Goetsenhoven Airfield
Goetsenhoven Military Airfield AMSL | 246 ft / 75 m | ||||||||||||||
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Coordinates | 50°46′54″N 004°57′28″E / 50.78167°N 4.95778°E | ||||||||||||||
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Goetsenhoven Airfield (ICAO: EBTN) is a former Belgian Air Component base, located 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Tienen, approximately 26 miles (42 km) east-southeast of Brussels.
The airfield was last used militarily as a training facility for Belgian Air Cadets, equipped with six
History
Goetsenhoven Airfield was one of the first airfields of Belgian military aviation. It was built in 1922 as a grass airfield by the
On 1 November 1939, as part of the wartime buildup, three squadrons of British built Fairey Fox III fighter/bombers with Nos. 3 (II Group), 5 (III Group) and 7 (IV Group) squadrons were assigned to the airfield as part of the 2e Régiment d'Aéronautique (2nd Air Regiment-Air Combat)[3][4] In addition to the combat units, Goetsenhoven was also a Basic Flight School (Ecole de Pilotage Elémentaire) for the Belgian Air Force, equipped with Stampe-Vertongen SV.4s.[5]
World War II
On 10 May 1940, Goetsenhoven was attacked by the Luftwaffe as part of the initial German attack on Belgium, killing several personnel and destroying some aircraft, and was seized by the Wehrmacht a few days later. The Goetsenhoven squadrons hastily retreated to other airfields with their remaining planes. They were eventually evacuated to France. During the occupation of Belgium, the airfield was used by the Luftwaffe as a reserve airfield; no Luftwaffe units were stationed there.[6]
In late October 1944, the airfield was attacked by
The USAAF IX Engineering Command 862d Engineer Aviation Battalion laid down a 3600' all weather
Once the American combat units moved out, Goetsenhoven became a transport airfield for
At the end of the war, Goetsenhoven was returned to Belgian control by the Americans on 25 June 1945.
Postwar use
After the war, the metal runway at Goetsenhoven was removed and the airfield was returned to its prewar configuration as a grass airfield. It was reopened in 1950, and became the base field of the ESS (Elementary Flying School). In 1969, flight training was upgraded to the
In 1996, flight training of the Belgian Air Force was centralised at Beauvechain Air Base, and the formal military presence at Goetsenhoven ended.
Besides the EVS during the weekends, the airfield is also used by the local flying club De Wouw, following the closure of the ESS was working with engine and gliders. The field is not open for flying on days that is also used by the Olympia Tiense Wielerschool for the training of young cyclists.
As of 2020, the aeroclub "De Wouw" still operates from its premises on the south side of the field; formerly military hangars on the northwest side are now used by an
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground
- Ultralight Flying Club
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ EBTN – GOETSENHOVEN (also PDF). Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) from AIM Belgium via skeyes.
- ^ BELGIAN MILITARY AIRCRAFT DATABASE Archived 2009-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b THE PERIOD 1919-1939 : IN-BETWEEN TWO WORLD WARS
- ^ Goetsenhoven Airfield History
- ^ Losses of the Belgian Air Force 10/5/1940-30/06/1940
- ^ The Luftwaffe, 1933-45
- ^ a b 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". Archived from the original on 2019-06-09. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
- ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- Vliegveld Goetsenhoven (in Dutch)