| RAF Ballyhalbert RNAS Ballyhalbert (HMSCorncrake)   | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballyhalbert,County Down in Northern Ireland | |||||||||||
 Squadron photo taken on RAF Ballyhalbert in 1945 | |||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||
| Type | Royal Air Force sector station | ||||||||||
| Code | YB[1] | ||||||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry Admiralty | ||||||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force Royal Navy | ||||||||||
| Controlled by | RAF Fighter Command 1941-45 *No. 13 Group RAF *No. 82 Group RAF Fleet Air Arm 1945-46 | ||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||
  RAF Ballyhalbert Shown within Northern Ireland Show map of Northern Ireland RAF Ballyhalbert RAF Ballyhalbert (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom | |||||||||||
| Coordinates | 54°29′50″N5°28′14″W / 54.49722°N 5.47056°W /54.49722; -5.47056 | ||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||
| Built | 1940 (1940) | ||||||||||
| In use | June 1941 – 1946 (1946) | ||||||||||
| Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II | ||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||
| Elevation | 8 metres (26 ft)[1]AMSL | ||||||||||
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Royal Air Force Ballyhalbert or more simplyRAF Ballyhalbert is a formerRoyal Air Forcesector station atBallyhalbert on theArds Peninsula,County Down, Northern Ireland.
RAF Kirkistown was a satellite to the larger Ballyhalbert.
Construction began in 1940.[2]
It opened provisionally in May 1941, prior to completion of the works, as aRAF Fighter Command base where the primary weapon was theSupermarine Spitfire, and officially on 28 June of that same year.[2] The base provided local protection fromLuftwaffe raids onBelfast and the rest of the province. Other aircraft operated from the base were theHawker Hurricane,Bristol Beaufighter,North American Mustang andBoulton Paul Defiant night fighter. During its lifetime, Ballyhalbert was home to RAF,Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF),British Army,Royal Navy andUnited States Army Air Forces (USAAF) personnel. Servicemen fromAustralia,New Zealand,Canada andPoland also saw duty at Ballyhalbert.[2]
In 1942, a request for lodger facilities and a Royal Naval Air Section at RAF Ballyhalbert was granted byRAF Northern Ireland. On 14 July 1945 theairbase was transferred by RAF Northern Ireland on loan to theAdmiralty and known asRoyal Naval Air Station Ballyhalbert (RNAS Ballyhalbert). On 17 July it wascommissioned asHMSCorncrake withCaptain G.N.P. Stringer ascommanding officer.[20]
AsHMSCorncrake the airfield was used by theFleet 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.
