Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment

The Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment (MAEE) was a British military research and test organisation. It was originally formed as the Marine Aircraft Experimental Station in October 1918 at RAF Isle of Grain, a former Royal Naval Air Service seaplane base, to design, test and evaluate seaplanes, flying boats and other aircraft with a naval connection.

It was renamed as the Marine and Armament Experimental Establishment on 16 March 1920 to recognise that weapons and other equipment were evaluated as well as complete aircraft. It was renamed again on the 1 March 1924 to the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment.

Relocations
On 16 June 1924 the Establishment moved to the site of the former Seaplane Experimental Station seaplane base at Felixstowe. In 1936 the Establishment came under the control of RAF Coastal Command. In 1937 the Fleet Air Arm was returned to Royal Navy control and the test and evaluation of carrier-borne aircraft ceased. With the start of the Second World War the Establishment was moved to the more secure and safer location of Helensburgh in Scotland and it came under the control of the Royal Aircraft Establishment and was part of the Ministry of Supply.

In August 1945, the MAEE returned to Felixstowe. The link with the Royal Air Force ended in 1953 but the MAEE continued as a civilian manned unit and did not shut until 1958.