Doncourt-lès-Conflans Airport
Encyclopedia
Doncourt-lès-Conflans Airport is a regional airport in France
, located 6 miles (9.7 km) south-southwest of Homécourt
(Departement de Meurthe-et-Moselle,Lorraine); 160 miles (257.5 km) east of Paris
It supports general aviation
with no commercial airline service scheduled.
The 830th EAR laid down a 5000' grass runway aligned roughly east-west (08/26), along with a small support area. The airfield was declared operationally ready on 20 September and was designated as Advanced Landing Ground
"A-94", or simply "Conflans Airfield".
The airfield was initially used by various transport units for combat resupply of units and for casualty evacuation.
In late October, the 830th Engineering Aviation Regiment returned to the airfield and improved the facility, laying down an all-weather Pierced Steel Planking (PSP) runway for Ninth Air Force
combat fighter use along with upgrading the support site with tents 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.
With the upgraded facility, combat units arrived at Conflans. The first was the 10th Reconnaissance Group, which based various photo-reconnaissance aircraft at the field from 20 November 1944 until March 1945. In mid-March, the 10th moved out and was replaced by the 367th Fighter Group
, which flew P-38 Lightning
s until 20 April 1945 (P-38).
By the end of April the airfield had become redundant combat needs and the facility was returned to being a S&E (Supply and Evacuation) airfield, and was used until being closed on 22 May 1945. The wartime airfield was then turned over to French authorities.
Doncourt-lès-Conflans Airport today is a modern, well-equipped general aviation airport. No evidence of the wartime airfield remains.
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...
, located 6 miles (9.7 km) south-southwest of Homécourt
Homécourt
Homécourt is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.- See also :* Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department...
(Departement de Meurthe-et-Moselle,Lorraine); 160 miles (257.5 km) east of 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...
It supports general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
with no commercial airline service scheduled.
History
Doncourt-lès-Conflans Airport's origins begin in September 1944 when the airfield was built by the United States Army Air Force IX Engineer Command 830th Engineering Aviation Regiment. Allied ground forces had moved though the area during the Northern France Campaign in early September, and on `9 September the combat engineers arrived to lay down a temporary airfield to support the ground forces in their advance against enemy forces.The 830th EAR laid down a 5000' grass runway aligned roughly east-west (08/26), along with a small support area. The airfield was declared operationally ready on 20 September and was designated 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-94", or simply "Conflans Airfield".
The airfield was initially used by various transport units for combat resupply of units and for casualty evacuation.
In late October, the 830th Engineering Aviation Regiment returned to the airfield and improved the facility, laying down an all-weather Pierced Steel Planking (PSP) runway for Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
combat fighter use along with upgrading the support site with tents 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.
With the upgraded facility, combat units arrived at Conflans. The first was the 10th Reconnaissance Group, which based various photo-reconnaissance aircraft at the field from 20 November 1944 until March 1945. In mid-March, the 10th moved out and was replaced by the 367th Fighter Group
367th Fighter Group
The 367th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with XII Tactical Air Command stationed at Seymour Johnson Field , North Carolina...
, which flew 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...
s until 20 April 1945 (P-38).
By the end of April the airfield had become redundant combat needs and the facility was returned to being a S&E (Supply and Evacuation) airfield, and was used until being closed on 22 May 1945. The wartime airfield was then turned over to French authorities.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground
Current
After the war, the wartime faculties were eventually all removed. The metal PSP runway was picked up being replaced by a turf runway, along with taxiways and a turf parking ramp.Doncourt-lès-Conflans Airport today is a modern, well-equipped general aviation airport. No evidence of the wartime airfield remains.