Maghaberry
MAGHABERRY: Military aerodrome, later gliding site
Military users: RAF & USAAF
Note: As this was a satellite for LONG KESH. Please see that entry for more details of RAF aircraft types likely to have been seen here.
RAF Coastal Command
5 OTU [Operational Training Unit] (Airspeed Oxfords, Bristol Beauforts, Handley Page Hampdens and Lockheed Hudsons & Venturas)
23 MU (Maintenance Unit)
USAAF 8th Air Force 27th Transport Group
Gliding: 1950s to 1970s (?) Ulster and Shorts Gliding Club
Manufacturing: WW2: Short Brothers - for Stirling bomber production
Location: 5nm W of Lisburn, 10nm south of Aldergrove
Period of operation: Military 1941 to 1946
Runways: 03/21 1006x46 hard 10/28 1372x46 hard
15/33 978x46 hard
NOTES: Many years ago, around the early 2000s, I made this note. "As with LONG KESH I haven’t yet discovered what went on here either but with 1959 RAF personnel plus 328 WAAFs listed as based here in late 1944, and although not a big base, it was obviously a pretty busy station during WW2. At the end of WW2 Short Stirlings were being flown here to be disposed of. Often crews were flown back in Stirlings to their base airfields but as these numbers dwindled C-47 Dakotas were also used."
In 2016 I discovered the Ulster Aviation Society web-site - which has added a lot of detail. Many thanks, and I trust my snippets are correctly added. Highly recommended for those desiring more information.
As so often the case with old aerodromes, in 1985 at least, it had become yet another HM Prison - and still is it seems
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
