La Vallon Airfield
Encyclopedia
La Vallon Airfield is an abandoned World War II
military airfield in France
, which is located approximately 6 km north-northeast of Montbrison (Departement de la Loire,Rhone-Alpes); about 385 km south-southeast of Paria
.
La Vallon was an all-weather temporary temporary sod airfield built by the XII Engineer Command. The runway was 7800' in length; 300' wide and aligned 13/31. The airfield was equipped with 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. Tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities.
Designated as an Advanced Landing Ground
Y-18 it was turned over to the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force on 30 August 1944. The 417th Night Fighter Squadron used the airfield between 12 September 1944-5 April 1945, flying Bristol Beaufighter
s. In addition, the Ninth Air Force
415th Night Fighter Squadron
flew Bristol Beaufighter
s from the airfield between 1–25 September 1944.
When the Americans pulled out in April 1945, the airfield was dismantled by engineers and returned to agriculture. An outline of the airfield remains as agricultural fields in aerial photos today.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
military airfield in 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...
, which is located approximately 6 km north-northeast of Montbrison (Departement de la Loire,Rhone-Alpes); about 385 km south-southeast of Paria
Paria
Paria is a village situated near Vapi in Valsad District, Gujarat. India. The town of Udwada, away from Paria, has a railway station which connects Paria to Mumbai and western Gujarat...
.
La Vallon was an all-weather temporary temporary sod airfield built by the XII Engineer Command. The runway was 7800' in length; 300' wide and aligned 13/31. The airfield was equipped with 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. Tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities.
Designated as an 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...
Y-18 it was turned over to the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force on 30 August 1944. The 417th Night Fighter Squadron used the airfield between 12 September 1944-5 April 1945, flying Bristol Beaufighter
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
s. In addition, the 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....
415th Night Fighter Squadron
415th Night Fighter Squadron
The 415th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 49th Fighter Wing stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico...
flew Bristol Beaufighter
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
s from the airfield between 1–25 September 1944.
When the Americans pulled out in April 1945, the airfield was dismantled by engineers and returned to agriculture. An outline of the airfield remains as agricultural fields in aerial photos today.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground