Coulommiers – Voisins Aerodrome: Difference between revisions
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==History== |
==History== |
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Coulommiers Airport was built prior to [[World War II]] as a [[French Air Force]] base. |
Coulommiers Airport was built prior to [[World War II]] as a [[French Air Force]] base. The Armée de l'Air had stationed GC III/6 and GC III/7 at the airfield; GC III/6 was equipped with single-engine Morane MS406s fighter and GC III/7 with Bloch 220 fighers. With the outbreak of World War II in Septermber 1939, additonal squadrons of both French and [[Royal Air Force]] aircraft were assigned to Coulommiers, including RAF Supermarine Spitfires; various reconnaissance aircrft, and Dewoitine D-520 (GC I/3).<ref>[http://www.anciens-aerodromes.com/terrains%20aviations/coulommiers.htm History of Coulommiers Airfield]</ref> Combat forces from the airfield fought in the [[Battle of France]] during May and June 1940, until the final armistice with Germany of 20 June. |
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After the armistice, the airfield was seized by the German [[Luftwaffe]], and was used as a military airfield during the occupation. It was the home of Schnellkampfgeschwader 10, flying [[Focke-Wulf Fw 190]]A interceptor aircraft. It was the target of frequent attacks by Allied aircraft. It was attacked on 14 June 1944 by [[Eighth Air Force]] [[B-17 Flying Fortress]]es; and by [[IX Bomber Command]] [[B-26 Marauder]]s on 23 June. On 27 June over 30 [[P-51 Mustang]]s attacked the airfield on strafing runs.<ref>[http://www.peachmountain.com/5Star/Liberation_of_Coulommiers.aspx Liberation of Coulommiers, France, August 27, 1944]</ref> |
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It was liberated by Allied ground forces about 1 September 1944 during the Northern France Campaign. Almost immediately, the [[United States Army Air Force]] IX Engineering Command 825th Engineer Aviation Battalion cleared the airport of mines and destroyed Luftwaffe aircraft. Coulommiers Airfield became a USAAF [[Ninth Air Force]] combat airfield, designated as "A-58" after about one week of reconstruction on 8 September with two 6000' concrete runways fully operational.<ref>Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.</ref><ref>[http://www.ixengineercommand.com/airfields/physical.php IX Engineer Command ETO Airfields, Airfield Layout]</ref> |
It was liberated by Allied ground forces about 1 September 1944 during the Northern France Campaign. Almost immediately, the [[United States Army Air Force]] IX Engineering Command 825th Engineer Aviation Battalion cleared the airport of mines and destroyed Luftwaffe aircraft. Coulommiers Airfield became a USAAF [[Ninth Air Force]] combat airfield, designated as "A-58" after about one week of reconstruction on 8 September with two 6000' concrete runways fully operational.<ref>Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.</ref><ref>[http://www.ixengineercommand.com/airfields/physical.php IX Engineer Command ETO Airfields, Airfield Layout]</ref> |
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Revision as of 01:38, 25 September 2009
Coulommiers-Voisins Airport | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Coulommiers, France | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 470 ft / 143 m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 48°50′15″N 003°00′58″E / 48.83750°N 3.01611°E | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
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Coulommiers Airport (ICAO: LFPK) is a regional airport in France, located 4 miles (6.4 km) west-northwest of Coulommiers; 34 miles (55 km) west of Paris
It supports general aviation with no commercial airline service scheduled.
History
Coulommiers Airport was built prior to World War II as a French Air Force base. The Armée de l'Air had stationed GC III/6 and GC III/7 at the airfield; GC III/6 was equipped with single-engine Morane MS406s fighter and GC III/7 with Bloch 220 fighers. With the outbreak of World War II in Septermber 1939, additonal squadrons of both French and Royal Air Force aircraft were assigned to Coulommiers, including RAF Supermarine Spitfires; various reconnaissance aircrft, and Dewoitine D-520 (GC I/3).[1] Combat forces from the airfield fought in the Battle of France during May and June 1940, until the final armistice with Germany of 20 June.
After the armistice, the airfield was seized by the German Luftwaffe, and was used as a military airfield during the occupation. It was the home of Schnellkampfgeschwader 10, flying Focke-Wulf Fw 190A interceptor aircraft. It was the target of frequent attacks by Allied aircraft. It was attacked on 14 June 1944 by Eighth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses; and by IX Bomber Command B-26 Marauders on 23 June. On 27 June over 30 P-51 Mustangs attacked the airfield on strafing runs.[2]
It was liberated by Allied ground forces about 1 September 1944 during the Northern France Campaign. Almost immediately, the United States Army Air Force IX Engineering Command 825th Engineer Aviation Battalion cleared the airport of mines and destroyed Luftwaffe aircraft. Coulommiers Airfield became a USAAF Ninth Air Force combat airfield, designated as "A-58" after about one week of reconstruction on 8 September with two 6000' concrete runways fully operational.[3][4]
Under American control, the airfield was assigned to Ninth Air Force, with the following combat units assigned:
- 425th Night Fighter Squadron, 11 Sep-13 Oct 1944 (P-61 Black Widow)
- 410th Bombardment Group, Sep 1944-Feb 1945 (A-20 Havoc)
The combat unit then moved east along with the Allied lines and the airport became transport airfield, hosting C-47 Skytrains of the 437th Troop Carrier Group from Feburary until the summer of 1945, after end of the war. The Americans returned full control of the airport to French authorities on 8 August 1945.[5]
Postwar
After the war, it appears that the French Air Force closed the facility and it was abandoned for many years. In aerial photography the prewar French Air Force base is very evident with two circular marguerite systems of aircraft hardstands; numerous end of runway alert pads and both wartime concrete runways at their full length and width. A significant number of wartime taxiways, connecting the margueries and runways also exist, the concrete appearing to be greater than 60 years old, with expansion joints separating the poured sections quite evident, but surprisingly well intact. Large numbers of Eighth Air Force bomb craters on both the 09/27 primary and the 04/22 secondary runways are quite evident by the concrete patches applied by the Air Force combat engineers in 1944. Numerous bomb craters are also in the grass areas around the margueries. In additon, it appears that the American combat engineers resurfaced a significant amount of taxiways and dispersal pads connected to the runways with Prefabricated Hessian Surfacing (PHS) which remains today, in a deteriorated state.
What appears to be the prewar French Air Force barracks and support buildings appear to be in various states of disrepair with overgrown vegetation and very tall trees that once lined the roads in a neat, military manner. A large number of bomb craters appear in the remains, with some buildings being in use, probably as agricultural buildings. The communes of Giremoutiers and Corbeville are attached to this area.
The current airport has been overlaid on the remains of the wartime airfield, with the main 09/27 runway 4600' in length being a fresh asphalt overlay on the wartime concrete runway. An asphalt taxiway is also overlaid over a wartime taxiway, with modern hangars and a terminal on the south side of the airfield. Two short grass runways were constructed over the wartime airfield, used for gliders and light aircraft. Modern navigational aids are available and the facility is well maintained.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ History of Coulommiers Airfield
- ^ Liberation of Coulommiers, France, August 27, 1944
- ^ Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
- ^ IX Engineer Command ETO Airfields, Airfield Layout
- ^ Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
External links
- Coulommiers Airfield History (In French)
- Airport information for LFPK at Great Circle Mapper.
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