Royal Air Force Limavady, or more simply RAF Limavady, is a former Royal Air Force station, also known as Aghanloo airfield, near the city of Derry, Northern Ireland.
| RAF Limavady RNAS Limavady   | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limavady, County Londonderry in Northern Ireland | |||||||||||
  RAF Limavady Shown within Northern Ireland  RAF Limavady RAF Limavady (the United Kingdom) | |||||||||||
| Coordinates | 55°04′23″N 006°56′15″W / 55.07306°N 6.93750°W | ||||||||||
| Type | Satellite Station | ||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry Admiralty | ||||||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force Royal Navy | ||||||||||
| Controlled by | RAF Coastal Command Fleet Air Arm | ||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||
| Built | 1940 | ||||||||||
| In use | 1940 - August 1945 | ||||||||||
| Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II Cold War | ||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||
| Elevation | 20 metres (66 ft)[1] AMSL | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
History
editThe station was built in 1940 during the Second World War. The airfield was part of RAF Coastal Command and was important in the fight against U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean.[2]
- Units
| Sqn | Aircraft | Joined | Departed | From → To | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Avro Anson I Bristol Beaufort I Lockheed Hudson V/III |
16 July 1940 | 20 October 1941 | RAF Hooton Park RAF Stornoway RAF Skitten |
On detachment initially from RAF Hooton Park then squadron moved to RAF Stornoway then on to RAF Skitten.[3] |
| 53 | Lockheed Hudson V | July 1941 | February 1942 | RAF Bircham Newton → RAF St Eval | On detachment then squadron moved to RAF St Eval and continued its detachment.[4] |
| 143 | Bristol Blenheim IV | 23 April 1942 | 11 June 1942 | RAF Aldergrove → RAF Thorney Island | Squadron move.[5] |
| 153 | Boulton Paul Defiant I Bristol Beaufighter IF |
October 1941 | December 1942 | RAF Ballyhalbert → RAF Portreath | On detachment.[6] |
| 172 | Vickers Wellington XIV | 1 September 1944 | 4 June 1945 | RAF Chivenor → DB | Squadron disbanded.[7] |
| 221 | Vickers Wellington IC | November 1940 | 25 December 1941 | RAF Bircham Newton → RAF Docking | On detachment from RAF Bircham Newton then from RAF Reykjavik.[8] |
| 224 | Lockheed Hudson II | 15 April 1941 | 20 December 1941 | RAF Leuchars → RAF St Eval | Squadron move.[9] |
| 245 | Hawker Hurricane I | 20 July 1940 | 1 September 1941 | RAF Aldergrove → RAF Chilbolton | On detachment.[10] |
| 281 | Supermarine Sea Otter | 31 March 1941 | 13 August 1945 | RAF Mullaghmore → RAF Ballykelly | Squadron move.[11] |
| 304 | Vickers Wellington XIII | 21 September 1944 | 6 March 1945 | RAF Benbecula → RAF St Eval | On detachment.[12] |
| 407 | Vickers Wellington XI | 29 January 1944 | 28 April 1944 | RAF Chivenor → RAF Chivenor | Squadron move.[13] |
| 500 | Bristol Blenheim IV | 30 May 1941 | 22 March 1942 | RAF Bircham Newton → RAF Stornoway | On detachment then squadron move.[14] |
| 502 | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley V | 27 January 1941 | 10 January 1942 | RAF Aldergrove → RAF Bircham Newton | Squadron move.[15] |
| 612 | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley V | 1 April 1941 | 15 December 1941 | RAF Wick → RAF Reykjavik | On detachment then squadron move.[16] |
| 811 Naval Air Squadron | 1944 | 1944 | [17] | ||
| 819 Naval Air Squadron | [17] | ||||
| 825 Naval Air Squadron | 1944 | 1944 | [17] | ||
| 846 Naval Air Squadron | 1944 | 1944 | [17] | ||
| 850 Naval Air Squadron | 1944 | 1944 | [17] |
The following units were also here at some point:
- No. 7 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (April 1942 - May 1944)[18]
- No. 22 Air Crew Holding Unit[17]
- No. 2754 Squadron RAF Regiment[17]
- Loran Training Unit RAF (April 1945) [19] became Coastal Command Anti U-Boat Devices School RAF (April - August 1945)[20]
During the Second World War the airfield was further used by the Fleet Air Arm when it was known as RNAS Limavady until 1958 when it was finally sold off.
Current use
editAfter it was vacated by the military, the site was partly converted into an industrial estate with the rest returning to agricultural purposes. The runways and taxiways can still be seen from aerial imagery.[21][22]
References
editCitations
edit- ^ Falconer 2012, p. 128.
- ^ "Move to preserve Limavady RAF buildings". Derry Journal. 29 June 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 44 (No. 48 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 45 (No. 53 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 64 (No. 143 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 65 (No. 153 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 67 (No. 172 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 75 (No. 221 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 75 (No. 224 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 79 (No. 245 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 85 (No. 281 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 87 (No. 304 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 91 (No. 407 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 95 (No. 500 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 96 (No. 502 Sqn)
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 101 (No. 612 Sqn)
- ^ a b c d e f g "Limavady". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 235.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 202.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 93.
- ^ "RAF Limavady airfield control tower WW2". www.controltowers.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ "Limavady". www.forgottenairfields.com. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
Bibliography
edit- Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
- Jefford, C G (2001). R.A.F Squadrons, A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
- Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.