Ballyhalbert
BALLYHALBERT: Military aerodrome
Military users: RAF (Northern Ireland) Training Command
RAF Fighter Command
231 Sqdn (North American P-51 Mustang 1s)
303 & 315 (Polish) Sqdns (Vickers-Supermarine Spitfires)
Location: Approx. 15nm SE of Belfast City airport, 10nm SE of Newtownards
Period of operation: 1941 to 1946
Runways: 02/20 1048x46 hard 08/26 1828x46 hard
14/32 999x46 hard
NOTES: In WW2 the runway surfaces were listed as being tarmac with wood chippings. From what I have learnt this really was a really bad idea - but often adopted. It appears the idea was to try to camouflage runways by adding wood chippings - a ridiculous notion obviously dreamt up by fools who had never flown. It appears that when it rained these runways became the next best thing to landing on skating rinks.
Another point, and this is a very good example, is that when trying to identify the locations, especially of WW2 aerodromes, modern maps very often still display the outlines.
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