Lough Foyle

55°06'15"N 007°12'47"W

runway: n/a - water

Lough Foyle airfield (NAS Lough Foyle) was a seaplame base on the northwest bank of Lough Foyle in the north of Ireland
The airfield was built in 1918 and opened on 1 July 1918.
Lough Foyle was home to a US Navy air detachment, flying 7 Curtiss H-12 flying boats (identified as LF-1 through -7, with LF indicating 'Lough Foyle') to guard the north entrance to the Irish Sea against German U-boats during World War I. Their first patrol took place on 3 Sep 1918.
On 19 October 1918, Ensign George S. Montgomery, in seaplane LF-4, was escorting a 32-ship convoy when he sighted and successfully bombed a submarine apparently moving into position for an attack. Both bombs functioned, one striking 30 feet to the right of the periscope and the other ten feet forward, earning the pilot a "probably damaged" credit.

The airfield remained open for about two months after the war ended. Practice of the day was to keep patrolling in case a U-boat commander had not learned of the end of the war.
The Naval Air Station was closed and handed over to the Royal Navy on 22 February 1919. By then the Irish state was becoming independent however, so the Royal Navy never got to use it.
As there was (and still is) a dispute between the United Kingdom and Ireland about the exact location of the border in Lough Folyle, Ireland was never able to use the airfield either. 

The remains of the base are still visible in Google Earth. A platform and the jetty are still present.


former NAS Lough Foyle in 2005 (Google Earth)


Former NAS Lough Foyle in 2010 when the area had been cleaned up (Google Earth)