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Lonray Airfield is an abandoned
During the Second World War, from April 1944, the Germans developed an airfield, located on the town and that of Colombiers, neighboring town. To do this several hundred men had been requisitioned, within the framework of the Compulsory Labor Service. The ground was operational from June 12 to August 9, 1944 (three days before the liberation of the sector by the 2nd French Armor Division of General Leclerc).
Known as Advanced Landing Ground "A-45", the airfield consisted of a single 5000' (1500m) Prefabricated Hessian Surfacing runway aligned 05/23. In addition, tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities; an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure; a dump for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water and minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting.
The
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
military airfield, which is located near the commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
of Lonrai
Lonrai () is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.
World War II
After the liberation of the area by Allied Forces in August 1944, engineers of the Ninth Air Force IX Engineering Command began construction of a combat Advan ...
in the Orne
Orne (; nrf, Ôrne or ) is a département in the northwest of France, named after the river Orne. It had a population of 279,942 in 2019.region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
of northern France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
.
Located just outside Lonrai, the United States Army Air Force
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
established a temporary airfield on 22 August 1944, after the Allied landings in France and the breakout from Normandy, and during the Liberation of Paris. The airfield was constructed by the IX Engineering Command, 850th Engineer Aviation Battalion using German facilities.
History
During the Second World War, from April 1944, the Germans developed an airfield, located on the town and that of Colombiers, neighboring town. To do this several hundred men had been requisitioned, within the framework of the Compulsory Labor Service. The ground was operational from June 12 to August 9, 1944 (three days before the liberation of the sector by the 2nd French Armor Division of General Leclerc).
Known as Advanced Landing Ground "A-45", the airfield consisted of a single 5000' (1500m) Prefabricated Hessian Surfacing runway aligned 05/23. In addition, tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities; an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure; a dump for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water and minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting.
The 370th Fighter Group
The 370th Fighter Group was a unit of the Ninth Air Force that was located in the European Theater of Operations during World War II.Maurer, Maurer. ''Air Force Combat Units Of World War II''. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 19 ...
, based P-47 Thunderbolt
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bom ...
fighters at Saint Marceau from 4 to 8 September 1944. The 370th was replaced by the 439th Troop Carrier Group, which flew C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in f ...
s from the airfield from 5 October until 7 November 1944
The fighter planes flew support missions during the Allied invasion of France, patrolling roads, strafing German military vehicles, and dropping bombs on gun emplacements, anti-aircraft artillery and concentrations of German troops when spotted.
After the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was closed on 20 November 1944. Today the long dismantled airfield is indistinguishable from the agricultural fields in the area.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.
See also
* Advanced Landing GroundReferences
External links
{{authority control World War II airfields in France Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in France Airports established in 1944