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.

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. 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.

Squadrons

Units

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.

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

• List of former Royal Air Force stations