Juvincourt Airfield: Difference between revisions
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==History== |
==History== |
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Built during 1938 and 1939 as a [[French Air Force]] facility. Juvincourt Airfield consisted of a grass airfield |
Built during 1938 and 1939 as a [[French Air Force]] facility. Juvincourt Airfield consisted of a grass airfield with three small grass subfields associated with it:<ref name="juv1">[http://www.anciens-aerodromes.com/terrains%20aviations/Juvincourt.htm History of Juvincourt Airfield]</ref> |
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* Amifontaine {{Coord|49|49|54|N|003|57|08|E|}} |
* Amifontaine {{Coord|49|49|54|N|003|57|08|E|}} |
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* Guignicourt {{Coord|49|26|49|N|003|56|08|E|}} |
* Guignicourt {{Coord|49|26|49|N|003|56|08|E|}} |
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It is undetermined which French units and aircraft were assigned to the airfield. After [[World War II]] broke out in September 1939, the [[Royal Air Force]] sent 16 [[Fairey Battle]]s of 76 Wing, 142 Squadron to Proviseux (Berry-au-Bac).<ref>[http://france1940.free.fr/uk/raf_may.html Royal Air Force Order of Battle, France, 10th May 1940]</ref> |
It is undetermined which French units and aircraft were assigned to the airfield. After [[World War II]] broke out in September 1939, the [[Royal Air Force]] sent 16 [[Fairey Battle]]s of 76 Wing, 142 Squadron to Proviseux (Berry-au-Bac).<ref>[http://france1940.free.fr/uk/raf_may.html Royal Air Force Order of Battle, France, 10th May 1940]</ref> |
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| ⚫ | It was seized by the Germans in June 1940 during the [[Battle of France]], and was the largest [[Luftwaffe]] military airfield in France during the occupation, and had more than 300 aircraft assigned.<ref>]http://www.archiv-oberaussem.com/juvincourt/doku.php?id=start Der Flugplatz Juvincourt, 1939-1945]</ref> |
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Under Luftwaffe control, the airfield was vastly expanded. Three concrete runways (17/35) 5300' (1610 m); (09/27), 5280' (1600 m) and (05/23) 6500' (1980 m)<ref name="juv1"/>. Known German units assigned were:<ref name="juv1"/> |
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* KG 77 with Stab I. et II./ Gruppe March-June 1941, [[Junkers Ju 88]]A |
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The airfield was attacked on several occasions by [[United States Army Air Force]] [[Eighth Air Force]] heavy bombers and later by [[IX Bomber Command]] [[B-26 Marauder]] medium bombers, the airfield was liberated by by Allied Forces in early September 1944. Once in American hands, combat engineers of the IX Engineering Command 820th Engineer Aviation Regiment repaired the damaged airfield and declared it operationally ready for combat units on 7 September, only a few days after its capture from German forces, being designated as "[[Juvincourt Airfield|A-68]]"<ref>[http://www.ixengineercommand.com/airfields/general.php IX Engineering Command Advanced Landing Grounds]</ref> |
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* KG 2 with IV. / Gruppe 13 June 1941 to January 1942, [[Dornier Do 17]]Z and [[Dornier Do 217]] |
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* KG 54 with the I / Gruppe June 6 to July 27, 1944, [[Junkers Ju 88]] |
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* KG 51 with the I / Gruppe August 27 to August 28, 1944, [[Messerschmitt Me 262]] |
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* E insatzkommando Schenck of 22 to 28 August 1944, [[Messerschmitt Me 262]] |
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* Luftbeobachtungsstaffel 4 (Observation Squadron), formed on 1 May 1944 was stationed on the base until June 1944, [[Messerschmitt Bf 110]] and [[Junkers Ju 88]] |
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* JG 11 with the II. / Gruppe of 16 to 17 August 1944, [Messerschmitt Bf 109]]G |
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* NJG 4 with III. / Gruppe of September 1942 in August 1944, [[Messerschmitt Bf 110]], [[Dornier Do 217]], and [[Junkers Ju 88]] |
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The airfield was |
The airfield was attacked on several occasions by [[United States Army Air Force]] [[Eighth Air Force]] heavy bombers and later by [[IX Bomber Command]] [[B-26 Marauder]] medium bombers, the airfield was liberated by by Allied Forces in early September 1944. Once in American hands, combat engineers of the IX Engineering Command 820th Engineer Aviation Regiment repaired the damaged airfield and declared it operationally ready for combat units on 7 September, only a few days after its capture from German forces, being designated as "[[Juvincourt Airfield|A-68]]"<ref>[http://www.ixengineercommand.com/airfields/general.php IX Engineering Command Advanced Landing Grounds]</ref><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>Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.</ref> |
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The airfield was used by numerous [[Ninth Air Force]] combat units until May 1945. Afterward, the airfield was used for transport and as a maintenance base. In addition, it would be used for repatriation of English, Australian and New Zealand prisoners of war. These transfers were made by Lancasters of No 463 and 467 Squadrons, RAAF. |
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After the war, the French Air Force began building a new faculty, with a new taxiway and modern dispersal pads. However, it appears that construction was never completed and the airfield was abandoned. Today the remains of Juvincourt Airfield consist of several abandoned World War II-era runways, along with the unfinished modern airfield in a vacant area. |
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The airfield was closed in July 1945, and was returned to French Air Force Control. It sat abandoned for several years until the 1950s when as a result of the [[Cold War]] threat of the Soviet Union, Juvincourt was provided to the United States Air Force by the French as part of their NATO commitment to establish a modern Air Force Base. Some construction was made, pouring a 8000' jet runway (05/23) to the south of the World War II airfield, along with dispersal areas at each end of the runway. However the construction was never completed when plans were changed not to use the facility and the airfield was abandoned.<ref name="juv1"/> |
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==Current== |
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Today the remains of Juvincourt Airfield consist of several abandoned World War II-era runways. There are many remains of the German use of the airfield, along with the unfinished modern airfield in a vacant area which is used as an auto test track.<ref name="juv1"/> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 02:24, 26 September 2009
Juvincourt Airfield (A-68) | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 49°26′50″N 003°53′35″E / 49.44722°N 3.89306°E |
| Type | Military Airfield |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Army Air Forces |
| Site history | |
| Built by | IX Engineering Command |
| In use | Sep 1944-Jul 1945 |
| Materials | Concrete |
Juvincourt Airfield is an abandoned military airfield, which is located near the commune of Juvincourt-et-Damary in the Aisne department of northern France.
History
Built during 1938 and 1939 as a French Air Force facility. Juvincourt Airfield consisted of a grass airfield with three small grass subfields associated with it:[1]
- Amifontaine 49°49′54″N 003°57′08″E / 49.83167°N 3.95222°E
- Guignicourt 49°26′49″N 003°56′08″E / 49.44694°N 3.93556°E
- Proviseux 49°28′57″N 004°01′59″E / 49.48250°N 4.03306°E
It is undetermined which French units and aircraft were assigned to the airfield. After World War II broke out in September 1939, the Royal Air Force sent 16 Fairey Battles of 76 Wing, 142 Squadron to Proviseux (Berry-au-Bac).[2]
It was seized by the Germans in June 1940 during the Battle of France, and was the largest Luftwaffe military airfield in France during the occupation, and had more than 300 aircraft assigned.[3]
Under Luftwaffe control, the airfield was vastly expanded. Three concrete runways (17/35) 5300' (1610 m); (09/27), 5280' (1600 m) and (05/23) 6500' (1980 m)[1]. Known German units assigned were:[1]
- KG 77 with Stab I. et II./ Gruppe March-June 1941, Junkers Ju 88A
- KG 2 with IV. / Gruppe 13 June 1941 to January 1942, Dornier Do 17Z and Dornier Do 217
- KG 54 with the I / Gruppe June 6 to July 27, 1944, Junkers Ju 88
- KG 51 with the I / Gruppe August 27 to August 28, 1944, Messerschmitt Me 262
- E insatzkommando Schenck of 22 to 28 August 1944, Messerschmitt Me 262
- Luftbeobachtungsstaffel 4 (Observation Squadron), formed on 1 May 1944 was stationed on the base until June 1944, Messerschmitt Bf 110 and Junkers Ju 88
- JG 11 with the II. / Gruppe of 16 to 17 August 1944, [Messerschmitt Bf 109]]G
- NJG 4 with III. / Gruppe of September 1942 in August 1944, Messerschmitt Bf 110, Dornier Do 217, and Junkers Ju 88
The airfield was attacked on several occasions by United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force heavy bombers and later by IX Bomber Command B-26 Marauder medium bombers, the airfield was liberated by by Allied Forces in early September 1944. Once in American hands, combat engineers of the IX Engineering Command 820th Engineer Aviation Regiment repaired the damaged airfield and declared it operationally ready for combat units on 7 September, only a few days after its capture from German forces, being designated as "A-68"[4][5][6]
The airfield was used by numerous Ninth Air Force combat units until May 1945. Afterward, the airfield was used for transport and as a maintenance base. In addition, it would be used for repatriation of English, Australian and New Zealand prisoners of war. These transfers were made by Lancasters of No 463 and 467 Squadrons, RAAF.
The airfield was closed in July 1945, and was returned to French Air Force Control. It sat abandoned for several years until the 1950s when as a result of the Cold War threat of the Soviet Union, Juvincourt was provided to the United States Air Force by the French as part of their NATO commitment to establish a modern Air Force Base. Some construction was made, pouring a 8000' jet runway (05/23) to the south of the World War II airfield, along with dispersal areas at each end of the runway. However the construction was never completed when plans were changed not to use the facility and the airfield was abandoned.[1]
Current
Today the remains of Juvincourt Airfield consist of several abandoned World War II-era runways. There are many remains of the German use of the airfield, along with the unfinished modern airfield in a vacant area which is used as an auto test track.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e History of Juvincourt Airfield
- ^ Royal Air Force Order of Battle, France, 10th May 1940
- ^ ]http://www.archiv-oberaussem.com/juvincourt/doku.php?id=start Der Flugplatz Juvincourt, 1939-1945]
- ^ IX Engineering Command Advanced Landing Grounds
- ^ 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.
- ^ Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
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