RAF Ballyhalbert

Former Royal Air Force station in Northern Ireland

54°29′50″N 5°28′14″W / 54.49722°N 5.47056°W / 54.49722; -5.47056TypeRoyal Air Force Sector StationCodeYB^[1]Site informationOwnerAir Ministry
AdmiraltyOperatorRoyal Air Force
Royal NavyControlled byRAF Fighter Command
1941-45
* No. 13 Group RAF
* No. 82 Group RAF
Fleet Air Arm
1945-46Site historyBuilt1940 (1940)In useJune 1941 – 1946 (1946)Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War IIAirfield informationElevation8 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

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.^[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

Detachment of No. 13 Group Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Flight RAF (May – August 1941)^[14]
No. 82 Group Communication Flight RAF (September 1941 – January 1942)^[15]
No. 82 Group Training Flight RAF became No. 1493 (Target Towing) Flight RAF^[16] (October 1941 – January 1942 & January – April 1943)^[17]
No. 1402 (Meteorological) Flight RAF (December 1944 – August 1945)^[18]
No. 1480 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF (November – December 1941)^[19]
No. 1494 (Target Towing) Flight RAF (April 1943 – March 1945)^[17]
No. 2707 Squadron RAF Regiment^[16]

Fleet Air Arm use

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

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b Falconer 2012, p. 40.
^ ^a ^b ^c "RAF Ballyhalbert". Ballyhalbert website. Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
^ ^a ^b 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.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 179.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 184.
^ ^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.
^ ^a ^b Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 136.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 129.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 134.
^ "R.N.A.S. Ballyhalbert". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994.

Bibliography

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.

External links

Photographs of Ballyhalbert Airfield

Royal Naval Air Stations

current

RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (1947–)
Predannack Airfield (1959–)
RNAS Merryfield (1956–1958, 1960–1961, 1972–)
RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) (1940–)

former UK

A	Abbotsinch (1943–1963) Angle (HMS Goldcrest) (1943) Anthorn (HMS Nuthatch) (1944–1958) Arbroath (HMS Condor) (1940–1971) Ayr (HMS Wagtail) (1944–1946)
B	Ballyhalbert (HMS Corncrake) (1945) Ballykelly (HMS Sealion) (1945–1971) Bramcote (1946–1958) Brawdy (HMS Goldcrest) (1946–1971) Bungay (HMS Europa III) (1945–1946) Burscough (HMS Ringtail) (1943–1946) Bush Barn (1944)
C	Campbeltown (HMS Landrail II) (1940–1945) Charlton Horethorne (HMS Heron II) (1943–1945) Cowdray Park (1941–1945) Crail (HMS Jackdaw) (1940–1947) Culham (HMS Hornbill) (1944–1953)
D	Dale (HMS Goldcrest) (1943–1948) Donibristle (HMS Merlin) (1939–1959) Dounreay (HMS Tern II) (1944–1954) Drem (HMS Nighthawk) (1945–1946) Dundee (HMS Condor II) (1941–1944) Dunino (HMS Jackdaw II) (1942–1946)
E	East Haven (HMS Peewit) (1943–1946) Eastleigh (HMS Raven) (1939–1946) Eglinton (HMS Gannet & HMS Sea Eagle) (1943–1963) Evanton (1944–1948)
F–G	Fearn (HMS Owl) (1942–1946) Ford (HMS Peregrine) (1939–1940, 1945–1948, 1950–1958) Gosport (HMS Siskin) (1945–1956) Grimsetter (HMS Robin) (1943–1945)
H	Haldon (HMS Heron II) (1941–1943) Halesworth (HMS Sparrowhawk) (1945–1946) Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) (1939–1945) Henstridge (HMS Dipper) (1943–1946, 1959–1954) Hinstock (HMS Godwit) (1942–1947)
I–K	Inskip (HMS Nightjar) (1943–1946) Kirkistown (HMS Corncrake II) (1945–1946)
L	Lawrenny Ferry (HMS Daedalus II) (1942–1943) Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus & HMS Ariel) (1939–1996) Limavady (1945–19??) Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar) (1945–1972) Ludham (HMS Flycatcher) (1944–1945) Lympne (HMS Buzzard & HMS Daedalus II) (1939–1940)
M	Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) (1941–1946, 1951–1952) Macmerry (1945–1946) Maydown (HMS Shrike & HMS Gannet II) (1943–1945) Middle Wallop (HMS Flycatcher) (1945–1946) Milltown (HMS Fulmar II) (1946–1972)
N–P	Nutts Corner (HMS Pintail) (1945–1946) Peplow (HMS Godwit II) (1945–1949) Portland (HMS Osprey) (1959–1999) Prestwick (HMS Gannet) (1971–)
R	Crimond/Rattray/Rattray Head (HMS Merganser) (1944–1946) Roborough (HMS Drake II) (19??–19??) Ronaldsway (HMS Urley) (1944–1946)
S	Sandbanks (HMS Daedalus II) (1940–1943) St Davids (1947–1961) St Merryn (HMS Vulture & HMS Curlew) (1940–1952, 1952–1956) Skaebrae (HMS Tern II) (19??–19??) Stretton (HMS Blackcap) (1942–1958) Sydenham (1943–1973)
T–Z	Toome (1947–1954) Treligga (HMS Vulture II) (1939–1955) Twatt (HMS Tern) (1941–1957) Weston Park (HMS Godwit II) (1945) Woodvale (HMS Ringtail II) (1945–1946) Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel & HMS Ariel II) (1939–1950, 1952–1960) Zeals (HMS Hummingbird) (1945–1946)