RAF Long Kesh
RAF Long Kesh  | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Ministry of Defence | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Maze, Lisburn | ||||||||||||||||||
| Built | 1940 | ||||||||||||||||||
| In use | 1941-1971 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 115 ft / 35 m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 54°29′22″N 006°06′16″W / 54.48944°N 6.10444°W | ||||||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||||||
  RAF Long Kesh Location in Northern Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Air Force station Long Kesh or more simply RAF Long Kesh was a Royal Air Force station at Maze, Lisburn, Northern Ireland.
Various aircraft operated from the airfield during the Second World War, including the Supermarine Seafire and Spitfire.
History
In 1940-1941, during World War 2, RAF Long Kesh was a primary attack target in "Operation Green", a planned second front to accompany "Operation Sea Lion" for the conquest of the British Isles by the III Reich. RAF Long Kesh was to be attacked and wrecked by German airborne forces, whilst Aldergrove, Nutts Corner and Langford Lodge were to be captured.
Hangars were constructed at the airfield by the Ministry of Aircraft Production for the use of Short Brothers to assemble the Short Stirling bomber.[1] Some Stirlings were also built at the site, before their assembly line moved to RAF Maghaberry, the aircraft production facilities at RAF Long Kesh then concentrated on aircraft wing manufacturing. One of the RAF Long Kesh hangars was later used by Miles Aircraft for final assembly and test flying work of the Miles Messenger, which was made at its factory in a linen mill at Banbridge.[1]
Long Kesh Detention Centre
From August 1971, during the paramilitary war in Ulster, the then disused airfield and facilities of RAF Long Kesh became the Long Kesh Detention Centre, where Irish terrorist suspects were detained by the British Government without trial during the Operation Demetrius phase of Operation Banner. From 1976 the makeshift structures housing the detainees were replaced by newly constructed "H-Blocks", and the facility was re-designated HM Prison Maze.
Operational units and aircraft
- No. 74 Squadron RAF(1942) - Supermarine Spitfire I.[2]
- No. 88 Squadron RAF Detachment (1941-1942) - Douglas Boston III.[3]
- No. 226 Squadron RAF Detachment (1941) - Bristol Blenheim IV.[4]
- No. 231 Squadron RAF (1941-1942) - Curtiss Tomahawk I & IIB.[5]
- No. 290 Squadron RAF (1943-1944) - Miles Martinet.[6]
- No. 422 Squadron RCAF (1942) - Consolidated Catalina IB.[7]
See also
References
Citations
- ^ a b Ernie Cromie. "Long Kesh & Maghaberry". Ulster Aviation Society.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 47.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 51.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 73.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 74.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 84.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 91.
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.
- Use dmy dates from May 2013
- Military units and formations established in 1941
- Military units and formations disestablished in 1971
- Buildings and structures in County Antrim
- 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
- Lisburn
- Military history of County Antrim
- Defunct airports in Northern Ireland