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RAF Ballyhalbert

Coordinates: 54°29′50″N 5°28′14″W / 54.49722°N 5.47056°W / 54.49722; -5.47056
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RAF Ballyhalbert
RNAS Ballyhalbert
(HMS Corncrake)
Ballyhalbert, County Down in Northern Ireland
Squadron photo taken on RAF Ballyhalbert in 1945
RAF Ballyhalbert is located in Northern Ireland
RAF Ballyhalbert
RAF Ballyhalbert
Shown within Northern Ireland
RAF Ballyhalbert is located in the United Kingdom
RAF Ballyhalbert
RAF Ballyhalbert
RAF Ballyhalbert (the United Kingdom)
Coordinates54°29′50″N 5°28′14″W / 54.49722°N 5.47056°W / 54.49722; -5.47056
TypeRoyal Air Force Sector Station
CodeYB[1]
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
Admiralty
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Royal Navy
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command
1941-45
* No. 13 Group RAF
* No. 82 Group RAF
Fleet Air Arm
1945-46
Site history
Built1940 (1940)
In useJune 1941 – 1946 (1946)
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation8 metres (26 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
00/00  Tarmac
00/00  Tarmac
00/00  Tarmac

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 Kirkistown was a satellite to the larger Ballyhalbert.

Construction began in 1940.[2]

History

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Royal Air Force use

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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.[2] 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 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.[2]

Squadrons
Units

Fleet Air Arm use

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In 1942, a request for lodger facilities and a Royal Naval Air Section at RAF Ballyhalbert was granted by RAF Northern Ireland. On 14 July 1945 the airbase was transferred by RAF Northern Ireland on loan to the Admiralty and known as Royal Naval Air Station Ballyhalbert (RNAS Ballyhalbert). On 17 July it was commissioned as HMS Corncrake with Captain G.N.P. Stringer as commanding officer.[20]

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.

Fleet Air Arm units

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b Falconer 2012, p. 40.
  2. ^ a b c "RAF Ballyhalbert". Ballyhalbert website. Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  3. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 33.
  4. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 45.
  5. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 58.
  6. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 59.
  7. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 63.
  8. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 77.
  9. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 79.
  10. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 85.
  11. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 86.
  12. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 94.
  13. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 95.
  14. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 179.
  15. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 184.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Ballyhalbert". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  17. ^ a b Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 136.
  18. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 129.
  19. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 134.
  20. ^ "R.N.A.S. Ballyhalbert". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  21. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994.

Bibliography

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  • Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
  • 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.
  • Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
  • Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.
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