RAF Ballyhalbert

RAF Ballyhalbert
RNAS Ballyhalbert
HMS Corncrake
Ballyhalbert, County Down
RAF Ballyhalbert
RNAS Ballyhalbert
HMS Corncrake
Coordinates 54°29′46″N 5°28′12″W / 54.496°N 5.470°W / 54.496; -5.470
Type Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner Air Ministry
Controlled by  Royal Air Force
Site history
Built 1940 (1940)
In use 1941-1947 (1947)
Battles/wars Second World War
Garrison information
Garrison RAF Fighter Command

Royal Air Force Station Ballyhalbert or more simply RAF Ballyhalbert is a former Royal Air Force station at Ballyhalbert on the Ards Peninsula, County Down.

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 Corncake 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.

Squadrons

Other units

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 "RAF Ballyhalbert". Ballyhalbert website. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  2. 1 2 Jefford 1988, p. 33.
  3. Jefford 1988, p. 45.
  4. Jefford 1988, p. 58.
  5. Jefford 1988, p. 59.
  6. Jefford 1988, p. 63.
  7. Jefford 1988, p. 77.
  8. Jefford 1988, p. 79.
  9. Jefford 1988, p. 85.
  10. Jefford 1988, p. 86.
  11. Jefford 1988, p. 94.
  12. Jefford 1988, p. 95.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Ballyhalbert". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.

Bibliography

External links

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