A former airfield in South Ayrshire, Turnberry Airfield lies inland of Turnberry Point a half-mile (1 km) southwest of Maidens. The field opened in 1917 as a training school for aerial gunnery for the Royal Flying Corps but closed the following year. During the 1930s it re-activated and was described as an anti-aircraft landing ground. It was re-commissioned as RAF Turnberry in 1941 with three tarmac runways built in a triangular arrangement; a main runway of 1905m (6250 feet) and two subsidiary runways of 1372m (4500 feet) and 1189m (3900 feet) respectively, together with several hard standings. Its purpose was training, initially in the bombing and torpedoing of ships under the direction of coastal command, but later taking on an air-sea rescue role. After the base was closed, in 1945, it was used briefly to house prisoners-of-war.
The runways substantially survive today.
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