Châteaudun Air Base
Châteaudun Air Base AMSL | 433 ft / 132 m | ||||||||||||||
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| Coordinates | 48°03′29″N 001°22′35″E / 48.05806°N 1.37639°E | ||||||||||||||
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  LFOC Location of Châteaudun Air Base | |||||||||||||||
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Châteaudun Air Base (
The base is primarily used for aircraft storage and ferrying them to other squadrons of the Air Force. Entrepot de l'Armee de l'Air 601 was assigned to perform this mission. Each French Air Force squadron stores some of its planes for a while thereby artificially prolong the life of the fleet and better material management. The EAA also has the task of storing new aircraft to be used in times of war. To fulfil its mission, the EAA has the Group Maintenance, repair and storage of aircraft (GERS).
A SAN Jodel D.140 Mousquetaire training aircraft is assigned to the base for courier duties.
History
The facility was a
German use during World War II
Seized by the Germans in June 1940 during the Battle of France, Châteaudun was used as a Luftwaffe military airfield during the occupation. Under occupation, the German army, owner, undertook infrastructure projects including the construction of dispersal areas called "daisies" and the track. Chateaudun also served as a starting point for air raids on England. Known units assigned (all from Luftlotte 3, Fliegerkorps IV):[1][2][3]
- Jagdgeschwader 21 (JG 21) 19–22 June 1940 Messerschmitt Bf 109E
- Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54) 19–20 June 1940 Messerschmitt Bf 109E
- Geschwaderkennungprefix: L1+)
- Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76) 6 February–April 1941 Junkers Ju 88A (Geschwaderkennung prefix: F1+)
- Heinkel He 177A-3 & A-5 (Geschwaderkennung prefix: F8+)
- Heinkel He 177A-3 & A-5 (Geschwaderkennung prefix: 6N+)
- Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2) 2 July-9 August 1944 Junkers Ju 88C/G (Geschwaderkennung prefix: 4R+)
- Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG 51) 20 July-12 August 1944 Messerschmitt Me 262A-2a[4]
JG 21 and JG 54 fought in the Battle of Britain as fighter escort units; LG 1 was a training unit; KG 76 engaged in night bombardment operations over England, along with KG 40 and KG 100 to a limited extent due to fuel shortages; NJG2 was a night interceptor unit against RAF Bombers; KG 51 flew the jet Me 262A2a on day jet interceptor missions against American heavy bomber attacks.
Largely due to the presence of the Me 262, Châteaudun became a major target of USAAF
American use
Châteaudun was heavily attacked on several missions by
Under American control, Châteaudun initially became the home of numerous combat groups. Initially, the
Return to French Air Force
The Americans returned control of the field to the French Air Force in September 1945 and it returned to being a French military airfield.
In 1967, during the period of tension précéding the Six-Day War, fifty Dassault Mirage 5 jets ordered by Israel were stored on the base of Chateaudun. The settlement of this dispute took place in 1971, with the aircraft being bought by the Armée de l'Air. On 13 June 1990, the base was named Lieutenant-Beau, remembering Lieutenant Marcel Beau, a pilot at Air Base 134 Versailles in 1935.
Today, the remains of World War II bomb craters are very evident in the grass areas of the airfield, as well as the abandoned 05/23 secondary runway in which the wartime patching with asphalt is still visible. On 2 July 2014, the installation was closed as an Air Force Base.[9]
In 2014, the base was linked to Air Force base Orléans-Bricy. Element Air Reattache 279 (EAR 279) retained the mission of aircraft storage, as well as aerial activity (the field being open two days a week). The unit also operates an aircraft deconstruction center.
On 26 January 2015, the 2015 Los Llanos Air Base crash occurred. One of the nine French victims came from EAR 279.[10]
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ a b History of Châteaudun Air Base Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine (in French)
- ^ The Luftwaffe, 1933-45
- ^ Identification codes of units of the Luftwaffe 1939 - 1945
- ^ If it has been initially considered to operate from Chateaudun with Me 262 (3rd wing, 1ste Grupe, KG51) to target UK from July 20, the troubles on the Normandy front and poor preparation of German crews led the Luftwaffe to deploy the M262 finally in Juvincourt between August 22 and August 28. On the other hand, a camouflaged convoy carrying technicians, spare parts and engines went to Chateaudun, then Etampes, Creil and Juvincourt. Source: Die Chronik des Kampfgeschwaders 51 der deutschen Luftwaffe von 1.1.1944 bis Kriegsende. Autor Jan Horn, 2010
- ^ Derived from information in USAAF Film "Target For Today" (available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkGL7vuC2A4)
- ^ USAFHRA document 00221368
- ^ "IX Engineering Command ETO Airfields General Construction Information". Archived from the original on 2019-06-30. Retrieved 2009-09-23.
- ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- ^ Dissolution de la BA 279 http://www.defense.gouv.fr/air/actus-air/la-base-aerienne-279-devient-un-ear and Diminuer les coûts, car les ressources diminuent http://www.opex360.com/2014/07/04/la-base-aerienne-279-de-chateaudun-transformee-en-element-air-rattache/
- ^ "Accident aérien à Albacete : in memoriam". Armée de l’air (in French). 31 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015..
External links
- Airport information for LFOC at Great Circle Mapper.
External links
- Association Mémoire et Histoire : Military History of Châteaudun, 1870-71, 1939-1945, Airfield A-39
- Châteaudun Air Base Website (In French)
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