RAF Ballyhalbert
Royal Air Force Ballyhalbert or more simply RAF Ballyhalbert is a former Royal Air Force station at Ballyhalbert on the Ards Peninsula, County Down, Northern Ireland
| RAF Ballyhalbert RNAS Ballyhalbert HMS Corncrake   | |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | |
  RAF Ballyhalbert Shown within Northern Ireland | |
| Coordinates | 54°29′50″N 5°28′14″W |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Air Ministry |
| Operator | Royal Air Force Royal Navy |
| Controlled by | RAF Fighter Command |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1940 |
| In use | 1941-1947 |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
RAF Kirkistown was a satellite to the larger Ballyhalbert.
Construction began in 1940.[1]
History
Royal Air Force use
It opened provisionally in May 1941, prior to completion of the works, as a RAF Fighter Command base where the primary weapon was the Supermarine Spitfire, and officially on 28 June of that same year.[1] The base provided local protection from Luftwaffe raids on Belfast and the rest of the province. Other aircraft operated from the base were the Hawker Hurricane, Bristol Beaufighter, North American P-51 Mustang and Boulton Paul Defiant night fighter. During its lifetime, Ballyhalbert was home to RAF, Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), British Army, Royal Navy and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) personnel. Servicemen from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Poland also saw duty at Ballyhalbert.[1]
Fleet Air Arm use
As HMS Corncrake the airfield was used by the Fleet Air Arm for squadrons working up for carrier duty. On 13 November 1945 the airfield was closed and placed on Care and Maintenance. By 1947, with no further use made of the site it was abandoned. The airfield was sold to developers in March 1960, and is in use for several popular caravan parks.
Units
- No. 25 Squadron RAF[2]
- No. 26 Squadron RAF[2]
- No. 63 Squadron RAF[3]
- No. 125 Squadron RAF[4]
- No. 130 Squadron RAF[5]
- No. 153 Squadron RAF[6]
- No. 245 Squadron RAF[7]
- No. 256 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 303 Squadron RAF[9]
- No. 315 Squadron RAF[10]
- No. 501 Squadron RAF[11]
- No. 504 Squadron RAF[12]
- No. 13 Group Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Flight RAF[13]
- No. 81 Group Communication Flight[13]
- No. 82 Group Target Towing Flight RAF[13] became No. 1493 (Target Towing) Flight RAF[13]
- No. 1402 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[13]
- No. 1480 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF[13]
- No. 1494 (Target Towing) Flight RAF[13]
- No. 2707 Squadron RAF Regiment[13]
References
Citations
- "RAF Ballyhalbert". Ballyhalbert website. Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
- Jefford 1988, p. 33.
- Jefford 1988, p. 45.
- Jefford 1988, p. 58.
- Jefford 1988, p. 59.
- Jefford 1988, p. 63.
- Jefford 1988, p. 77.
- Jefford 1988, p. 79.
- Jefford 1988, p. 85.
- Jefford 1988, p. 86.
- Jefford 1988, p. 94.
- Jefford 1988, p. 95.
- "Ballyhalbert". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
Bibliography
- Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.