Former Luftwaffe airport

 airport, Second World War 1939-1945, military, ancient, draw only border

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Luftwaffe Airfields 1935-45
History: an old French airfield that the Luftwaffe showed little or no interest
in until the latter part of 1941 when development began. No units were
based there until two years later, in Nov 43.
Dimensions: approx. 1800 x 1550 meters (1970 x 1700 yards).
Surface and Runways: grass surface on clay sub-soil. There were 2
concrete runways - (1) 1830 meters (2000 yards) aligned NE/SW, and (2)
1600 meters (1750 yards) aligned NW/SE. Each runway had an assembly
hardstand at both ends. A perimeter road encircled the landing area. Both
runways were equipped with permanent illumination and visual Lorenz
systems, while the airfield had perimeter lighting and a beam approach
system.
Fuel and Ammunition: a refueling loop was located near each of the
dispersal areas. The base ammunition dump was in the Foret de Conches
(Conches Woods) off the W boundary.
Infrastructure: had 1 large hangar at the N end of the North dispersal area
that was probably used for repairs. Barrack huts were off the E corner and
the NW boundary and other personnel were billeted in Le Fresne village, 1.2
km off the N end of the airfield. The nearest rail connection was in
Conches.
Dispersal: there were 3 areas – North, West and Southeast – with a total of
34 covered aircraft shelters and 2 more under construction in Aug 43.
Defenses: 2 heavy and 8 light Flak positions within 2 to 3 km of the airfield
in Aug 43.
Satellites and Decoys:
Conches-Pincheloup (48 55 00 N – 00 58 30 E), dummy 2.5 km SSE of
Conches airfield.
Conches/I (48 55 00 N – 01 00 00 E), satellite strip 4 km SE of Conches
airfield that measured approx. 1100 x 165 meters (1200 x 180 yards).
Built in early 1944 and serviceable by early June.
Conches/II (48 54 00 N – 00 58 00 E), satellite strip 3.25 km S of
Conches airfield. There were 2 V-shaped strips measuring 1645 meters
(1800 yards) and 1465 meters (1600 yards) in length and these were
connected to the main airfield by taxiways. Built in late spring 1944 and
serviceable in June.
Remarks:
23 Sep 43: bombed by 70 8th AAF B-26 Marauders – bursts seen at the N
end of the NE/SW runway and on all of the dispersal areas.
27 Sep 43: bombed by 68 8th AAF B-26s – direct hits in the center of both
runways, on the W side of the landing area and in the West and Northwest
dispersal areas.
29 Nov 43: runways and landing area repaired and again serviceable.
29 Jan 44: airfield bombed several times during the second half of 1943 with
damage to barrack huts.
Luftwaffe Airfields 1935-45
7 Mar 44: bombed – NE/SW runway cratered and unserviceable, 1 aircraft
shelter in the North dispersal destroyed and several more damaged.
2 Jun 44: bombed at dusk by 49 B-17 Fortresses – runways and taxiways hit
by numerous bombs rendering them unserviceable; 1 hangar destroyed,
radar equipment damaged, electricity and telephone cut, 3 Lw. personnel
wounded. (German report).
10 Jun 44: bombed by 39 B-24 Liberators.
11 Jun 44: bombed by 33 B-17s – the attacks of 10 and 11 June left the two
runways, the taxiways and the landing area heavily cratered and
unserviceable; the station fuel tanks were also damaged and the flight
control building wiped out by 12 direct hits. (German report).
24 Jun 44: bombed by 78 B-24s.
30 Jun 44: bombed by 35 B-24s.
8 Jul 44: bombed by 24 B-17s.
3 Aug 44: bombed by 27 B-24s.
Operational Units: I./JG 2 (Nov 43 – Jan 44); 8./JG 2 (Nov 43); III./SG 4
(Jun 44).
Station Commands: Flugplatzkdo. Conches of Fl.H.Kdtr. A 206/XII Evreux
(a.k.a. Fl.H.Kdtr. E 19/XVII) (Jan 43 – Mar 44); Fl.H.Kdtr. A 234/XII (1943-
44??); Flugplatzkdo. Conches of Fl.H.Kdtr. E(v) 207/XII (Apr-Aug 44).
Station Units (on various dates – not complete): none identified.
[Sources: AFHRA A5259 pp.1538-41 (11 Oct 43 updated to Jun 44), A5260
pp.1904-08 (17 Aug 43 updated to 7 Mar 44) and A.I.2.(b)/Air Ministry
Amendment dated 18 Jul 44 in BNA(PRO)/AIR 40; chronologies; BA-MA;
NARA; PRO/NA; web site ww2.dk] www.ww2.dk/Airfields%20-%20France.pdf