RAF Maghaberry

The airfield was closed following the end of World War II as part of the general military drawdown. With the cessation of hostilities, the vast network of temporary wartime airfields was no longer required for military operations.

The site of the former RAF Maghaberry is now occupied by Her Majesty's Prison Maghaberry, a high-security prison for Northern Ireland. The original airfield infrastructure, including runways and most taxiways, has been completely removed to accommodate the prison complex and surrounding development. Some faint outlines of the former perimeter track may be visible in the local road network, but the site is entirely repurposed and unrecognizable as an airfield.

RAF Maghaberry was a significant World War II airfield, opened in 1941. While initially an RAF station, its primary importance came from its use by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), who designated it as USAAF Station 239. Its main role was as a Combat Crew Replacement Center (CCRC) and a training station for the 8th Air Force. Bomber crews, particularly for B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator aircraft, received final training, processing, and familiarization here before being assigned to operational combat groups in England. The airfield played a crucial role in preparing thousands of American airmen for the strategic bombing campaign against Germany.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening RAF Maghaberry as an airport. The site is fully occupied by a major, operational high-security prison, making any aviation-related redevelopment impossible.