North Atlantic air ferry route in World War II
Encyclopedia
The North Atlantic air ferry route was a series of Air Routes over the North Atlantic Ocean on which aircraft were ferried between the United States
and Great Britain
during World War II
to support combat operations in the European Theater of Operations
(ETO).
The route was developed as one of four major routes along which United States aircraft were ferried to the major combat areas. It originated at several Army Air Bases in New England
, which permitted short range single-engined aircraft to be flown to Britain using a series of intermediate airfields in Newfoundland
, Labrador
, Greenland
and Iceland
. Long-range multi-engined aircraft could be flown from Newfoundland directly using Great Circle
routes to airfields in Ireland
and southwest England; or via the Azores
to the UK or airfields in French Morocco
to support Allied air forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
(MTO). Later in the war, air routes over the North Atlantic were developed from South Florida via Bermuda
to the Azores.
and Armée de l'Air peacetime forces.
As early as 1938 the British had ordered aircraft from American manufacturers and the British Direct Purchase Commission
was established in January 1940 in New York. During the 1920s and 1930s, the British Imperial Airways
had developed air routes across the British Empire
,
however air routes between Europe and North America
consisted of seaplane service opeated by Pan American airways, using Boeing 314
long-range transatlantic flying boats. Although small airports existed in Newfoundland and Iceland, the only practical way to get the short-range fighter aircraft purchased in the United States by France and Britain to Europe was by cargo ship.
With the Fall of France in June 1940, and the loss of much war materiel
on the continent, the need for the British to purchase replacement materiel from the United States was urgent. Aircraft ordered by France and also by the Netherlands were impounded. The aircraft purchased in the United States by Britain were flown to airports in Nova Scotia
and Newfoundland
, partially dis-assembled and loaded on ships and transported to England where they were unloaded and re-assembled, a process that could take several weeks, not counting any damage to the aircraft incurred in the shipment. In addition, German U-boat
s operating in the North Atlantic Ocean were a constant menace to shipping routes in the North Atlantic making it very hazardous for merchant shipping between Newfoundland and Great Britain. Larger aircraft could be flown to the UK and the "Atlantic Ferry Organization" was setup to manage this using civilian pilots.
In the summer of 1940, President Roosevelt began negotiating with the British Ambassador to the United States for the American lease of British bases, the "rental" to take the form of fifty over-age destroyers. On 2 September 1940, the Destroyers for Bases Agreement
was completed. In exchange for the destroyers, the U. S. got ninety-nine-year leases for air and naval bases in the Dominion of Newfoundland
, Bermuda
, British Guiana
, Antigua
, Trinidad
, St. Lucia, Jamaica
and the Bahamas
While the exchange of destroyers for a string of Atlantic bases was under negotiation, and then, while plans and preparations for developing the new bases were getting under way, Great Britain and Canada were consolidating their position in the North Atlantic by stationing troops in Iceland
and were attempting to counter German activities in Greenland
.
Neither the United States, nor Canada or Great Britain desired any Nazi facilities or armed forces in Greenland. However, although Iceland was viewed as a part of Europe, Greenland was viewed as part of the North American Continent and Roosevelt felt that the British developing a military presence ran counter to the Monroe Doctrine
of no European presence in the Americas. The US Department of State reached an agreement on 9 April 1941 with the Danish Foreign Minister that as a result of the European war there was a danger that Greenland might be converted into a point of aggression against nations of the American Continent by Nazi Germany. The agreement, after explicitly recognizing Danish sovereignty over Greenland, granted to the United States the right to locate and construct aircraft landing fields and other facilities for the defense of Greenland and for the defense of the North American continent. As soon as the agreement with the Danish Government was concluded, President Roosevelt authorized the War Department to go ahead with the preparations for building airfields and other facilities in Greenland. The United States had also taken over the defense of Iceland under an agreement with the Danish and British in July 1941, relieving the British from having to garrison forces there which were needed on the home front and in Egypt battling Rommel in the Western Desert Campaign
. United States Army engineers began improving the airstrips previously begun by the British.
Using these new airfields in Newfoundland, Greenland and Iceland, land based air routes were developed to transport United States aircraft, soldiers and war supplies between the United States
and the United Kingdom
21st Reconnaissance Squadron arrived at RCAF Station Gander. As an alternate, the Canadian government in September 1941 began the development of Goose Bay
in Labrador.
During the preceding July the United States had sent engineers to Narsarsuaq in Greenland for the building of the air base that came to be known as Bluie West 1 (BW-1), which later became the headquarters of the Greenland Base Command. In the following September work began on Bluie West 8, a much more northerly base at Sondrestrom on the western coast of Greenland. On the east coast, an airfield was built at Angmagssalik (Bluie East 2). These airfields, along with airfields in Iceland established an air route of "stepping stones" across the North Atlantic Ocean though which aircraft could be ferried to Great Britain from manufacturing plants in different locations in the United States to Prestwick Airport, near Glasgow, Scotland. This air route was known as the North Atlantic Route, and became one of the major transport and supply routes of World War II.
The North Atlantic Route was initially operated by the 23d Army Air Forces Ferrying Wing, Army Air Forces Ferrying Command, initially headquartered at Presque Isle Army Air Field, Maine. Ferrying Command was re-designated Air Transport Command
on 1 July 1942. The 23d Ferrying Wing was replaced by the ATC North Atlantic Division, Grenier Army Air Base
, New Hampshire on 1 January 1944. The Royal Air Force counterpart organization was RAF Ferry Command
(before mid-1941 known as RAF Atlantic Ferry Service and after March 1943 No. 45 (North Atlantic) Group within RAF Transport Command
).
The winter of 1942-43 presented major problems all along the North Atlantic Route. A high accident rate due to weather was experienced beginning in September 1942 and it continued to climb. On 22 November Air Transport Command
suspended the transportation of passengers across the North Atlantic for the duration of the winter. ATC traffic to Great Britain was diverted to the South Atlantic air ferry route in World War II
. The distance to Britain by this route was significantly longer than the North Atlantic route, but distance dis-advantage was eclipsed by the fact that operations that could be maintained on a year-round basis.
government only allowed German U-boats and navy ships to refuel in the Azores
. However, diplomatic efforts in 1943 persuaded Portuguese Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar
to lease bases on Azores Islands to the British. This represented a change in policy and was a key turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic allowing the Allies to provide aerial coverage in the middle of the Atlantic.
The British established RAF Lagans Field at an existing airport on Terceira Island
, and the United States constructed Santa Maria Field on Santa Maria Island
. On 1 December 1943, British and United States military representatives at RAF Lagans Field signed a joint agreement outlining the roles and responsibilities for the USAAF and United States Navy use of RAF Lagans Field. In return, the US agreed to assist the British in improving and extending existing facilities at Lagens. Air Transport Command transport planes began landing at Lagens Field immediately after the agreement was signed. On 31 December 1943, Prime Minister Salazar gave his consent to the arrangement with the understanding the Americans would be under British control. By the end of June 1944, more than 1,900 American airplanes had passed through these two airfields in the Azores.
The air routes established allowed long range multi-engined aircraft fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks to be ferried from Morrison Field, in South Florida through Kindley Field, Bermuda to one of the two airfields in the Azores. then on to RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall throughout the year. Single-engine aircraft, however, had to be ferried on the North Atlantic Route due to their shorter ranges. Also aircraft were ferried from Newfoundland via the Azores to Cornwall. This route was subsequently designated as the Mid-Atlantic Route. In addition, ATC ferried aircraft to French Morocco to support forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
(MTO) from the Azores.
via Montana
over Canada to Greenland using Sub-Arctic air routes. This route had the advantage of avoiding the poor weather over the North Atlantic by flying over the high latitudes of northern Canada to Greenland, then across Greenland to Iceland and on to Great Britain. Aircraft manufactured in the Midwest and Eastern United States could be flown north over Ontario or Quebec to Greenland as well, avoiding the often stormy North Atlantic. Several airfields were developed in northern Canada, and the route was tested by some RAF aircraft, however the project was ended in 1943 by the development of the Mid-Atlantic Route from Florida to the Azores and never fully developed.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
during World War II
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...
to support combat operations in the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
(ETO).
The route was developed as one of four major routes along which United States aircraft were ferried to the major combat areas. It originated at several Army Air Bases in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, which permitted short range single-engined aircraft to be flown to Britain using a series of intermediate airfields in Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
, Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
, Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. Long-range multi-engined aircraft could be flown from Newfoundland directly using Great Circle
Great circle
A great circle, also known as a Riemannian circle, of a sphere is the intersection of the sphere and a plane which passes through the center point of the sphere, as opposed to a general circle of a sphere where the plane is not required to pass through the center...
routes to airfields in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and southwest England; or via the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
to the UK or airfields in French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
to support Allied air forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
(MTO). Later in the war, air routes over the North Atlantic were developed from South Florida via Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
to the Azores.
Origins
With the outbreak of World War II in Europe, both the British and French governments contacted manufacturers in the United States with regards to purchasing combat aircraft to supplement existing Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and Armée de l'Air peacetime forces.
As early as 1938 the British had ordered aircraft from American manufacturers and the British Direct Purchase Commission
British Purchasing Commission
The British Purchasing Commission was a United Kingdom organization of the Second World War.Also known at some time as the "Anglo-French Purchasing Board", it was based in New York City, where it arranged the production and purchase of armaments from North American manufacturers.The Board was able...
was established in January 1940 in New York. During the 1920s and 1930s, the British Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but especially the Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East...
had developed air routes across the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
,
however air routes between Europe and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
consisted of seaplane service opeated by Pan American airways, using Boeing 314
Boeing 314
The Boeing 314 Clipper was a long-range flying boat produced by the Boeing Airplane Company between 1938 and 1941 and is comparable to the British Short S.26. One of the largest aircraft of the time, it used the massive wing of Boeing’s earlier XB-15 bomber prototype to achieve the range necessary...
long-range transatlantic flying boats. Although small airports existed in Newfoundland and Iceland, the only practical way to get the short-range fighter aircraft purchased in the United States by France and Britain to Europe was by cargo ship.
With the Fall of France in June 1940, and the loss of much war materiel
Materiel
Materiel is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management....
on the continent, the need for the British to purchase replacement materiel from the United States was urgent. Aircraft ordered by France and also by the Netherlands were impounded. The aircraft purchased in the United States by Britain were flown to airports in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
and Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
, partially dis-assembled and loaded on ships and transported to England where they were unloaded and re-assembled, a process that could take several weeks, not counting any damage to the aircraft incurred in the shipment. In addition, German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s operating in the North Atlantic Ocean were a constant menace to shipping routes in the North Atlantic making it very hazardous for merchant shipping between Newfoundland and Great Britain. Larger aircraft could be flown to the UK and the "Atlantic Ferry Organization" was setup to manage this using civilian pilots.
In the summer of 1940, President Roosevelt began negotiating with the British Ambassador to the United States for the American lease of British bases, the "rental" to take the form of fifty over-age destroyers. On 2 September 1940, the Destroyers for Bases Agreement
Destroyers for Bases Agreement
The Destroyers for Bases Agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, September 2, 1940, transferred fifty mothballed destroyers from the United States Navy in exchange for land rights on British possessions...
was completed. In exchange for the destroyers, the U. S. got ninety-nine-year leases for air and naval bases in the Dominion of Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
, Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, British Guiana
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
, Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
, Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, St. Lucia, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and the Bahamas
While the exchange of destroyers for a string of Atlantic bases was under negotiation, and then, while plans and preparations for developing the new bases were getting under way, Great Britain and Canada were consolidating their position in the North Atlantic by stationing troops in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and were attempting to counter German activities in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
.
Neither the United States, nor Canada or Great Britain desired any Nazi facilities or armed forces in Greenland. However, although Iceland was viewed as a part of Europe, Greenland was viewed as part of the North American Continent and Roosevelt felt that the British developing a military presence ran counter to the Monroe Doctrine
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine is a policy of the United States introduced on December 2, 1823. It stated that further efforts by European nations to colonize land or interfere with states in North or South America would be viewed as acts of aggression requiring U.S. intervention...
of no European presence in the Americas. The US Department of State reached an agreement on 9 April 1941 with the Danish Foreign Minister that as a result of the European war there was a danger that Greenland might be converted into a point of aggression against nations of the American Continent by Nazi Germany. The agreement, after explicitly recognizing Danish sovereignty over Greenland, granted to the United States the right to locate and construct aircraft landing fields and other facilities for the defense of Greenland and for the defense of the North American continent. As soon as the agreement with the Danish Government was concluded, President Roosevelt authorized the War Department to go ahead with the preparations for building airfields and other facilities in Greenland. The United States had also taken over the defense of Iceland under an agreement with the Danish and British in July 1941, relieving the British from having to garrison forces there which were needed on the home front and in Egypt battling Rommel in the Western Desert Campaign
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
. United States Army engineers began improving the airstrips previously begun by the British.
Using these new airfields in Newfoundland, Greenland and Iceland, land based air routes were developed to transport United States aircraft, soldiers and war supplies between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
North Atlantic Route
Under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement, the first United States troops arrived in Newfoundland on 29 January 1941. The first USAAF presence in Newfoundland was in May 1941 when six Douglas B-18 Bolos from the First Air ForceFirst Air Force
The First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
21st Reconnaissance Squadron arrived at RCAF Station Gander. As an alternate, the Canadian government in September 1941 began the development of Goose Bay
CFB Goose Bay
Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay , is a Canadian Forces Base located in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador....
in Labrador.
During the preceding July the United States had sent engineers to Narsarsuaq in Greenland for the building of the air base that came to be known as Bluie West 1 (BW-1), which later became the headquarters of the Greenland Base Command. In the following September work began on Bluie West 8, a much more northerly base at Sondrestrom on the western coast of Greenland. On the east coast, an airfield was built at Angmagssalik (Bluie East 2). These airfields, along with airfields in Iceland established an air route of "stepping stones" across the North Atlantic Ocean though which aircraft could be ferried to Great Britain from manufacturing plants in different locations in the United States to Prestwick Airport, near Glasgow, Scotland. This air route was known as the North Atlantic Route, and became one of the major transport and supply routes of World War II.
The North Atlantic Route was initially operated by the 23d Army Air Forces Ferrying Wing, Army Air Forces Ferrying Command, initially headquartered at Presque Isle Army Air Field, Maine. Ferrying Command was re-designated Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
on 1 July 1942. The 23d Ferrying Wing was replaced by the ATC North Atlantic Division, Grenier Army Air Base
Grenier Air Force Base
Grenier Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located three miles south of the central business district of Manchester, New Hampshire on the county line of Hillsborough and Rockingham counties...
, New Hampshire on 1 January 1944. The Royal Air Force counterpart organization was RAF Ferry Command
RAF Ferry Command
The RAF Ferry Command had a short life, but it spawned, in part, an organisation that lasted well beyond the war years during which it was formed.-History:...
(before mid-1941 known as RAF Atlantic Ferry Service and after March 1943 No. 45 (North Atlantic) Group within RAF Transport Command
RAF Transport Command
RAF Transport Command was a Royal Air Force command that controlled all transport aircraft of the RAF. It was established on 25 March 1943 by the renaming of the RAF Ferry Command, and was subsequently renamed RAF Air Support Command in 1967.-History:...
).
The winter of 1942-43 presented major problems all along the North Atlantic Route. A high accident rate due to weather was experienced beginning in September 1942 and it continued to climb. On 22 November Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
suspended the transportation of passengers across the North Atlantic for the duration of the winter. ATC traffic to Great Britain was diverted to the South Atlantic air ferry route in World War II
South Atlantic air ferry route in World War II
The South Atlantic air ferry route was an air route established in July 1941. It was used initially by Army Air Corps Ferrying Command to deliver Lend-Lease aircraft to British forces in Egypt who were engaged in the Western Desert Campaign....
. The distance to Britain by this route was significantly longer than the North Atlantic route, but distance dis-advantage was eclipsed by the fact that operations that could be maintained on a year-round basis.
Mid-Atlantic Route
Efforts on another front were also productive. Prior to 1943 the PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
government only allowed German U-boats and navy ships to refuel in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. However, diplomatic efforts in 1943 persuaded Portuguese Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar, GColIH, GCTE, GCSE served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He also served as acting President of the Republic briefly in 1951. He founded and led the Estado Novo , the authoritarian, right-wing government that presided over and controlled Portugal...
to lease bases on Azores Islands to the British. This represented a change in policy and was a key turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic allowing the Allies to provide aerial coverage in the middle of the Atlantic.
The British established RAF Lagans Field at an existing airport on Terceira Island
Terceira Island
Referred to as the “Ilha Lilás” , Terceira is an island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 56,000 inhabitants in an area of approximately 396.75 km²...
, and the United States constructed Santa Maria Field on Santa Maria Island
Santa Maria Island
Santa Maria , Portuguese for Saint Mary, is an island located in the eastern group of the Azores archipelago and the southernmost island in the Azores...
. On 1 December 1943, British and United States military representatives at RAF Lagans Field signed a joint agreement outlining the roles and responsibilities for the USAAF and United States Navy use of RAF Lagans Field. In return, the US agreed to assist the British in improving and extending existing facilities at Lagens. Air Transport Command transport planes began landing at Lagens Field immediately after the agreement was signed. On 31 December 1943, Prime Minister Salazar gave his consent to the arrangement with the understanding the Americans would be under British control. By the end of June 1944, more than 1,900 American airplanes had passed through these two airfields in the Azores.
The air routes established allowed long range multi-engined aircraft fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks to be ferried from Morrison Field, in South Florida through Kindley Field, Bermuda to one of the two airfields in the Azores. then on to RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall throughout the year. Single-engine aircraft, however, had to be ferried on the North Atlantic Route due to their shorter ranges. Also aircraft were ferried from Newfoundland via the Azores to Cornwall. This route was subsequently designated as the Mid-Atlantic Route. In addition, ATC ferried aircraft to French Morocco to support forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
(MTO) from the Azores.
Crimson Route
The Crimson Route was a planned Great Circle route to ferry aircraft from manufacturing plants in Southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
via Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
over Canada to Greenland using Sub-Arctic air routes. This route had the advantage of avoiding the poor weather over the North Atlantic by flying over the high latitudes of northern Canada to Greenland, then across Greenland to Iceland and on to Great Britain. Aircraft manufactured in the Midwest and Eastern United States could be flown north over Ontario or Quebec to Greenland as well, avoiding the often stormy North Atlantic. Several airfields were developed in northern Canada, and the route was tested by some RAF aircraft, however the project was ended in 1943 by the development of the Mid-Atlantic Route from Florida to the Azores and never fully developed.
North Atlantic Route
| Name | Location | Coordinates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grenier Army Air Base Grenier Air Force Base Grenier Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located three miles south of the central business district of Manchester, New Hampshire on the county line of Hillsborough and Rockingham counties... |
New Hampshire | 42°55′57"N 071°26′08"W | Initially First Air Force First Air Force The First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.... base, jurisdiction assumed by Air Transport Command in 1 January 1944. Grenier became the headquarters of the North Atlantic Division of Air Transport Command (ATC), its primary mission was the ferrying of aircraft from the United States to Great Britain. Operated by 1377th AAFBU, ATC. Approximately 300-400 aircraft transited the airfield each month over North Atlantic Route. Placed on standby status on 30 October 1946. |
| Presque Isle Army Airfield | Maine | 46°41′20"N 68°02′41"W | Presque Isle Airport taken over by the Army Air Corps on 15 September 1941. 23d Ferrying Wing AAC Ferrying Command headquarters was established, later 1380th AAFBU, North Atlantic Division, ATC. The mission of the wing was to facilitate the transfer of Lend-Lease Lend-Lease Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in... aircraft to England and act as an embarkation point for movement of Army Air Corps personnel and equipment. From Presque Isle, most ferried aircraft were flown to RCAF Station Gander, Newfoundland, then switching to Goose Bay, Labrador in mid-1942. The airport remained Corporate HQ of Northeast Airlines Northeast Airlines Northeast Airlines was an American airline based in Boston, Massachusetts. They began as Boston-Maine Airways, which was founded as a Pan Am contract carrier on July 20, 1931, by the Boston and Maine Railroad and Maine Central Railroad offering service from Boston to Bangor via Portland... , and was operated as a Civil/Military airfield throughout the war. Presque Isle remained the primary point of departure on the North Atlantic Route throughout the war. Returned to civil control September 1945. |
| Dow Army Airfield Dow Air Force Base -History:Dow Air Force Base began as "Godfrey Field" in 1927, on land owned by local attorney Edward Rawson Godfrey . Commercial flights began at the field in 1931 under Northeast Airlines... |
Maine | 44°48′51"N 068°49′51"W | Commercial airport taken over by USAAC in September 1941. Assigned to Air Service Command. Its initial mission was the maintenance and preparation of Lend-Lease aircraft bound for Great Britain, being transported by AAC Ferrying Command to RCAF Stations in Newfoundland. After American entry into World War II, performed any necessary servicing on aircraft transiting over North Atlantic route. In addition, beginning in early 1943, it acquired the additional mission of training engineer aviation personnel and staging hundreds of 4-engined heavy bombers and preparing them for the overseas flight to European and Mediterranean combat theaters. Jurisdiction transferred to Air Transport Command March 1944. Controlled by 1379th AAFBU, North Atlantic Division, ATC. Over 8,400 aircraft passed though Dow in 1944, and approximately 2,150 in the last five months of the European conflict in 1945. After the end of the European war in May 1945, Dow was a stop on the return leg for aircraft returning to the United States, and remained part of ATC's North Atlantic Transport route for strategic air transportation between the United States and the United Kingdom. Placed on standby status May 1946. |
| Stephenville Air Base Ernest Harmon Air Force Base Ernest Harmon Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador. The base was built by the United States Army Air Forces in 1941 under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement with the United Kingdom.... |
Newfoundland | 48°32′38"N 058°33′12"W | 460 miles (740.3 km) from Presque Isle. Developed by the United States and Newfoundland as a ferrying staging field in mid-1941 as a result of the 1940 Destroyers for Bases Agreement Destroyers for Bases Agreement The Destroyers for Bases Agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, September 2, 1940, transferred fifty mothballed destroyers from the United States Navy in exchange for land rights on British possessions... under Newfoundland Base Command. Specifically developed with long runways to accommodate large multi-engined aircraft capable of Trans-Atlantic crossings when equipped with internal auxiliary fuel tanks. Used by Air Transport Command for direct flights to RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of... , an air distance of 2357 miles (3,793.2 km). Was capable by use of the largest United States aircraft and was the largest military airfield located outside of the Continental United States when constructed. The base became a frequent stopping and refueling point for USAAF aircraft crossing the Atlantic in both directions. Remained active after the war, renamed Ernest Harmon Air Force Base in 1948. Turned over to Canadian national government in 1966 with expiration of United States agreement with Canada for use of military bases. |
| RCAF Station Gander CFB Gander Canadian Forces Base Gander , is a Canadian Forces Base located in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is home to air/marine search and rescue operations that cover a vast swath of the western North Atlantic and southern Arctic... |
Newfoundland | 48°56′13"N 054°34′05"W | 643 miles (1,034.8 km) from Presque Isle. Established as civil airport, turned over to RCAF in 1940. Became part of Newfoundland Base Command. Heavily used by Ferrying Command and ATC for transporting military aircraft from Canada and the United States to the European Theater of Operations European Theater of Operations The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the... (ETO) via Greenland and Iceland airfields. |
| RCAF Station Goose Bay CFB Goose Bay Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay , is a Canadian Forces Base located in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador.... |
Labrador | 53°19′09"N 060°25′33"W | 569 miles (915.7 km) from Presque Isle. Established in 1941 by RCAF, became joint airfield with United States AAF and Royal Air Force. Became part of Newfoundland Base Command. In 1943, RCAF Station Goose Bay was the busiest airport in the world transiting aircraft being ferried to Greenland by ATC. |
| Bluie West 1 | Greenland | 61°10′00"N 045°25′59"W | 776 miles (1,248.8 km) from Goose Bay. Established in 1941 by United States Army. HQ Greenland Base Command. Primary refueling/servicing stop in Greenland for North Atlantic Route. Remained under United States Air Force control until end of Cold War. |
| Bluie West 8 | Greenland | 67°00′38"N 050°42′33"W | 1000 miles (1,609.3 km) from Goose Bay. Established in 1941 by United States Army. Alternate refueling/servicing stop in Greenland for North Atlantic Route, also planned for use on Crimson Route over Canada. Used when weather in southern Greenland prohibited ferrying over direct route to Iceland. Remained under United States Air Force control until end of Cold War. |
| Bluie East 2 | Greenland | 65°34′59"N 37°37′00"W | 375 miles (603.5 km) from BW-8. Established in 1941 by United States Army. Used as refueling/servicing stop on ferrying route across Greenland, also planned for use on Crimson Route over Canada. |
| Meeks Field Naval Air Station Keflavik United States Naval Air Station Keflavik is a former NATO facility at Keflavík International Airport, Iceland. It is located on the Reykjanes peninsula on the south-west portion of the island... |
Iceland | 63°59′03"N 22°36′24"W | 748 miles (1,203.8 km) from BW-1, 455 miles (732.2 km) from BE-2. Built in 1941, headquarters of Iceland Base Command. Long runway used for ferrying of multi-engined aircraft. 1386th AAFBU, North Atlantic Division, ATC. Became NATO interceptor base during the Cold War as Keflavik Airport. Turned over to Iceland Government 2006. |
| Patterson Field | Iceland | 63°57′31"N 22°32′58"W | Originally Svidningar field, used by Iceland Base Command as a fighter base for air defense, however also used by ATC as an overflow base for ferrying single-engine aircraft due to its short runways. USAAF air activity ended at the airfield in March 1947. |
| Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport (Icelandic: Reykjavíkurflugvöllur, is the chiefly domestic airport serving Reykjavík, Iceland. The airport lies two kilometres from Reykjavík's city centre. Possessing rather short runways, it normally only serves flights within Iceland and to... |
Iceland | 64°07′48"N 021°56′26"W | Built by Royal Air Force in October 1940 and also known as "RAF Reykjavik". Used as a civil/military airfield during the war, also used by ATC as an overflow base. Turned over to Icelandic government in July 1946 and since then it has been operated by the Icelandic Civil Aviation Authority (now named Flugstoðir Airport). |
| RAF Vágar Vágar Airport Vágar Airport is the only airport in the Faroe Islands, a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, and is located east of Sørvágur. Due to the Faroe Islands' rather anomalous status, the airport is not fully subject to the rules of the European Union... |
Faroe Islands | 62°03′49"N 007°16′38"W | 491 miles (790.2 km) from Iceland. Used as refueling/servicing/emergency landing base. Built by British Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers The Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers is the most senior regiment in the British Territorial Army, having given continuous loyal service to the crown since 1539. It is part of the reserve forces, and is the only remaining Militia unit in the British Army... in 1942 after the pre-emptive occupation by British forces of the Danish Faroe Islands Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland... in 1940 following the occupation of Denmark Occupation of Denmark Nazi Germany's occupation of Denmark began with Operation Weserübung on 9 April 1940, and lasted until German forces withdrew at the end of World War II following their surrender to the Allies on 5 May 1945. Contrary to the situation in other countries under German occupation, most Danish... by Nazi Germany Nazi Germany Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by... . Control of the islands reverted to Denmark following the war |
| Prestwick Airport | Scotland | 55°30′34"N 004°35′40"W | 467 miles (751.6 km) from RAF Vágar, 852 miles (1,371.2 km) from Iceland. Initial ATC base in United Kingdom for receiving ferried aircraft from the United States. 1403d AAFBU, European Division. Began operations in July 1941 as Eastern Terminus, Atlantic Division, Ferrying Command. Remained as primary terminus of North Atlantic route throughout the war. Under United States control until 31 May 1945. |
| RAF Nutts Corner RAF Nutts Corner RAF Nutts Corner was a Royal Air Force station in County Antrim near Belfast. It was originally a civil airfield, then it became a military airfield and subsequently Northern Ireland's main civil airport until the 1960s.-Civil operations:... |
Northern Ireland, UK | 54°37′45"N 06°09′00"W | 519 miles (835.2 km) from RAF Vágar, 863 miles (1,388.9 km) from Iceland. Opened in 1941, ATC base established in June 1943, 1404th AAFBU, European Division. Detachment also at RAF Langford Lodge RAF Langford Lodge RAF Langford Lodge is a former Royal Air Force station near Belfast, Northern Ireland. Today the airfield is owned by RLC a subsidiary of RLC Engineering Group which is head quartered in the Isle of Man... , Northern Ireland. Langford Lodge also was used as a servicing facility (403d Air Depot). Closed 30 June 1945. |
| RAF Valley RAF Valley RAF Valley is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, and which is also used as Anglesey Airport. It provides fast-jet training using the BAE Hawk and provides training for aircrew working with Search and Rescue. Unofficially the motto for RAF Valley is 'One Valley, Training... |
Wales, UK | 53°14′53"N 04°32′07"W | 621 miles (999.4 km) from RAF Vágar, 979 miles (1,575.5 km) from Iceland. An established RAF Station, it was brought into use in April 1943 as an ATC base, 1407th AAFBU, European Division. Was the closest ATC controlled airfield to most of the USAAF Eighth Eighth Air Force The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.... and Ninth 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.... Air Force stations located in the East Anglia East Anglia East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of... region of eastern England. 60-70 aircraft arrived each day, then forwarded to operational bases. Returned to sole RAF use in September 1945. During the 1950s, MATS operated WB-50 Superfortress weather aircraft (28th Weather Squadron) from the base. |
| RAF St Mawgan | Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of... , England |
50°26′16"N 05°00′21"W | Pre-war civil airport taken over by RAF initially as a satellite of nearby RAF St Eval RAF St Eval RAF St Eval was a strategic airbase for the RAF Coastal Command in the Second World War . St Eval's primary role was to provided anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast of England... . Rebuilt in new location with longer wider runways. Turned over to Air Transport Command, 1 June 1943 for long-distance transports arriving from Stephenville Air Base, Newfoundland and aircraft being ferried to England from the Azores. Operated by 1406th AAFBU, ATC European Division. Served as hub for North African Division, ATC flights from French Morocco, along with ferried aircraft over the South Atlantic Route by ATC South Atlantic Division originating in South Florida. Was also terminal for ferrying of aircraft to Twelfth Air Force in French West Africa and Tunisia from United Kingdom, along with transport of supplies and materiel. From 1943 it was also used by RAF Ferry Command and BOAC Boac Boac may refer to:* Boac, Marinduque, a municipality in the Southern Philippines* Boac , an American rapper* British Overseas Airways Corporation, a former British state-owned airline... . RAF control from February 1946. |
Mid-Atlantic Route
| Name | Location | Coordinates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morrison Field | Florida | 26°41′05"N 080°05′21"W | Initially a Third Air Force Third Air Force The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.... Base, reassigned to Army Air Forces Ferrying Command (later Air Transport Command) on 19 January 1942, and for the balance of the war became Headquarters for the Caribbean Wing of ATC. Operated by 1103d AAFBU, ATC. Primary mission was to operate the South Atlantic Transport Route, although when Azores bases became available in the summer of 1943, also handled ferrying of long-range aircraft via Bermuda to United Kingdom. Also operated intermediate emergency refueling/servicing airfield at Grand Bahama Airport Grand Bahama International Airport Grand Bahama International Airport is a privately owned international airport in Freeport, Bahamas. The airport is a joint venture between Hutchison Port Holdings and The Port Group... (Detachment, 1103d AAFBU), Freeport. Aircraft likely ferried over Mid-Atlantic Route from Homestead AAF (1104th AAFBU) and Miami Army Airfield Miami International Airport Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area... 1105th AAFBU. Placed in reserve status on 1 July 1947. |
| Kindley Field | Bermuda | 32°21′58"N 064°41′16"W | 1005 miles (1,617.4 km) from Morrison Field. Built by United States after basing rights obtained via Destroyers For Bases Agreement. Part of Bermuda Base Command, Ferrying operations began 1943 with opening of Mid-Atlantic route. 1389th AAFBU, North Atlantic Division, ATC. Performed servicing/refueling en-route to Azores. Remained active after World War II, became Kindley Air Force Base in 1948. |
| RAF Lagans Field | Terceira Island, Azores | 38°45′42"N 027°05′17"W | 2145 miles (3,452 km) from Bermuda, 1698 miles (2,732.7 km) from Newfoundland, 1346 miles (2,166.2 km) from RAF St Mawgan. Usage rights obtained in December 1943 from British, former civil airport. Operated by 1390th AAFBU, North Atlantic Division, ATC, used as servicing/refueling airfield between bases in Bermuda, Great Britain and French Morocco. Air Transport Command traffic increased from approximately 90 planes in January 1944 to more than 600 planes in June 1944. By the end of June 1944 more than 1,900 American aircraft had passed through the base. In order for aircraft to operate on schedule, a 45-minute period was the average time limit allowed to service the aircraft after landing United States granted military rights, September 1946, remained active as Lajes Field Lajes Field Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base , officially designated Air Base No. 4 , is a multi-use air field, home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea Nº4 and Azores Air Zone Command , a United States Air Force detachment , and a regional air passenger terminal located near Lajes... , active today as joint Portuguese Air Force/USAF/Civil Airport. |
| Santa Maria Army Airfield | Santa Maria Island, Azores | 36°58′28"N 025°10′10"W | Built by United States, early 1944. Operated by 1391st AAFBU, North Atlantic Division, ATC. Used as overflow airfield for RAF Lagans. Later became Azores Air Transfer Station. Turned over to Portuguese Government, 1 September 1946, now civil airport. |
| Menara Airport | Marrakech, French Morocco | 31°36′25"N 008°02′11"W | Seized from Vichy French control as part of Operation Torch Operation Torch Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942.... , November 1942. Became ATC base, operated by 1257th AAFBU, North African Division, ATC. Received ferried aircraft on South Atlantic route primarily from Roberts Field Roberts Field Roberts Field , also known as Redmond Municipal Airport, is a public airport in the city of Redmond, Oregon, United States. Consisting of two runways, the airport is the primary commercial airport serving Central Oregon, offering commercial flights on regional airlines and a low-cost carrier to... , Liberia, supporting Twelfth Air Force. Air route to Azores 1182 miles (1,902.2 km) established in January 1944. |
| Anfa Airport Casablanca-Anfa Airport Casablanca-Anfa Airport is an airport in Morocco , located about southwest of Casablanca. Anfa Airport is one of two airports serving the Casablanca area, the other being the newer and larger Mohammed V International Airport. Anfa Airport, restricted by the urban growth around it, primarily serves... |
Casablanca, French Morocco | 33°33′25"N 007°39′38"W | Seized from Vichy French control as part of Operation Torch, November 1942. Became ATC base, operated by 1251st AAFBU, North African Division, ATC. Received ferried aircraft on South Atlantic route primarily from Roberts Field, Liberia, supporting Twelfth Air Force. Air route to Azores 1140 miles (1,834.6 km) established in January 1944. |
See also
- South Atlantic air ferry route in World War IISouth Atlantic air ferry route in World War IIThe South Atlantic air ferry route was an air route established in July 1941. It was used initially by Army Air Corps Ferrying Command to deliver Lend-Lease aircraft to British forces in Egypt who were engaged in the Western Desert Campaign....
- South Pacific air ferry route in World War II
- Northwest Staging RouteNorthwest Staging RouteThe Northwest Staging Route was a series of airstrips, airport and radio ranging stations built in Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska during World War II. It was known in the Soviet Union as Alsib ....
- West Coast WingWest Coast WingThe West Coast Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Pacific Division, Air Transport Command, headquartered at Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base, California...
(Air Transport Command route to Alaska) - Crimson RouteCrimson RouteThe Crimson Route was a set of joint United States and Canadian transport routes planned for ferrying planes and material from North America to Europe during World War II...
External links
- Google Maps Distance Calculator (Used for calculating great circle distances)