Long Kesh
LONG KESH: Military aerodrome Later civil airfield
Note: These three pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©.
The third picture is of the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance HQ which is situated just outside the airfield boundary on the north east side.
Military users: WW2: RAF Bomber Command 2 Group (Army co-operation duties)
88, 226, 231 & 651 Sqdns (Auster -Taylorcraft, Bristol Blenheims, Curtiss Tomahawks, Douglas Bostons and Westland Lysanders)
Note: Many if not all of these types might also have used the RLG (Relief Landing Ground) at MAGHBERRY just a few miles further west.
At one point it appears that 74 Squadron were based here with their Vickers-Supermarine Spitfires.
290 Sqdn (Airspeed Oxfords & Miles Martinets)
306 FTU (any info?)
1494 TTF (Target Towing Flight)
RAF Coastal Command
5 OTU [Operational Training Unit] (Airspeed Oxfords, Bristol Beauforts, Handley Page Hampdens, Lockheed Hudsons and Venturas)
U S NAVY (Lockheed Electras)*
Post WW2: It appears that from September to late December 1945 the Communications Flight for H.Q. Northern Ireland was based here.
Gliding: It seems that, as well as at nearby MAGHABERRY, the Ulster and Shorts Gliding Club were operating from here, possibly from the 1950s to the 1970s?
Manufacturing: WW2: Short & Harland For production of Stirling heavy bombers
Location: 2nm SW of Lisburn
Period of operation: Military 1941 to 1948 Possibly civil later; Any details known?
Runways: WW2: Originally grass airfield?
Later: 09/27 1417x46 hard 16/34 1088x46 hard
02/20 1006x46 hard
NOTES: Many years ago I made this note. "I’ve yet to discover what exactly went on here but in 1944 with 3838 RAF personnel listed as being on station plus 389 WAAFs this was obviously a pretty major base in its day. Like so many old RAF aerodromes it later became the site for yet another HM prison." This being the Maze prison which became notorious during 'The Troubles'.
However, in early 2016 I discovered the Ulster Aviation Society web-site - which has added much more information. Many thanks and I trust the snippets added are correct. Highly recommended for more detailed information.
MANUFACTURING
In his excellent book British Built Aircraft Vol.5 Ron Smith describes how Miles Messengers were built in Banbridge towards the end of WW2 and taken here for assembly and test flying. He says the first of these was G-ALAC which flew in August 1945. He goes on to say, “Production was moved in 1946 to a new factory at Ards Airport, Newtownwards (Belfast), run by Miles Aircraft (Northern Ireland) Ltd.”
A SHUTTLE SERVICE
*It appears that during WW2 the U.S. Navy had set up basically a passenger service for senior U.S. Navy personnel from HENDON (LONDON) to EGLINTON, calling in via LONG KESH flying Lockheed Electras.
AN OPEN DAY
In 2013 the Ulster Aviation Society Collection were holding an ‘Open Day’.
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