RAF Kirkistown

RAF Kirkistown
RAF Kirkistown;
	IATA: none; ICAO: none;
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Portavogie, County Down
Built	1941
In use	1941-1946
Elevation AMSL	276 ft / 84 m
Coordinates	54°27′18″N 005°27′57″W / 54.45500°N 5.46583°W
Map
	RAF Kirkistown Location in Northern Ireland
Runways

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 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.^[2]

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

Citations

^ Jefford 1988, p. 95.
^ "Kirkistown". Ballyhalbert Airfield. A Brief Chronology. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Kirkistown". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 16 October 2013.

Bibliography

Jefford, C.G, MBE, BA, RAF (Retd). 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.

External links

54°27′18″N 5°27′58″W / 54.455°N 5.466°W / 54.455; -5.466

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[Jefford1988p95-1] Jefford 1988, p. 95.

[2] "Kirkistown". Ballyhalbert Airfield. A Brief Chronology. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[ABCT-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Kirkistown". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 16 October 2013.

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