Trisha Shetty (Editor)

RAF Kirkistown

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Airport type
  
Military

In use
  
1941-1946 (1946)

00/00
  
0

Owner
  
Air Ministry

Operator
  
Royal Air Force

Elevation AMSL
  
276 ft / 84 m

Year built
  
1941

RAF Kirkistown

Location
  
Portavogie, County Down

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)

Contents

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. On 22 January 1942, No. 504 Squadron RAF moved to Kirkistown. In 1945 Ballyhalbert Airfield transferred to the Admiralty and became a Royal Naval Air Station commissioned as HMS Corncrake. On 17 July 1945 Kirkistown Airfield was commissioned as HMS Corncrake II.

  • 808 Naval Air Squadron.
  • 818 Naval Air Squadron.
  • 835 Naval Air Squadron.
  • 881 Naval Air Squadron.
  • 885 Naval Air Squadron.
  • 887 Naval Air Squadron.
  • No. 1493 (Fighter) Gunnery Flight.
  • No. 1493 (TT) Flight.

    • 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.

    References

    RAF Kirkistown Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA