RAF Kirkistown
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| RAF Kirkistown HMS Corncrake II   | |
|---|---|
| Portavogie, County Down in Northern Ireland | |
  RAF Kirkistown Shown within Northern Ireland | |
| Coordinates | 54°27′18″N 005°27′57″W / 54.45500°N 5.46583°WCoordinates: 54°27′18″N 005°27′57″W / 54.45500°N 5.46583°W |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Air Ministry Admiralty |
| Operator | Royal Air Force Royal Navy |
| Controlled by | RAF Fighter Command Fleet Air Arm |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1941 |
| In use | 1941-1946 |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Airfield information | |
| Elevation | 84 metres (276 ft) AMSL |
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)
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.[citation needed] On 22 January 1942, No. 504 Squadron RAF moved to Kirkistown.[1] In 1945, Ballyhalbert Airfield was designated a Royal Naval Air Station as "H.M.S. Corncrake", and Kirkistown Airfield was known as "H.M.S. Corncrake II".[2] The following units were here at some point:[3]
- No. 485 Squadron RNZAF
- 808 Naval Air Squadron
- 818 Naval Air Squadron
- 835 Naval Air Squadron
- 881 Naval Air Squadron
- 885 Naval Air Squadron
- 887 Naval Air Squadron
- became
- No. 2898 Squadron RAF Regiment
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.
See also[]
References[]
Citations[]
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 95.
- ^ "Kirkistown". Ballyhalbert Airfield. A Brief Chronology. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
- ^ "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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- Royal Air Force stations in Northern Ireland
- World War II sites in Northern Ireland
- Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom
- Buildings and structures in County Down
- Military history of County Down
- Defunct airports in Northern Ireland
- Royal Air Force stubs