RAF Langford Lodge
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
RAF Langford Lodge is a former Royal Air Force station near Belfast, Northern Ireland. Today the airfield is owned by Martin-Baker, the world's leading manufacturer of ejection seats.
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.
[edit] 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.
Langford Lodge was a target in Operation Grün (Ireland), a second front to Operation Sealion, 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.
Some of the wartime airfield facilities used to house the Ulster Aviation Society's Heritage Centre. Exhibits included a Blackburn Buccaneer and a Westland Wessex. The Society has now moved out and is finding a new home for the collection.
Notably, on 2 March 1989 a Dan Air BAe 748, bound for Belfast International Airport, mistakenly landed at Langford Lodge.
