Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
5 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
6 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
7 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
8 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Crail Crail Airfield

Crail Airfield

Soviet intelligence had a keen interest in the Cold War linguistic school at this old Scottish airfield.

Crail, Scotland

Added By
Alan Newman
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The interior of this control tower was a mimic of an aircraft carrier ops room.   Steven Brown
The interior of this control tower was a mimic of an aircraft carrier ops room.   Steven Brown
Cars at Crail Raceway.   Steven Brown
Members of 120th Aero Squadron US Army during WW1.   Air Service, United States Army
A Fairey Swordfish of 785 Naval Air Squadron which served at Crail in WW2.   Beadell, S J (Lt), Royal Navy official photographer
DH10 Bomber as used by No. 104 Squadron RAF at Crail in 1918.   UK Government Artistic Work
Entrance to the site.   Richard Webb
Service area for Crail Raceway.   Steven Brown
The site.   G Laird
Northlight hangar.   Greg Fitchett
The former station cinema.   James Allan
Wartime buildings.   Jim Bain
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

This old airfield is said to be one of the best-preserved World War II airfields in the country. There are still four runways in good order and a number of airfield buildings on site, including a unique hangar, the Northlight Hangar.

The place first operated as a Royal Navy and then an RAF airfield toward the end of World War I. It then reopened in World War II as a naval air station primarily operating Swordfish torpedo biplanes. During the cold war, the station later became the site of the Joint Services School for Linguists. It’s here when the story really gets interesting.

During this time, the United Kingdom still had conscription (the draft). Selected army, navy, and air force conscripts were provided with intensive training at the Joint Services School for Linguists. This assignment was popular among the young enlisted men, as it was far more comfortable (and safe) than frontline service.

The school trained linguists mainly in Russian, but also taught Polish, Czech, and Mandarin. There are reports the site also taught interrogation techniques. The Soviets became interested in the school because they (correctly) believed many of the linguists would be employed to listen in on Warsaw Pact communications. Apparently, they also believed (claimed not to be correct) that the school was used to teach languages to officers in the Secret Intelligence Service. Famous British traitor Guy Burgess is reported to have been asked by his handlers to look into the clandestine organization.

The Soviet interest is said to have led the MI5 (the British counter-intelligence service) to open a file on every person who received or provided language training at the school. Apparently, the M15’s inquiry was justified, if somewhat ineffective, since Crail alumnus Geoffrey Prime was convicted of spying for the Soviets over many years in the early 1980s.

The site closed with the end of conscription in 1960. Now, the place is largely a motor sport center called Crail Raceway. It’s used mainly for karting, drag racing, drifting competitions, and "track days" for Scottish speed freaks. With many of the old buildings and airfield infrastructure left intact, it’s still possible to get a good idea of how the site would’ve looked both in World War II and when the Russians were keeping the site under close surveillance.

Related Tags

World War Ii Cold War Soviet History Spies Schools Military

Know Before You Go

Remarkably, the airfield is still available for use when the runways are not set up for racing. If you do happen to have your own plane, the landing fee is £10 but you need to call the raceway in advance. The part of the site not used for motorsports, including some buildings, is used as a pig farm. So be prepared for the smell.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Scotland: Beyond the Haggis

Smoked seafood, single malt whisky, and warm hospitality.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Dr Alan P Newman

Published

May 21, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/crail/
  • http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/JSSL.htm#.WuY0UKSFPIU
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Services_School_for_Linguists
  • http://aggleton.name/0008gmainww2/0005Crail_785squadron.htm
Crail Airfield
Crail, Scotland
United Kingdom
56.270811, -2.604876

Nearby Places

North Carr Stone Beacon

Crail, Scotland

miles away

Scotland's Secret Bunker

Airdrie, Scotland

miles away

Anstruther Model Solar System

Anstruther, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Crail

Crail

Scotland

Places 2

Nearby Places

North Carr Stone Beacon

Crail, Scotland

miles away

Scotland's Secret Bunker

Airdrie, Scotland

miles away

Anstruther Model Solar System

Anstruther, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Crail

Crail

Scotland

Places 2

Related Places

  • Schorfheide, Germany

    Finowfurt Aviation Museum

    This former Soviet military base has over 10 original aircraft and an enormous amount of memorabilia on display.

  • Bratislava, Slovakia

    Devinska Kobyla Missile Base

    A relic of the Cold War tucked away in the forested hills above Bratislava.

  • Mound, crypt and statue

    Berlin, Germany

    Soviet Memorial (Sowjetisches Ehrenmal)

    For patriotic Russians, this memorial honoring the Soviet soldiers who died liberating Berlin in 1945 is the most sacred location outside of Russia.

  • Everton, England

    RAF Tempsford Memorial Barn

    Set amid the remains of a secret WWII airfield, this barn was preserved as a memorial to Allied agents who parachuted into Europe.

  • Warrenton, Virginia

    Cold War Museum

    This museum sits on the site of a decommissioned military communications base.

  • Memorial cross near the soldiers’ graves.

    Kristiansand, Norway

    Executed Russian POWs' Memorial Graves

    Five soviet prisoners of war were executed at this spot just days before the liberation of Norway.

  • Entrance hall to the Karlshorst Museum.

    Berlin, Germany

    German-Russian Museum

    A museum in the building where Nazi Germany signed its surrender tells the story of World War II from the Soviet perspective.

  • The bust of Violette Szabo.

    London, England

    S.O.E. Monument

    A bronze bust commemorates the heroism of the secret agents who led covert operations against the Nazis.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.