Orleansville Airfield
Encyclopedia
Orleansville Airfield was a World War II
military airfield in Algeria
, near Chlef
, approximately 170 km southwest of Algiers
. It was a temporary airfield constructed by Army Engineers using compacted earth for its runway, parking and dispersal areas, not designed for heavy aircraft or for long term use. The prevailing temperatures in the area are some of the hottest in the world, making steel planking unsuitable for airfield use.
The airfield was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force 52d Fighter Group during the North African Campaign
against the German Afrika Korps
. It operated from the field between 2–20 January 1943.
After the 52d moved out the airfield was dismantled. Today, there are no remaining traces of the airfield as the area around the town of Chlef has grown substantially since the war. The urban development has obliterated any trace of the airfield. It is unknown precisely where the airfield was actually located due to the changed landscape over the past 60 years.
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 Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, near Chlef
Chlef
Chlef is the capital of Chlef Province, Algeria. It is home to the soccer club ASO Chlef, the Hassiba Ben Bouali university, and the basilica of Saint Reparatus, which is home to the oldest Christian labyrinth in the world....
, approximately 170 km southwest of Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
. It was a temporary airfield constructed by Army Engineers using compacted earth for its runway, parking and dispersal areas, not designed for heavy aircraft or for long term use. The prevailing temperatures in the area are some of the hottest in the world, making steel planking unsuitable for airfield use.
The airfield was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force 52d Fighter Group during the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
against the German Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
. It operated from the field between 2–20 January 1943.
After the 52d moved out the airfield was dismantled. Today, there are no remaining traces of the airfield as the area around the town of Chlef has grown substantially since the war. The urban development has obliterated any trace of the airfield. It is unknown precisely where the airfield was actually located due to the changed landscape over the past 60 years.