Valence-Chabeuil Airport
Encyclopedia
Valence-Chabeuil Airport . is an airport in France
, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Bourg-lès-Valence
(Departement de la Drome,Rhone-Alpes); approximately 300 miles south-southeast of Paris
.
The airport was a pre-World War II
French Air Force
(Armée de l'Air) airfield. After the Battle of France
, it was seized by Nazi Germany
in November 1942. It was later used by the Luftwaffe
, and after the Allied Invasion of southern France in August 1944, by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force.
Used by the French Air Force base after the war, it was closed and today the airport is used for general aviation
, with no commercial airline service. It is still occasionally used by military aircraft.
(Armée de l'Air) established Valence-Chabeuil Air Base. It was the headquarters for the Zone d'Opérations Aériennes des Alpes - Z.O.A.A.(Alps Air Operations Area). Known operational units assigned were:
The Portez was a heavy twin-engined fighter. With the outbreak of war in May 1940, the unit did not see action against the Germans in the Battle of France
. However, operations were flown against the Italian Army (Regio Esercito) after the Italian invasion of France
on 10 June. After the Second Armistice at Compiègne the Armée de l'Air units assigned to the airfield were ordered to French North Africa, and the airport was closed by the Vichy France
government.
Wehrmacht
units moved into the Valence area and the airport came under the control of the Luftwaffe
. It was not, however used as an operational base until July 1943 when XI. Fliegerkorps moved Luftlandegeschwader 1 (LLG 1) (Airborne Squadron 1) to the airport, equipped with 32 Henschel Hs 126
reconnaissance aircraft and 120 DFS 230
light transport gliders. In early August 1944, Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26) moved Junkers Ju 88
s to the airfield to attack advancing United States Seventh Army
forces moving north, however the Luftwaffe was driven out by Twelfth Air Force attacks.
"Y-23 Valence". The 79th Fighter Group
was assigned to the airport and operated P-47 Thunderbolt
fighter-bomber aircraft until the end of September 1944, until moving north with the advancing Allied forces. Once the combat unit moved out, Valence-Chabeuil became a transport airfield, supporting C-47 Skytrain
resupply and also casualty evacuation flights until being returned to French control on 20 November 1944.
Today the airport is a modern, fully equipped facility with two additional parallel grass runways available for use. A large aircraft parking ramp along with a hangar and support buildings are available. In addition, several hangars appear to be used by the French Air Force, with a separate parking area for military aircraft and support area.
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 about 5 miles east-southeast of Bourg-lès-Valence
Bourg-lès-Valence
Bourg-lès-Valence is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
(Departement de la Drome,Rhone-Alpes); approximately 300 miles south-southeast 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...
.
The airport was a pre-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...
French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
(Armée de l'Air) airfield. After the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, it was seized 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...
in November 1942. It was later used by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
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....
, and after the Allied Invasion of southern France in August 1944, by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force.
Used by the French Air Force base after the war, it was closed and today the airport is used for 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. It is still occasionally used by military aircraft.
History
The airport's origin dates from the 1930s when the French Air ForceFrench Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
(Armée de l'Air) established Valence-Chabeuil Air Base. It was the headquarters for the Zone d'Opérations Aériennes des Alpes - Z.O.A.A.(Alps Air Operations Area). Known operational units assigned were:
- G.R. II/14 Potez 637 (1)
- G.A.O. 582 Potez 63.11 (undetermined- in training)
- G.A.O. 1/584 Potez Potez 63.11 (3) (in training)
The Portez was a heavy twin-engined fighter. With the outbreak of war in May 1940, the unit did not see action against the Germans in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
. However, operations were flown against the Italian Army (Regio Esercito) after the Italian invasion of France
Italian invasion of France
The Italian invasion of France in June 1940 was a small-scale invasion that started near the end of the Battle of France during World War II. The goal of the Italian offensive was to take control of the Alps mountain range and the region around Nice, and to win the colonies in North Africa...
on 10 June. After the Second Armistice at Compiègne the Armée de l'Air units assigned to the airfield were ordered to French North Africa, and the airport was closed by the Vichy France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
government.
German use during World War II
After the forceful occupation of Vichy France in November 1942 as a result of Case AntonCase Anton
Operation Anton was the codename for the military occupation of Vichy France carried out by Germany and Italy in November 1942.- Background :...
Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
units moved into the Valence area and the airport came under the control of the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
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....
. It was not, however used as an operational base until July 1943 when XI. Fliegerkorps moved Luftlandegeschwader 1 (LLG 1) (Airborne Squadron 1) to the airport, equipped with 32 Henschel Hs 126
Henschel Hs 126
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Green, William. Warplanes of the Third Reich. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1970 . ISBN 0-356-02382-6....
reconnaissance aircraft and 120 DFS 230
DFS 230
|-See also:-External links:* http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/dfs230.html* http://www.luftarchiv.de/flugzeuge/dfs/dfs230.htm...
light transport gliders. In early August 1944, Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26) moved Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
s to the airfield to attack advancing United States Seventh Army
United States Army Europe
United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, is an Army Service Component Command of the United States Army and the land component of United States European Command. It is the largest American formation in Europe.-Invasion of Sicily:...
forces moving north, however the Luftwaffe was driven out by Twelfth Air Force attacks.
American use
Twelfth Air Force combat engineers moved into Valence-Chabeuil Airport in late August 1944, and cleared the airport of mines and destroyed German aircraft. It was declared ready for operational use on 2 September 1944. It was designated as Advanced Landing GroundAdvanced 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-23 Valence". The 79th Fighter Group
79th Fighter Group
The 79th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Air Defense Command 30th Air Division, being assigned to Youngstown Air Force Base, Ohio. It was inactivated on 1 March 1960.-World War II:...
was assigned to the airport and operated P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
fighter-bomber aircraft until the end of September 1944, until moving north with the advancing Allied forces. Once the combat unit moved out, Valence-Chabeuil became a transport airfield, supporting C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
resupply and also casualty evacuation flights until being returned to French control on 20 November 1944.
Postwar/Current use
In 1945 the Armée de l'Air returned to its airfield and it returned to its prewar status as an active air base. A 2100m all-weather asphalt runway was laid down for jet aircraft operations, and the damage caused by World War II was repaired. It is undetermined when it was converted to a civilian airport.Today the airport is a modern, fully equipped facility with two additional parallel grass runways available for use. A large aircraft parking ramp along with a hangar and support buildings are available. In addition, several hangars appear to be used by the French Air Force, with a separate parking area for military aircraft and support area.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground