Control Tower at RAF Ballyhalbert Ex WWII Airfield скачать в хорошем качестве

Control Tower at RAF Ballyhalbert Ex WWII Airfield

Royal Air Force Station Ballyhalbert or more simply RAF Ballyhalbert is a former Royal Air Force station at Ballyhalbert on the Ards Peninsula, County Down. I spent most of my childhood here as it is now a caravan park. I spent many days playing in and around this old control tower back in the late 1970's and early 80's. Back then the tower was not bricked up and you could just walk in and climb the stairs to the roof. I have vivid memories of hanging around here almost 40 years ago now !!! This is the first time I have visited back here in probably 25 years. The place hasn't changed much from the 70's. It opened provisionally in May 1941, prior to completion of the works, as a RAF Fighter Command base where the primary weapon was the Supermarine Spitfire, and officially on 28 June of that same year. The base provided local protection from Luftwaffe raids on Belfast and the rest of the province. Other aircraft operated from the base were the Hawker Hurricane, Bristol Beaufighter, North American P-51 Mustang and Boulton Paul Defiant night fighter. During its lifetime, Ballyhalbert was home to RAF, Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), British Army, Royal Navy and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) personnel. Servicemen from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Poland also saw duty at Ballyhalbert.