Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport
Encyclopedia
Cherbourg – Maupertus Airport or Aéroport de Cherbourg - Maupertus is an airport located 11 km east of Cherbourg-Octeville
, between Maupertus-sur-Mer
and Gonneville
. These are all communes
of the Manche
département in the Basse-Normandie
région
of France
. The airport is managed by SNC-Lavalin Airports (subsidiary of the large Canadian engineering firm SNC-Lavalin
) since 1st october 2009.
It has one runway, Runway 10/28. It is 2440 metres long and is covered in asphalt. There are six bays, numbered N1 to N6. There are currently no scheduled flights operating to or from the airport. Until early 2008 there was one scheduled flight a day from Paris
to Jersey
via Cherbourg although this has now been withdrawn.
Charter flights occasionally operate to and from the airport.
dropped services to Jersey
and Paris Orly followed by Chalair and also Airlinair
(who had taken over the service to Paris), which both failed to make links to Paris profitable.
airdrome during the German occupation of France. It was captured on June 27, 1944 by the U.S. 4th Infantry Division. The 4th's 22nd Regiment moved on the airport from the south and east at 1100 hours on D+20 (June 26), with the three battalions abreast and a troop of cavalry protecting each flank. Heavy fire from enemy antiaircraft guns held up all three battalions for several hours, but, with the aid of supporting fire from the 44th Field Artillery Battalion, the 1st Battalion took a series of positions south of the airport and captured Gonneville, the 2nd Battalion occupied the western edge of the field, and the 3rd Battalion captured Maupertus and the defenses along the northern side of the field.
The enemy, however, continued to offer determined resistance and not until the following day was the airfield finally taken. Designated ALG (Advanced Landing Ground) A-15, the airport became operational a few days later by the 834th Aviation Engineers, IX Engineer Command. 850th Engineer Aviation Battalion and 877th Airborne Engineer Aviation Battalion.
Known as Advanced Landing Ground
"A-15", the airfield consisted of a 6000' (1800m) Pierced Steel Planking (PSP) runway aligned 11/29. A secondary PSP 5000' (1500m) runway was also laid down aligned 17/35. 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.
Planes began taking off and landing despite the fact that stacked along the main runway was a pile of bombs, live shells, duds, and 600 mines lifted from the airfield. Prime Minister Churchill landed at A-15 on July 20 as did General Charles de Gaulle on August 20.
The 363d Fighter Group, based P-38 Lightning
fighters at Maupertus from 9 July through August 1944. They were replaced on 22 August by the B-26 Marauder
-equipped 387th Bombardment Group until 18 September 1944. In addition to the bombers, Maupertus was used as an air defense field by the 422d Night Fighter Squadron, flying P-61 Black Widow
interceptors until the end of August 1944.
The fighter planes flew support missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, patrolling roads in front of the beachhead; strafing German military vehicles and dropping bombs on gun emplacements, anti-aircraft artillery and concentrations of German troops in Normandy and Brittany when spotted. The bombers also attacked bridges and German-controlled airfields in occupied areas.
After the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was used as a resupply and causality evacuation airfield for several months, before being closed on 22 December 1944. It was then turned over to French authorities.
In the 1950s, a modern concrete jet runway for NATO aircraft was laid down by the United States using French contractors, along with a circular marguerite system of dispersal hardstands that could be revetted later with earth for added protection. The Cold War air base was never used and was abandoned when France pulled out of the NATO central command structure in 1967.
The remains of the World War II main (11/29) runway are still visible just to the south of the current airport runway. Also a part of the secondary runway was reused as a taxiway to the now aircraft parking area to the south of the runway. The Cold War-era marguerite hardstands appear to be well-maintained, their use being undetermined.
Cherbourg-Octeville
-Main sights:* La Glacerie has a race track.* The Cité de la Mer is a large museum devoted to scientific and historical aspects of maritime subjects.* Cherbourg Basilica* Jardin botanique de la Roche Fauconnière, a private botanical garden.* Le Trident theatre...
, between Maupertus-sur-Mer
Maupertus-sur-Mer
Maupertus-sur-Mer is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France-See also:*Communes of the Manche department* Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport...
and Gonneville
Gonneville, Manche
Gonneville is a commune in the Manche department in north-western France....
. These are all communes
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of the Manche
Manche
Manche is a French department in Normandy named after La Manche , which is the French name for the English Channel.- History :Manche is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
département in the Basse-Normandie
Basse-Normandie
Lower Normandy is an administrative region of France. It was created in 1956, when the Normandy region was divided into Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy...
région
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The airport is managed by SNC-Lavalin Airports (subsidiary of the large Canadian engineering firm SNC-Lavalin
SNC-Lavalin
SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. is a large Canadian engineering firm. It is one of the ten largest engineering firms in the world and is based in Montreal, Quebec. It formed in 1991 from the merger of SNC and the failing Lavalin, another Quebec based engineering firm....
) since 1st october 2009.
It has one runway, Runway 10/28. It is 2440 metres long and is covered in asphalt. There are six bays, numbered N1 to N6. There are currently no scheduled flights operating to or from the airport. Until early 2008 there was one scheduled flight a day from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
via Cherbourg although this has now been withdrawn.
Charter flights occasionally operate to and from the airport.
Airlines and destinations
No destinations served at present, as Twin JetTwin Jet
Twin Jet is an airline based in Aix en Provence, France, which started in May 2001 with its first scheduled flight in March 2002. It is also a Flying Blue partner.-Flights:...
dropped services to Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
and Paris Orly followed by Chalair and also Airlinair
Airlinair
Société Airlinair is an airline based in Rungis, France, operating scheduled regional flights , and aircraft lease services. The airline has set up bases at Paris-Orly Airport and Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport...
(who had taken over the service to Paris), which both failed to make links to Paris profitable.
History
The airport was used as a LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
airdrome during the German occupation of France. It was captured on June 27, 1944 by the U.S. 4th Infantry Division. The 4th's 22nd Regiment moved on the airport from the south and east at 1100 hours on D+20 (June 26), with the three battalions abreast and a troop of cavalry protecting each flank. Heavy fire from enemy antiaircraft guns held up all three battalions for several hours, but, with the aid of supporting fire from the 44th Field Artillery Battalion, the 1st Battalion took a series of positions south of the airport and captured Gonneville, the 2nd Battalion occupied the western edge of the field, and the 3rd Battalion captured Maupertus and the defenses along the northern side of the field.
The enemy, however, continued to offer determined resistance and not until the following day was the airfield finally taken. Designated ALG (Advanced Landing Ground) A-15, the airport became operational a few days later by the 834th Aviation Engineers, IX Engineer Command. 850th Engineer Aviation Battalion and 877th Airborne Engineer Aviation Battalion.
Known as Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground was the term given to the temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II in support of the invasion of Europe...
"A-15", the airfield consisted of a 6000' (1800m) Pierced Steel Planking (PSP) runway aligned 11/29. A secondary PSP 5000' (1500m) runway was also laid down aligned 17/35. 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.
Planes began taking off and landing despite the fact that stacked along the main runway was a pile of bombs, live shells, duds, and 600 mines lifted from the airfield. Prime Minister Churchill landed at A-15 on July 20 as did General Charles de Gaulle on August 20.
The 363d Fighter Group, based P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
fighters at Maupertus from 9 July through August 1944. They were replaced on 22 August by the B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
-equipped 387th Bombardment Group until 18 September 1944. In addition to the bombers, Maupertus was used as an air defense field by the 422d Night Fighter Squadron, flying P-61 Black Widow
P-61 Black Widow
The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first operational U.S. military aircraft designed specifically for night interception of aircraft, and was the first aircraft specifically designed to use radar. It was an all-metal, twin-engine, twin-boom design developed during World War II...
interceptors until the end of August 1944.
The fighter planes flew support missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, patrolling roads in front of the beachhead; strafing German military vehicles and dropping bombs on gun emplacements, anti-aircraft artillery and concentrations of German troops in Normandy and Brittany when spotted. The bombers also attacked bridges and German-controlled airfields in occupied areas.
After the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was used as a resupply and causality evacuation airfield for several months, before being closed on 22 December 1944. It was then turned over to French authorities.
In the 1950s, a modern concrete jet runway for NATO aircraft was laid down by the United States using French contractors, along with a circular marguerite system of dispersal hardstands that could be revetted later with earth for added protection. The Cold War air base was never used and was abandoned when France pulled out of the NATO central command structure in 1967.
The remains of the World War II main (11/29) runway are still visible just to the south of the current airport runway. Also a part of the secondary runway was reused as a taxiway to the now aircraft parking area to the south of the runway. The Cold War-era marguerite hardstands appear to be well-maintained, their use being undetermined.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground
External links
- Aéroport de Cherbourg - Maupertus
- Aéroport de Cherbourg - Maupertus (Union des Aéroports Français)