RAF Langford Lodge

Royal Air Force Langford Lodge or more simply RAF Langford Lodge is a former Royal Air Force station near Belfast, Northern Ireland. Today the airfield is owned by RLC (UK) a subsidiary of RLC Engineering Group which is headquartered in the Isle of Man. Langford Lodge is located on the eastern shores of Lough Neagh and close to RAF Aldergrove/Belfast International Airport and the former RAF Nutts Corner.

RAF Langford Lodge
No. 20 Satellite Landing Ground
Crumlin, County Antrim in Northern Ireland
RAF Langford Lodge
Shown within Northern Ireland
Coordinates54°37′10″N 6°18′00″W
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
Controlled byRAF Maintenance Command
Site history
Built1941 (1941)
In use1941-1953 (1953)
Battles/warsSecond World War
Airfield information
Runways
Direction Length and surface
00/00  Concrete
00/00  Concrete

The site was also known as No. 20 Satellite Landing Ground.

History

Opened in 1942 the base was an air depot for the United States Army Air Forces, as such thousands of aircraft were processed on their way to active service in Britain, North Africa, the Mediterranean and mainland Europe.

The following units were here at some point:[1]

  • No. 4 Air Navigation School RAF was formed here on 22 September 1952 but disbanded less than two months later on 15 November 1952[2]
  • No. 5 Air Navigation School RAF from 15 November 1952 until 31 January 1953 using Avro Ansons until it was disbanded[2]
  • No. 257 Maintenance Unit RAF

Langford Lodge was a target in Operation Grün (Ireland), a second front to Operation Sea Lion, which was the planned Nazi invasion of Britain. German paratroopers were to capture Langford Lodge, Aldergrove and Nutts Corner while RAF Long Kesh, Lisburn was to be destroyed.

Notably, on 2 March 1989 a Dan Air BAe 748 from Newcastle, bound for Belfast International Airport, mistakenly landed at Langford Lodge.

Today

Langford Lodge is currently home to two model flying clubs; Langford Model Aviation & Langford Model Heli Club.

Some of the wartime airfield facilities used to house the Ulster Aviation Society's Heritage Centre. Exhibits included a Blackburn Buccaneer, a Hawker Sea Hawk and a Westland Wessex. The Society has now moved out and is finding a new home for the collection.

There is a 6,200 feet (1,900 m) rocket sled track owned by Martin-Baker.

See also

References

Citations
  1. "Langford Lodge". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  2. Lake 1999, p. 19.

Bibliography
  • Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
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