RNAS Maydown - HMS Shrike
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2019 7:46 pm
RNAS Maydown (HMS Shrike)
Caption reads:- RNAS Maydown (with HMS Ferret showing on the Foyle to the rear)
The station was used by FAA squadrons whilst not on board their ships. There was also a Anti submarine Tactical School.
The airfield was built in 1941 and opened as a satellite station to nearby Eglinton in 1942. It served as a USAAF airfield between August and Dec 1942. 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. 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.
Source of excerpt above is History Hub Ulster
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See also the following excerpt from Living Legacies 1914-18:-
Description of the site: RAF Maydown, also known as RNAS Maydown, HMS Shrike, HMS Gannet II, was built in 1941, officially opening as a ‘satellite’ station to nearby RAF Eglinton in the summer of 1942. The USAAF took occupation of the airfield between August and Dec 1942 before it was transferred to the Royal Navy on the 1st May 1943, to become RNAS Maydown/HMS Shrike.
Under the command of the Royal Navy, the airfield provided aircraft and personnel to merchant aircraft carriers which came into being in 1943 to deliver air cover for the Atlantic Convoys. However, having only two runways and no room for expansion the airfield was overlooked for development, continuing to operate on a minimum cadre until disbandment, May 1945
Operations at Maydown resumed briefly in March 1946 when it became home to Fleet Air Arm squadrons until 1947, finally being closed to flying in January 1949.
The airfield was sold off to become an industrial estate (Maydown Industrial Estate), with only portions of the perimeter track and the runways identifiable.
Caption reads:- RNAS Maydown (with HMS Ferret showing on the Foyle to the rear)
The station was used by FAA squadrons whilst not on board their ships. There was also a Anti submarine Tactical School.
The airfield was built in 1941 and opened as a satellite station to nearby Eglinton in 1942. It served as a USAAF airfield between August and Dec 1942. 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. 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.
Source of excerpt above is History Hub Ulster
----------------------------------------------------------------
See also the following excerpt from Living Legacies 1914-18:-
Description of the site: RAF Maydown, also known as RNAS Maydown, HMS Shrike, HMS Gannet II, was built in 1941, officially opening as a ‘satellite’ station to nearby RAF Eglinton in the summer of 1942. The USAAF took occupation of the airfield between August and Dec 1942 before it was transferred to the Royal Navy on the 1st May 1943, to become RNAS Maydown/HMS Shrike.
Under the command of the Royal Navy, the airfield provided aircraft and personnel to merchant aircraft carriers which came into being in 1943 to deliver air cover for the Atlantic Convoys. However, having only two runways and no room for expansion the airfield was overlooked for development, continuing to operate on a minimum cadre until disbandment, May 1945
Operations at Maydown resumed briefly in March 1946 when it became home to Fleet Air Arm squadrons until 1947, finally being closed to flying in January 1949.
The airfield was sold off to become an industrial estate (Maydown Industrial Estate), with only portions of the perimeter track and the runways identifiable.