Saint-Inglevert Airfield

Coordinates: 50°52′57″N 1°44′40″E / 50.88250°N 1.74444°E / 50.88250; 1.74444
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Saint-Inglevert
AMSL
130 m / 430 ft
Coordinates50°52′57″N 1°44′40″E / 50.88250°N 1.74444°E / 50.88250; 1.74444
Map
Saint-Inglevert is located in Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Saint-Inglevert
Saint-Inglevert
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
03/21 630 2,070 Concrete

Saint-Inglevert Airfield is a

First World War an airfield was established near Saint-Inglevert by the Royal Flying Corps, later passing to the Royal Air Force on formation and thus becoming RAF Saint Inglevert.[1]

In 1920, a civil airfield was established on a different site which was a designated customs airfield. During the

Armée de l'Air. The airfield was captured by the Germans towards the end of the Battle of France and occupied by the Luftwaffe. It was abandoned in 1941, but in 1943 field artillery units were based around the airfield as part of the Atlantic Wall. Although civil flying returned to Saint-Inglevert post-war, the airfield was abandoned in 1957 and returned to agriculture. It was reopened by l'Aéroclub du Boulonnais
(English: Boulogne Aero Club) in 1986.

Location

Saint-Inglevert airfield is located on a 130-metre-high (430 ft) hill to the north west of the village of Saint-Inglevert, and east of Hervelinghen. It lies 13 kilometres (8 mi) south west of Calais.[2]

History

First World War

There was a

First World War, but not on the site of the current airfield. In April 1918, No. 21 Squadron Royal Air Force (RAF) were based at Saint-Inglevert, flying Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 aircraft. From 29 June to 23 October, No. 214 Squadron RAF were based there flying Handley Page O/400s, and in November, they were replaced by No. 115 Squadron RAF, who were flying the same type of aircraft. Two more squadrons, No. 97 Squadron RAF and No. 100 Squadron RAF, were based there from 17 November, to be joined by two squadrons of the United States Navy in 1918, flying Sopwith Camels. All Royal Air Force squadrons departed from Saint-Inglevert on 4 March 1919.[2]

Between the wars

In 1920, an airfield was established at Saint-Inglevert on a different site to the former military airfield. Facilities developed over the years to include two hangars, customs facilities and ultra short wave radio.

landing T. Requirements for aircraft to perform clockwise or anticlockwise circuits when landing were indicated by the flying of a red or white flag respectively.[9] The aerial lighthouse was reported to be out of action in November 1920.[10]

It was notified that the road forming the eastern boundary of the airfield was to be marked by a series of posts 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high, surmounted by vertical white discs 50 cm (20 in) in diameter, in January 1921,

4.5–inch live shells for onward transmission to Croydon Airport in Surrey, United Kingdom.[15] In a paper read to the Royal Aeronautical Society on 17 November, Colonel Frank Searle, managing director of Daimler Airway, criticized the organization of Saint-Inglevert and Le Bourget.[16]

In or about March 1922, the

1922 Picardie mid-air collision on 7 April at Thieuloy-Saint-Antoine, Oise resulted in a number of resolutions being passed with the intention of improving the safety of aviation, one of which was that the Saint-Inglevert wireless station should be replaced.[17] The aerial lighthouse at Saint-Inglevert was in operation again by 11 April, when a test flight was flown at night on the British part of the London – Paris air route. The aircraft flew as far as Saint-Inglevert before turning back and landing at Lympne, Kent.[18] In December, a Notice to Airmen stated that a portable searchlight was in operation at Saint-Inglevert by prior arrangement for aircraft landing at night, and that the "T" was illuminated at night.[19]

In April 1923, a ₣25,000 prize (then worth

£360) was offered by the daily newspaper Le Matin for the first French aviator to fly from Saint-Inglevert to Lympne and back in one day in an aircraft of French design and construction, with an engine capacity of less than 1,100 cubic centimetres (67 cu in).[20] Georges Barbot won the prize when he completed the journey during the evening of 6 May in a Dewoitine aircraft fitted with a Clerget engine. It took him 2 hours and 25 minutes, including a 40-minute stop at Lympne while one of the struts supporting the undercarriage was repaired.[21]

Ostend, Belgium had to make a circuit of the airfield at an altitude of 1,000 ft (300 m), while two circuits were made if departing for Saint-Inglevert. The destination was then informed by radio of the departure. Arrival was confirmed by the aircraft flying another circuit, and was then reported back to Lympne by radio. If the aircraft had not arrived within an hour of departure, it would be considered as missing. A similar arrangement applied for aircraft flying in the reverse direction.[23] In September, Saint-Inglevert was one of the landing points for an aerial "Tour de France", in which a specified route had to be flown on a 2,120-kilometre (1,320 mi) course. Sixteen aircraft competed in four classes.[24]

The airfield has been involved in several aviation records. On 18 September 1928,

glider on 19 June 1931. He took off from Lympne and was towed by an aircraft to an altitude of 14,000 ft (4,300 m), landing at Saint-Inglevert after a flight of one and a half hours to the surprise of the airfield manager.[26] The first double crossing of the Channel in a glider was made by Austrian Robert Kronfeld on 20 June. In a glider called Wien,[27] he took off from Saint-Inglevert by means of an aero-tow to an altitude of 5,000 ft (1,500 m), and landed at the former RAF Swingfield airfield near Dover, Kent. From Swingfield, another aero-tow to an altitude of 10,000 ft (3,000 m) enabled him to return to Saint-Inglevert.[28] Kronfeld received a £1,000 prize from the Daily Mail for his flights, which were verified by the British Gliding Association.[27] On 10 September 1929, Charles Fauvel departed from Saint-Inglevert in a Mauboussin aircraft fitted with an ABC Scorpion engine. The 848-kilometre (527 mi) flight to Pau set a new Fédération Aéronautique Internationale world record for distance flown by a single seat aircraft weighing less than 200 kg (440 lb).[29]

In November 1932, it was reported that new radio equipment was to be installed at Lympne and St Inglevert operating on the 15 centimetre waveband at 2,000 MHz, which would be used for the announcement of departures of non-radio aircraft across the Channel. Messages sent by radio were also printed out by a

Le Matériel Téléphonique, Paris.[34]

In the mid-1930s, a number of notable people used Saint-Inglevert Airfield.

Flying Flea, then the world's smallest aircraft.[38]

Second World War

Following the outbreak of the

Nord-Pas de Calais region.[2] "B" Flight, No. 615 Squadron RAF was stationed at Saint-Inglevert in the early months of 1940,[40] equipped with Gloster Gladiator II aircraft.[41][Note 3] Following the discovery of a dismantled Morane-Saulnier MS.138 in one of the hangars, a wager was made between the British and French as to whether or not the aircraft could be returned to the air. With the aid of materials supplied by the French, the aircraft was made flyable, but when 615 Squadron received orders to relocate to Vitry-en-Artois, an attempt to fly the aircraft to the new base was unsuccessful, and a forced landing had to be made in a field.[40] On 10 May 1940, the airfield was attacked by the Luftwaffe, with over 110 bombs being dropped, resulting in a Breguet being destroyed, another Breguet and a Potez being severely damaged and the radio facilities being temporarily put out of action.[2]

During April 1940,

evacuated from Dunquerque on the French destroyer Bourrasque, although nineteen of them were killed when the ship struck a mine and sank.[2]

Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2 of Werner Mölders, leader of Jagdgeschwader 51 at the time it was based at Saint-Inglevert

Saint-Inglevert was captured by the Luftwaffe towards the end of the Battle of France. 1 Gruppe, Lehrgeschwader 2 moved in on 20 June, equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109 aircraft.[2] They departed for Jever, Germany, on 12 July,[42] and were replaced by 1 Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 51, also equipped with Bf 109s. From August until November Stab JG 51 were in occupation, and Aufklärungsgruppe 32(H) aircraft were also based at Saint-Inglevert during this period, with the unit operating Henschel Hs 126 parasol monoplanes.[2] On 30 July 1940, Saint-Inglevert was bombed by the Royal Air Force, who claimed that hangars and aircraft were damaged,[43] and a subsequent raid on 19 August resulted in a fire, smoke from which could be seen in Kent.[44]

From 24 September to 5 November, 2 Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 27 were based there. Facilities at the airfield were improved, by erecting new hangars and constructing a new 600-by-50-metre (1,970 ft × 160 ft) concrete runway.[2] On 27 December 1940, Saint-Inglevert was again bombed by the Royal Air Force.[45] The airfield was largely abandoned by 1941, with occasional use by Junkers Ju 52s as a refuelling station.[2]

In 1943, the airfield was designated as Stützpunkt 134 Paderborn, housing defence units as part of the

10.5 cm leFH 324(f) howitzers replaced the leFH 18s.[2] A number of concrete bunkers were constructed to house the guns, which were still standing around the airfield in October 2007.[46] Following Operation Overlord at the start of the Allied invasion of western Europe, the Germans committed various acts of sabotage on departure from Saint-Inglevert.[2]

Post-war

Post-war, the airfield was restored to operational condition and civil flying returned. On 10 April 1957, a report was published which resulted in the abandonment of Saint-Inglevert in favour of

an airport 6 km (4 mi) east of Calais. The airfield was returned to agriculture.[2]

In 1986, l'Aéroclub du Boulonnais took over Saint-Inglevert following closure of their previous base at

ICAO identifier LFIS, allowing it to be classed as a public airfield instead of a private one. This had taken ten years to achieve.[49]

Accidents and incidents

Notes

  1. ^ All locations are in the Pas-de-Calais Département unless indicated otherwise.
  2. Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile
    as appropriate. A Notice to Airmen was called a NOTAM after 1948.
  3. Vitry-en-Artois in January 1940.[53]

References

  1. ^ for a description of some RFC/RAF operations on the field, see No. 115 Squadron RAF
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Saint-Inglevert" (in French). Les Anciens Aérodromes. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  3. ^ "London – Paris Air Route". The Times. No. 42634. London. 20 March 1920. col B, p. 13.
  4. ^ "A New Aerodrome for Paris". Flight. No. 8 April 1920. p. 402.
  5. ^ "Aerial Lighthouse at St. Inglevert". Flight. No. 29 April 1920. p. 470.
  6. ^ "Customs Aerodrome Opened at St. Inglevert". Flight. No. 10 June 1920. p. 625.
  7. ^ "French Aerodromes Signal Procedure". Flight. No. 8 July 1920. p. 740.
  8. ^ "Hourly Weather Forecasts". The Times. No. 42494. London. 20 August 1920. col C, p. 7.
  9. ^ "(No.98) France: Aerodromes, Customs and Wireless Stations". Flight. No. 7 October 1920. p. 1062.
  10. ^ "Imperial and Foreign News Items". The Times. No. 42567. London. 13 November 1920. col G, p. 9.
  11. ^ "France: Aerodromes and Meteorological Stations". Flight. No. 27 January 1921. p. 59.
  12. ^ "Radio-Telephony for Aircraft". The Times. No. 42654. London. 25 February 1921. col C, p. 12.
  13. ^ "Goliath's Flight". The Times. No. 42709. London. 2 May 1921. col F, p. 8.
  14. ^ "The International Michelin Cup". Flight. No. 8 September 1921. p. 608.
  15. ^ "British 'Plane for French Air Line". Flight. No. 10 November 1921. p. 741.
  16. ^ "The International Michelin Cup". Flight. No. 24 November 1921. p. 789.
  17. ^ "Airway Rules". The Times. No. 43006. London. 15 April 1922. col E, p. 12.
  18. ^ "Night Flying on London-Paris Route". Flight. No. 13 April 1922. p. 221.
  19. ^ "France: Night Landing Arrangements, Customs Service at Lyons Aerodrome". Flight. No. 28 December 1922. p. 788.
  20. ^ "Cross-Channel Flight Competition". The Times. No. 43327. London. 28 April 1923. col G, p. 9.
  21. ^ "Light 'Plane and Glider Notes". Flight. No. 10 May 1923. p. 252.
  22. ^ Collyer 1992, p. 33.
  23. ^ "System for Reporting Cross-Channel Flights of Aircraft not Equipped with W/T Apparatus". Flight. No. 28 August 1924. p. 545.
  24. ^ "The Tour de France Competition". Flight. No. 25 September 1924. p. 630.
  25. ^ "Channel Flight by Autogiro". The Times. No. 45002. London. 19 September 1928. col F, p. 14.
  26. ^ "Channel Crossed by Glider". The Times. No. 45854. London. 20 June 1931. col F, p. 12.
  27. ^ a b "£1,000 For What?". Flight. No. 26 June 1931. pp. 576–77. (p576, p577)
  28. ^ "Channel Gliding". The Times. No. 45855. London. 22 June 1931. col F, p. 9.
  29. ^ "An "Ultralight" Record". Flight. No. 9 April 1936. p. 375.
  30. ^ a b "Micro Ray for Channel Air Services" (24 November 1932): 1140. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  31. ^ "Short-Wave Wireless Communication". The Times. No. 46293. London. 17 November 1932. col D, p. 9.
  32. ^ "Aeroplane in the Channel". The Times. No. 46387. London. 8 March 1933. col E, p. 14.
  33. ^ "Miniature Wireless". The Times. No. 46663. London. 17 January 1934. col D, p. 8.
  34. ^ "A Micro-Way Link". Flight. No. 1 February 1934. pp. 96–97. (p96, p97)
  35. ^ "The Prince of Wales's Holiday". The Times. No. 46980. London. 5 February 1935. col F, p. 14.
  36. ^ "The King at Vimy". The Times. No. 47437. London. 27 July 1936. col C, D, p. 13.
  37. ^ "The King at Vimy". The Times. No. 47449. London. 10 August 1936. col F, p. 10.
  38. ^ "Flying Flea's Channel Hop". The Times. No. 47142. London. 14 August 1935. col B, p. 12.
  39. ^ "L'Aerodrome de Saint-Inglevert" (in French). Histopale. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  40. ^ a b Belcher, Keith A. "Correspondence – A "Vintage Aircraft" memory of 1940". Flight. No. 19 October 1956. pp. 654–55.
  41. ^ "615 Squadron". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  42. ^ "Lehrgeschwader 2". Michael Holm. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  43. ^ "R.A.F. Raids on Aerodromes". The Times. No. 48683. London. 1 August 1940. col D, p. 4.
  44. ^ "Raids on Kiel Naval Base". The Times. No. 48700. London. 21 August 1940. col D, p. 4.
  45. ^ "More Bombs on U-Boat Base". The Times. No. 48810. London. 30 December 1940. col D, p. 3.
  46. ^ "STP. 131 Paderborn Geschützstände". Panoramio, (user Pillboxs). Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  47. ^ "L'Aerodrome de Saint-Inglevert" (in French). Histopale. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  48. ^ Voeung, Annie (5 April 2010). "L'aérodrome de Saint-Inglevert ravagé par les flammes" (in French). Nord Littoral. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  49. ^ a b Gil, Roy. "L'aérodrome de Saint-Inglevert LFIS ouvert à la CAP" (in French). Aerobuzz. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
  50. ^ "L'aéro-club du Boulonnais ouvre son hangar et ses avions ce week-end". La Voix du Nord. 30 March 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  51. ^ "ALLO! ALLO! Une hélice de rechange s'il vous plaît !". Le Petit Journal (in French). No. 2 September 1922. p. 3.
  52. ^ "London Terminal Aerodrome". Flight. No. 15 February 1923. p. 296.
  53. ^ "A History of the Battle of Britain: Phoney Air War in France". RAF Museum. Archived from the original on 21 September 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2012.

Sources

  • Collyer, David G (1992). Lympne Airport in old photographs. Stroud: Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd.
    ISBN 0-7509-0169-1
    .

Further reading

External links

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