport for the city was required. The original site of Glasgow’s main airport was 3 km (2 miles) east of Abbotsinch, in what is now the Dean Park area of Renfrew. The original Art Deco terminal building of Renfrew Airport has not survived. The site is now occupied by a Tesco supermarket and the M8 motorway; this remarkably straight and level section of motorway occupies the site of the main runway.
Abbotsinch took over from Renfrew airport on 2 May 1966. It was a controversial plan, as central government had already committed millions into rebuilding Prestwick Airport fit for the "jet age". Nevertheless, the plan went forward and the new airport, designed by Basil Spence and built at a cost of ?4.2 million, was completed in 1966, with British European Airways beginning services using De Havilland Comet aircraft. The first commercial flight to arrive was a British European Airways flight from Edinburgh, landing at 8am on May 2, 1966. The airport was officially opened on June 27, 1966 by Queen Elizabeth II. The political rows over Glasgow and Prestwick airports continued, with Prestwick enjoying a monopoly over transatlantic traffic, while Glasgow Airport was only allowed to handle UK and intra-European traffic.
In 1975 the British Airports Authority (BAA) took ownership of Glasgow Airport. When BAA was privatised in the late 1980s, as BAA plc, it consolidated its airport portfolio and sold Prestwick airport. The restrictions on Glasgow Airport were lifted and the transatlantic operators immediately moved from Prestwick, Glasgow Airport being renamed Glasgow International Airport. BAA embarked on a massive redevelopment plan for Glasgow International Airport in 1989.
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving HMS Sanderling
" Looking to find anyone who served in the Royal Navy between 1953 and 1960. I started my service aboard the daedalus then on to HMS Gamecock and served aboard the Triumph, Eagle, Elustreus. I was shore based at HMS Black Cap, HMS Fulmar and HMS Sanderling.Would love to hear from anyone who served or knows of anyone that served between these dates. "
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" Hello! Does anyone have any recollection of Bill Boles (sp?) who served at HMS Sanderling at Abbotsinch in the early 1960’s? I would be interested in getting in touch with him concerning a personal matter. Many thanks. "
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" i have been giving 2 numbers from what i have been told one is his navy number 960424 and the other is when he left the navy he joined the TA 24160671 i also found a list off where my grandfather was over his 10 years off service but i dont know what is a base and what is a ship if anyone could ..."
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" i have been giving 2 numbers from what i have been told one is his navy number 960424 and the other is when he left the navy he joined the TA 24160671 i also found a list off where my grandfather was over his 10 years off service but i dont know what is a base and what is a ship if anyone could ..."
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" Quoting: john McGuinness i have been giving 2 numbers from what i have been told one is his navy number 960424 and the other is when he left the navy he joined the TA 24160671 i also found a list off where my grandfather was over his 10 years off service but i dont know what is a base and ..."
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