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- Jan 6, 2013
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1. The History
Royal Air Force Station Limavady or more simply RAF Limavady is a former Royal Air Force station. Also known as Aghanloo airfield, it is near the city of Derry, Northern Ireland. The location for RAF Limavady was agreed in 1938, when the site was selected as an Armament Training Station (ATS). The first recorded use was by 502 Squadron and their Whitleys on anti-submarine patrols in December 1940. They had the distinction of being the first operational unit to be equipped with the new long range ASV (air-to-surface vessel) radar. Later 224 Sqn Hudsons and 221 Sqn Wellingtons were stationed here.
RAF Limavady from the air, September 1943:
RAF Limavady by HughieDW, on Flickr
In 1942 operational flying ceased for a two-year period. It was then used as a pilot training centre with Wellington and Ansons. In April 1942, General Reconnaissance training (GR) and Air-to-Surface Vessel (ASV) training became the norm, and operational squadrons withdrawn to be replaced by Operational Training Unit (OTU), until January 1944.
In 1944 the airfield returned to operational status and 172, 407 and 612 Sqds flew anti-submarine patrols. The airfield was notorious for its high accident In one incident alone in 1943, three aircraft were lost. Bad weather and its proximity to Benevenagh Mountain , accounted for many of these accidents.
The RAF left the airfield on a5th August 1945 and after the Second World War the airfield was further used by the Fleet Air Arm when it was known as RNAS Limavady until 1958, after which it was finally sold off. The site was partly converted into an industrial estate with the rest returning to agricultural purposes. The runways and taxi-ways can still be seen from aerial imagery
Notable structures that remain until today is a Type 518/40 control tower and an anti-Aircraft Gunner Dome. The later was used to project, onto the roof of the dome, a film of an approaching aircraft. The Gunner was trained to "Aim-Off" to ensure that he hit the aircraft.
2. The Explore
A nice relaxed explore on the first day of year. Easy access and loads there left still to see made this an enjoyable winter morning explore. Didn’t see a soul around, just some guard dogs barking in a nearby industrial compound. Wished I’d had more time to cover the site more thoroughly as it was large. Nice to see a WWII airfield with some much left to see. Get the feeling that if was in England it would have been smashed up.
3. The Pictures
Limavady 09 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Limavady 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Limavady 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Limavady 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Limavady 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0521 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0498 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0497 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0505 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The anti-Aircraft Gunner Dome
img0501 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0495 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0473 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The watch tower was the best thing here:
img0493 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Limavady 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Limavady 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0480 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Electrics from WWII still in situ. Never seen this in a watch tower before:
Limavady 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0486 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Limavady 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0487 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0483 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0482 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0481 by HughieDW, on Flickr
One of two remaining hangers:
img0516 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And the other;
img0509 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Part of the old runway:
img0517 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A couple of outlining huts:
img0515 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0514 by HughieDW, on Flickr
An old water tower located slightly away from the main site:
img0519 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Royal Air Force Station Limavady or more simply RAF Limavady is a former Royal Air Force station. Also known as Aghanloo airfield, it is near the city of Derry, Northern Ireland. The location for RAF Limavady was agreed in 1938, when the site was selected as an Armament Training Station (ATS). The first recorded use was by 502 Squadron and their Whitleys on anti-submarine patrols in December 1940. They had the distinction of being the first operational unit to be equipped with the new long range ASV (air-to-surface vessel) radar. Later 224 Sqn Hudsons and 221 Sqn Wellingtons were stationed here.
RAF Limavady from the air, September 1943:
![31945324177_9f8bede349_b.jpg 31945324177_9f8bede349_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249732-31945324177-9f8bede349-b.jpg)
In 1942 operational flying ceased for a two-year period. It was then used as a pilot training centre with Wellington and Ansons. In April 1942, General Reconnaissance training (GR) and Air-to-Surface Vessel (ASV) training became the norm, and operational squadrons withdrawn to be replaced by Operational Training Unit (OTU), until January 1944.
In 1944 the airfield returned to operational status and 172, 407 and 612 Sqds flew anti-submarine patrols. The airfield was notorious for its high accident In one incident alone in 1943, three aircraft were lost. Bad weather and its proximity to Benevenagh Mountain , accounted for many of these accidents.
The RAF left the airfield on a5th August 1945 and after the Second World War the airfield was further used by the Fleet Air Arm when it was known as RNAS Limavady until 1958, after which it was finally sold off. The site was partly converted into an industrial estate with the rest returning to agricultural purposes. The runways and taxi-ways can still be seen from aerial imagery
Notable structures that remain until today is a Type 518/40 control tower and an anti-Aircraft Gunner Dome. The later was used to project, onto the roof of the dome, a film of an approaching aircraft. The Gunner was trained to "Aim-Off" to ensure that he hit the aircraft.
2. The Explore
A nice relaxed explore on the first day of year. Easy access and loads there left still to see made this an enjoyable winter morning explore. Didn’t see a soul around, just some guard dogs barking in a nearby industrial compound. Wished I’d had more time to cover the site more thoroughly as it was large. Nice to see a WWII airfield with some much left to see. Get the feeling that if was in England it would have been smashed up.
3. The Pictures
![45969967364_4015a90c62_b.jpg 45969967364_4015a90c62_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249733-45969967364-4015a90c62-b.jpg)
![32819845408_1a7a92eb5b_b.jpg 32819845408_1a7a92eb5b_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249734-32819845408-1a7a92eb5b-b.jpg)
![32819862838_9c67e7d795_b.jpg 32819862838_9c67e7d795_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249735-32819862838-9c67e7d795-b.jpg)
![45970019364_e8290f5410_b.jpg 45970019364_e8290f5410_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249736-45970019364-e8290f5410-b.jpg)
![32819891038_bc4a6f8492_b.jpg 32819891038_bc4a6f8492_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249737-32819891038-bc4a6f8492-b.jpg)
![32784575978_03f0a1c0e8_b.jpg 32784575978_03f0a1c0e8_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249738-32784575978-03f0a1c0e8-b.jpg)
![46606876052_6f22f680fd_b.jpg 46606876052_6f22f680fd_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249739-46606876052-6f22f680fd-b.jpg)
![45934663634_d1ba2f7b4d_b.jpg 45934663634_d1ba2f7b4d_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249740-45934663634-d1ba2f7b4d-b.jpg)
![32784770408_11e20e8973_b.jpg 32784770408_11e20e8973_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249741-32784770408-11e20e8973-b.jpg)
The anti-Aircraft Gunner Dome
![46659481381_c80748c863_b.jpg 46659481381_c80748c863_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249742-46659481381-c80748c863-b.jpg)
![31717975727_cf4b0fbf39_b.jpg 31717975727_cf4b0fbf39_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249743-31717975727-cf4b0fbf39-b.jpg)
![45934939434_0d2714079f_b.jpg 45934939434_0d2714079f_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249744-45934939434-0d2714079f-b.jpg)
The watch tower was the best thing here:
![31717997577_f70f291231_b.jpg 31717997577_f70f291231_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249745-31717997577-f70f291231-b.jpg)
![46641909132_3f8aec7bc2_b.jpg 46641909132_3f8aec7bc2_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249746-46641909132-3f8aec7bc2-b.jpg)
![45779485195_bca958c07a_b.jpg 45779485195_bca958c07a_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249747-45779485195-bca958c07a-b.jpg)
![31718151857_cf43be1c82_b.jpg 31718151857_cf43be1c82_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249748-31718151857-cf43be1c82-b.jpg)
Electrics from WWII still in situ. Never seen this in a watch tower before:
![32819905828_d32bb48ef8_b.jpg 32819905828_d32bb48ef8_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249749-32819905828-d32bb48ef8-b.jpg)
![39694653883_6f27aceb62_b.jpg 39694653883_6f27aceb62_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249750-39694653883-6f27aceb62-b.jpg)
![46641891002_21cec0034e_b.jpg 46641891002_21cec0034e_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249751-46641891002-21cec0034e-b.jpg)
![31718041627_6797ff018c_b.jpg 31718041627_6797ff018c_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249752-31718041627-6797ff018c-b.jpg)
![45934838724_26bfa4fd74_b.jpg 45934838724_26bfa4fd74_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249753-45934838724-26bfa4fd74-b.jpg)
![32785005738_994029f9dc_b.jpg 32785005738_994029f9dc_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249754-32785005738-994029f9dc-b.jpg)
![45744621775_b9b9498f75_b.jpg 45744621775_b9b9498f75_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249755-45744621775-b9b9498f75-b.jpg)
One of two remaining hangers:
![39694309333_36ba07b12d_b.jpg 39694309333_36ba07b12d_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249756-39694309333-36ba07b12d-b.jpg)
And the other;
![31717842737_118b4f26e8_b.jpg 31717842737_118b4f26e8_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249757-31717842737-118b4f26e8-b.jpg)
Part of the old runway:
![45744189835_069a9d33ab_b.jpg 45744189835_069a9d33ab_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249758-45744189835-069a9d33ab-b.jpg)
A couple of outlining huts:
![32784662888_859c1ceb18_b.jpg 32784662888_859c1ceb18_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249759-32784662888-859c1ceb18-b.jpg)
![46606727222_2533fa8f2a_b.jpg 46606727222_2533fa8f2a_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249760-46606727222-2533fa8f2a-b.jpg)
An old water tower located slightly away from the main site:
![45934423504_1104409427_b.jpg 45934423504_1104409427_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/249/249761-45934423504-1104409427-b.jpg)