Maydown

55°02'06"N 007°14'13"W

Runway: 00/18 - 0000meters/1350yds - asphalt
Runway: 07/25 - 0000meters/1650yds - asphalt

Maydown airfield (RAF Maydown, also known as RNAS Maydown, HMS Shrike, HMS Gannet II, or 17SLG) was an airfield 95 kilometers northwest of Belfast.
The airfield was built in 1941 and opened as a satellite station to nearby R.A.F. Eglinton in 1942. It served as a USAAF airfield between August and Dec 1942, hosting 2FS/52FG (Spitfires) in August and 97FS/82FG between October and December. It was transferred to the Royal Navy on 1 May 1943 to become RNAS Maydown/HMS Shrike. With the Royal Navy it served by providing aircraft and personnel to the Merchant Aircraft Carriers which became operational in 1943 to provide air cover for the Atlantic Convoys.
Many FAA squadrons served from the airfield, flying Walrus, Swordfish, Seafires, Barracudas, Avengers, Wildcats and Corsairs between February 1943 and July 1945. After July 1945 the airfield must have closed for a while, as I could not trace any units assigned during that time. From March 1946 it was home to 3 FAA squadrons, however. 807Sqn arrived on 18 March 1946 and its Seafires remained until 18 May. A detachment of 744Sqn arrived on 1 May 1946, and remained until 27 January 1947. Last in and last to leave were the Seafires of 804Sqn, arriving on 1 October 1946 and leaving on 7 February 1947.


Fairy Swordfish of 860 Sqn parked at RNAS Maydown (ww2talk.com).


Birds eye view of RNAS Maydown during World War II (ww2talk.com).


Overview of RNAS Maydown during World War II (ww2talk.com).

The airfield was closed later in 1947. The airfield was sold off to become an industrial estate (Maydown Industrial Estate) at some point. In 1958 chemical giant DuPont set up a neoprene plant at the disused airfield. The plant has grown into one of only three facilities worldwide that produces Kevlar, as well as Lycra. Since, the site has expanded, and eaten up most of the airfield. Several large portions, mainly of the runways, are still recognisable however.
It appears that no airfield buildings have survived.


Overview of the Maydown industrial Estate in 2010. Major portions of the runways remain visible in this Google Earth image.