RAF Kirkistown

Royal Air Force Kirkistown or more simply RAF Kirkistown is a former Royal Air Force satellite airfield located 6.3 miles (10.1 km) of Ballyhalbert, County Down, Northern Ireland and 6.3 miles (10.1 km)

RAF Kirkistown
HMS Corncrake II
Portavogie, County Down in Northern Ireland
RAF Kirkistown
Shown within Northern Ireland
Coordinates54°27′18″N 005°27′57″W
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
Admiralty
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Royal Navy
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command
Fleet Air Arm
Site history
Built1941 (1941)
In use1941-1946 (1946)
Battles/warsSecond World War
Airfield information
Elevation84 metres (276 ft) AMSL

It was a satellite to the RAF Fighter Command airfield at Ballyhalbert on the Ards Peninsula.

History

RAF Ballyhalbert opened officially on 28 June 1941 and the Kirkistown satellite airfield opened in July 1941. On 22 January 1942, No. 504 Squadron RAF moved to Kirkistown.[1] In 1945 Ballyhalbert Airfield transferred to the Admiralty and became a Royal Naval Air Station commissioned as HMS Corncrake. On 17 July 1945 Kirkistown Airfield was commissioned as HMS Corncrake II.[2] The following units were here at some point:[3]

Current use

Today the site is home to Kirkistown Circuit, a regular venue for car and motorcycle races. The circuit utilises the northern parts of the former air base's runways and perimeter roadways.

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See also

References

Citations

  1. Jefford 1988, p. 95.
  2. "Kirkistown". Ballyhalbert Airfield. A Brief Chronology. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  3. "Kirkistown". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 7 June 2020.

Bibliography

  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.


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