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ACQUISITION |
Lodger facilities at RAF Station Sydenham
Transferred
to Admiralty control June 1943. |
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COMMISSIONED |
21 June 1943 as H.M.S. GADWALL, accounts 'on Books of
CAROLINE'. Independent command bearing own accounts from
01 October 1944.
01 May 1946 Re-Commissioned as H.M.S.
GANNET III
Became civilian manned facility from 1959. |
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PAID OFF |
30 April 1946 9As GADWALL)
31 May 1959 (GANNET III). |
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CLOSED |
02 July 1973 returned to R.A.F. control. |
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C.O. |
Commander
(P) H. Wright RN 16 June 1943
Commander (P) M.C. Pascoe (ret)
10.02.44
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FUNCTION |
Aircraft Maintenance Yard
Facilities for the
embarkation and disembarkation of aircraft.
Reserve aircraft storage
Support for disembarked squadrons |
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ADDRESS |
R.N. Air Station
Belfast,
Northern Ireland |
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LOCALITY
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The airfield is built on a level expanse of land forming
the E. side of Belfast Docks between the coastal railway
and the sea wall.
Sydenham railway station adjoins its
SE. corner. |
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LANDMARKS |
Belfast Lough, with the harbour and city of Belfast art its
head.
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ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS |
Direct road and railway communications with Belfast. |
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CONTROL |
Control Building on SE. side of airfield, inside
perimeter track near 42 end of runway 14/32. A.T.C.
civilian manned 9730 - sunset daily.
Ground signals
area adjacent NW. of Control building, |
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ELEVATION |
18 ' above M.S.L.
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RUNWAYS |
Two, concrete
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Extensibility |
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05/23 |
QDM. 146°
-226°
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1100 x 67 yds. |
Subject to land reclamation
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14/32 |
QDM. 143°
-323°
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1100 x 67 yds. |
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Original runway realigned when second
pier was built in 1945: |
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13/31 |
QDM. 133°
-313°
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1100 x 67 yds. |
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TRACKS |
50' perimeter track.
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OBSTRUCTIONS |
Navigation |
Mountain range with summit 1.574 ft, distant 5 miles W.
Land rising to over 600 ft. within 1½
miles E. |
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Circuit |
Land rising to over 200 ft. within 2.000 yds.s
E. |
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Approach |
Electricity Gris pylons 1,000 yds. from SW. end of
runway 05/23.
Railway 59 yds. from SE end of runway
14/32. |
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APPROACH |
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WIND INDICATOR |
Two windsock, one NW, side and one near Control
building. |
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HOMING - VISUAL |
By day |
None. |
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By night |
None.
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HOMING--RADIO |
D/F |
None. but M/F. post war. |
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Beacons |
None.
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APPROACH - VISUAL |
By day |
None. |
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By night |
None.
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APPROACH - RADIO |
Airfield and Approach controls on 6440 and 117.9
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COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT |
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M/F & H/F |
2 transmitters, 1 receivers. |
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VH/F |
? transmitters, ? receivers.
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CALL SIGNS |
R/T |
BELFAST |
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W/T |
MAK |
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Identity letters |
BE |
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GROUND RADAR |
None. |
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ACCOMMODATION |
Living quarters at S. corner of the airfield and in
Victoria Park, adjacent SW.
Capacity:
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Officers: |
58 |
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Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings: |
440 |
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W.R.N.S. Officers: |
6 |
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W.R.N.S. Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings; |
125 |
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ARMOURIES |
To accommodate approx 1½
squadrons.
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COMPASS BASE |
One, in A.M.Y., diameter 70'.
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DISPERSAL |
8 A/C standings off perimeter track on E. side and 9 on
N. side.
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HANGARS |
Hangars in four main sites - Squadron on SW. side,
Storage on NE and SW. side, Receipt & Despatch on W.
side, and Class B repair yard on E. Side.
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Number /Type |
Size |
Door Height |
Door Width |
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1 x Bellman (Squadron) |
176' x 95' |
25' |
90' |
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1 x Bellman (Squadron) |
210' x 82' |
20' |
200' |
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7 x Mains (Storage) |
60' x 70' |
17' |
55' |
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4 Fromson (Receipt & Despatch) |
92' x 70' |
17' |
55' |
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1 x T.2 (Receipt & Despatch) |
240' x 114' |
25' |
113' 6" |
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1 x T.2 (Air yard) |
240' x 114' |
25' |
113' 6" |
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5 x Pentad (Repair yard) |
185' x105' |
25' |
105' |
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8 x Workshops |
84' x 60' |
10' |
10' |
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4 x Bessonneau
temporary hangers used to
aircraft assembly at the disembarkation site. |
138' x 64' 10'' |
13' 2''
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64' 10' |
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MEDICAL |
Sick Bay on S. side of airfield, near hangars.
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METEOROLOGICAL |
Meteorological office in the Control building. Fill
meteorological service by Naval personnel available.
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FUEL AND OIL |
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Aviation: |
Storage for 4,000 gallons. All grades available. |
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M/T: |
1.200 gallons |
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Oil : |
No permanent storage. |
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TEST BASE |
Proposed but not built.
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TEST BUTT |
M.G. range on SE. side of airfield.
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WORKSHOPS |
R.N.A.M.Y. facilities.
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VISITORS |
Visitors parking area behind Control Building.
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EXPLOSIVES |
No known. Practice stocks to provision 2 T.B.R. and 1
F.R. squadron to be held.
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BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES |
Wartime only |
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Air to air |
One. |
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A/S bombing |
One. |
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Information taken from CB 4368 B. Admiralty Handbook
of Naval Air Stations Aug. 45 & BR. 1807 Admiralty Handbook
of Royal Naval Air Stations Home and Abroad. Mar. 1949 Sep. 1955 |
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List of first and second line squadrons, station
flight and other flying units based at this location |
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702
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706
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721
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800 |
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804 |
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807 |
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808 |
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811 |
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812 |
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813 |
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815 |
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818 |
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819 |
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822 |
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85 |
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826 |
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827 |
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835 |
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836 |
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836M |
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838 |
Torpedo, Bomber and Reconnaissance Squadron
Disembarked from
H.M.S. ACTIVITY 30.07.43.
Embarked in MAC ship MV RAPANA 02.08.43.
Equipped with 4 Swordfish 1s.
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842 |
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845 |
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848 |
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849 |
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857 |
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870 |
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881 |
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882 |
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885 |
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886 |
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887 |
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888 |
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889 |
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891 |
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899 |
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1772 |
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1790 |
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1830 |
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1831 |
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1833 |
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1835 |
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1836 |
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1843 |
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1850 |
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1851 |
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1852 |
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PAGE UNDER
CONSTRUCTION
Click here for a list of
Primary sources
Additional sources:
Admiralty Fleet Orders:
4877/44 R.N. Air Station, Belfast - Accounting
Arrangements.
Confidential Admiralty Fleet Orders:
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June 1943 - April 1946
1957 - 73
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View Larger Map
Overhead view of RNAS Belfast taken November 1945. (Part of
Plate 6 BR. 1807 Admiralty Handbook of Royal Naval Air Stations
Home and Abroad. March 1949)
RCN Sea Furies being loaded aboard HMCS Magnificent 24 May 1948.
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