RAF Sydenham
Former Royal Air Force station in County Antrim, Northern Ireland (1939–1970)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Royal Air Force Sydenham or more simply RAF Sydenham is a former Royal Air Force station in Northern Ireland. In the 1970s it was the main servicing base for Blackburn Buccaneer aircraft, employing 650 civilian workers.[1]
TypeRoyal Air Force station
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Royal Navy
Royal Navy
ControlledbyRAF Flying Training Command
Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
| RAF Sydenham RAF Belfast RNAS Belfast RNAY Belfast HMS Gadwell HMS Gannet III   | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast, County Antrim in Northern Ireland | |||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||
| Type | Royal Air Force station | ||||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry Admiralty | ||||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force Royal Navy | ||||||||
| Controlled by | RAF Flying Training Command Fleet Air Arm | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
  RAF Sydenham Shown within Northern Ireland  RAF Sydenham RAF Sydenham (the United Kingdom) | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 54°36′51″N 005°52′37″W | ||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||
| Built | 1939 | ||||||||
| In use | 1939-1970 | ||||||||
| Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II Cold War | ||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||
| Elevation | 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) AMSL | ||||||||
| |||||||||
History
The following units were posted there at some point:[2]
- Royal Navy
- 702 Naval Air Squadron
- 706 Naval Air Squadron
- 721 Naval Air Squadron
- 800 Naval Air Squadron
- 804 Naval Air Squadron
- 807 Naval Air Squadron
- 808 Naval Air Squadron
- 811 Naval Air Squadron
- 812 Naval Air Squadron
- 815 Naval Air Squadron
- 818 Naval Air Squadron
- 819 Naval Air Squadron
- 822 Naval Air Squadron
- 825 Naval Air Squadron
- 826 Naval Air Squadron
- 827 Naval Air Squadron
- 836 Naval Air Squadron
- 838 Naval Air Squadron
- 842 Naval Air Squadron
- 845 Naval Air Squadron
- 848 Naval Air Squadron
- 849 Naval Air Squadron
- 857 Naval Air Squadron
- 881 Naval Air Squadron
- 882 Naval Air Squadron
- 885 Naval Air Squadron
- 886 Naval Air Squadron
- 887 Naval Air Squadron
- 888 Naval Air Squadron
- 889 Naval Air Squadron
- 891 Naval Air Squadron
- 899 Naval Air Squadron
- 1772 Naval Air Squadron
- 1790 Naval Air Squadron
- 1830 Naval Air Squadron
- 1831 Naval Air Squadron
- 1833 Naval Air Squadron
- 1835 Naval Air Squadron
- 1836 Naval Air Squadron
- 1843 Naval Air Squadron
- 1850 Naval Air Squadron
- 1851 Naval Air Squadron
- 1852 Naval Air Squadron
- 870 Squadron RCN (VF-870)
- Royal Air Force
- Units
- No. 3 Civilian Fighter Control Co-operation Unit RAF (March 1957 – June 1958)[3]
- Detachment of No. 6 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF (1943)[4]
- No. 8 Ferry Pilots Pool ATA (March 1941 – May 1942) became No. 8 Ferry Pool ATA (May 1942 – August 1945)[5]
- No. 13 Air Experience Flight RAF between 8 September 1958 and 1973 then again between 31 March 1978 and 31 July 1976.[6]
- No. 23 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School RAF (September 1939)[7] became No. 24 Elementary Flying Training School RAF (September 1939 – February 1942)[8]
- No. 24 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School RAF (January – September 1939)[7] became No. 24 Elementary Flying Training School RAF (September 1939 – February 1942)[8]
- No. 75 (Bomber) Wing RAF between 27 and 30 June 1940 became SHQ Belfast[9]
- SHQ Belfast between 30 June 1940 and 10 February 1941 became No. 75 (Bomber) Wing RAF (February – April 1941)[9] became No. 31 Wing RAF (April – June 1941)[10]
- Station Defence Flight operated a Hawker Demon[9]
- No. 79 Wing Calibration Flight RAF
- No. 203 Gliding School RAF (September 1949 – November 1952)[11]
- Detachment of No. 1480 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF (September 1942)[12]
- No. 1494 (Target Towing) Flight RAF (April 1942 – April 1943)[13]
- Belfast University Air Squadron (8 January – 18 May 1941) became Queens University Air Squadron (18 May 1941 – 21 June 1943 & 31 March 1947 – January 1992)[14]
- RAF Northern Ireland Communication Flight RAF (October 1940 – October 1942 & December 1945 – December 1946)[15]
Current use
The site is now George Best Belfast City Airport.