RAF Kirkistown

54°27′18″N 005°27′57″W / 54.45500°N 5.46583°W / 54.45500; -5.46583TypeSatellite stationCodeIK^[1]Site informationOwnerAir Ministry
AdmiraltyOperatorRoyal Air Force
Royal NavyControlled byRAF Fighter Command 1941-44
RAF Northern Ireland 1944-45
Fleet Air ArmSite historyBuilt1940 (1940)/41In useJuly 1941 – 1952 (1952)Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War IIAirfield informationElevation6 metres (20 ft)^[1] AMSL

Runways
Direction	Length and surface
00/00	Tarmac
00/00	Tarmac
00/00	Tarmac

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.

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.^[2] 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".^[3] The following units were here at some point:^[4]

No. 485 Squadron RNZAF (1942)^[5]
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 (Target Towing) Flight RAF (April – May 1942) became No. 1493 (Fighter) Gunnery Flight RAF (May – November 1942)^[6]
No. 2898 Squadron RAF Regiment
No. 4117 Anti-Aircraft Flight 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.

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b Falconer 2012, p. 122.
^ 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.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 94.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 136.

Bibliography

Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
Jefford, C.G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.

Royal Air Force

Ministry of Defence

formations
and units

units	Commands Groups Wings Squadrons Flights Conversion units Operational Training units Schools / Training units Ferry units Glider units Misc units
stations	Active Former Satellite Landing Grounds
Regiment	Wings Squadrons Flights

branches and
components

reserve forces

equipment

personnel

appointments

symbols and uniform

associated civil
organisations

Royal Naval Air Stations

current

RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (1947-)
Predannack Airfield (1959-)
RNAS Merryfield (1956-58 & 1960-61 & 1972-)
RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) (1940-)

former UK

A	Abbotsinch (1943-63) Angle (HMS Goldcrest) (1943) Anthorn (HMS Nuthatch) (1944-58) Arbroath (HMS Condor) (1940-71) Ayr (HMS Wagtail) (1944-46)
B	Ballyhalbert (HMS Corncrake) (1945) Ballykelly (HMS Sealion) (1945-71) Bramcote (1946-58) Brawdy (HMS Goldcrest) (1946-71) Bungay (HMS Europa III) (1945-46) Burscough (HMS Ringtail) (1943-46) Bush Barn (1944)
C	Campbeltown (HMS Landrail II) (1940-45) Charlton Horethorne (HMS Heron II) (1943-45) Cowdray Park (1941-45) Crail (HMS Jackdaw) (1940-47) Culham (HMS Hornbill) (1944-53)
D	Dale (HMS Goldcrest) (1943-48) Donibristle (HMS Merlin) (1939-59) Dounreay (HMS Tern II) (1944-54) Drem (HMS Nighthawk) (1945-46) Dundee (HMS Condor II) (1941-44) Dunino (HMS Jackdaw II) (1942-46)
E	East Haven (HMS Peewit) (1943-46) Eastleigh (HMS Raven) (1939-46) Eglinton (HMS Gannet & HMS Sea Eagle) (1943-63) Evanton (1944-48)
F-G	Fearn (HMS Owl) (1942-46) Ford (HMS Peregrine) (1939-40 & 1945-48 & 1950-58) Gosport (HMS Siskin) (1945-56) Grimsetter (HMS Robin) (1943-45)
H	Haldon (HMS Heron II) (1941-43) Halesworth (HMS Sparrowhawk) (1945-46) Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) (1939-45) Henstridge (HMS Dipper) (1943-46 & 1959-54) Hinstock (HMS Godwit) (1942-47)
I-K	Inskip (HMS Nightjar) (1943-46) Kirkistown (HMS Corncrake II) (1945-46)
L	Lawrenny Ferry (HMS Daedalus II) (1942-43) Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus & HMS Ariel) (1939-96) Limavady (1945-?) Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar) (1945-72) Ludham (HMS Flycatcher) (1944-45) Lympne (HMS Buzzard & HMS Daedalus II) (1939-40)
M	Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) (1941-46 & 1951-52) Macmerry (1945-46) Maydown (HMS Shrike & HMS Gannet II) (1943-45) Middle Wallop (HMS Flycatcher) (1945-46) Milltown (HMS Fulmar II) (1946-72)
N-P	Nutts Corner (HMS Pintail) (1945-46) Peplow (HMS Godwit II) (1945-49) Portland (HMS Osprey) (1959-99) Prestwick (HMS Gannet) (1971-)
R	Crimond/Rattray/Rattray Head (HMS Merganser) (1944-46) Roborough (HMS Drake II) Ronaldsway (HMS Urley) (1944-46)
S	Sandbanks (HMS Daedalus II) (1940-43) St Davids (1947-61) St Merryn (HMS Vulture & HMS Curlew) (1940-52 & 1952-56) Skaebrae (HMS Tern II) Stretton (HMS Blackcap) (1942-58) Sydenham (1943-73)
T-Z	Toome (1947-54) Treligga (HMS Vulture II) (1939-55) Twatt (HMS Tern) (1941-57) Weston Park (HMS Godwit II) (1945) Woodvale (HMS Ringtail II) (1945-46) Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel & HMS Ariel II) (1939-50 & 1952-60) Zeals (HMS Hummingbird) (1945-46)