Crail Airfield: Air Ministry Laboratory Trainer Building, Crail

2-storey tall, narrowing to 1st floor, square plan brick former Trainer Building. 1st floor outshot to N elevation supported by brick columns. Asbestos pitched roof. Timber stair and flooring part-remaining to interior.

Used to train bomb aimers in a synthetic representation of operational flying, the AML Building may be unique. The earliest types of these buildings were contructed in timber and none are thought to survive. It is considered that the brick Crail example was based on these timber models. The building is somewhat of an anomaly as bombing was not a function of the Fleet Air Arm and it may therefore have been constructed for use by pilots from the nearby Leuchars Air base. An image of moving terrain would have been projected on to the floor and the trainee pilot sat on a high level platform with a rudder bar controlling the projector mechanism. Crail Airfield is the best preserved example of a Second World War Naval Airfield in Scotland. It is remarkable for its survival, completeness and the rarity of some of the individual buildings. It is highly significant not only in the wider terms of Naval and Second World War history, but is also of great local importance. Crail was one of 4 airfields constructed in the early war period (along with Arbroath in Angus, Yeovilton in Somerset, and St Merryn in Cornwall). It follows the Naval pattern of 4 narrow hard runways and associated brick, concrete and corrugated iron structures. The runways are part of the main operational side, the 'Technical Area' to the South-East. The recreation and living quarters of the 'West Camp' are located to the North-West. These areas are separated by the road between Crail and Balcomie. The aircraft hangars and the great majority of the interiors are the most significant losses at the site. Many buildings have been altered and are in a poor state of repair. Around 2000 personnel were stationed at Crail Airfield, both living at the airfield itself and billeted in Crail and the surrounding area. (Historic Scotland)

September 2007: External inspection finds the the various buildings that make up the former airfield vacant and unmaintained. Most buildings are severly dilapidated or vandalised.

January 2011: External inspection finds this small building is little more than a shell.

5 August 2014: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously.

18 December 2014: The Courier reported 3 Dec 2014 on the early stages of a masterplan for the redevelopment of buildings and land at Crail Airfield. The article notes the proposal may include houses, a hotel, community centre and shops though a development company, Landvest. A Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) is noted as having been lodged with Fife Council.

13 June 2019: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously, subject to gradual decline. The surrounding former airfield is understood to be in use for car-boot sales and other outdoor events.

14 March 2023: The Courier reports, on 14/3/2023, that a proposal of application notice has been submitted for the regeneration of the wider site of Crail airfield to form a mixed-use development including public event spaces, open-air museum, hotel, holiday accommodation, industrial uses and ancillary infrastructure. (23/00558/PAN)