Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
France, Pays de la Loire Sarthe
This collection of airfields is ©
2010-2012 by RonaldV
(Disclaimer).
Lombron (A-37) Added 21 Feb 2012 - Saint Léonard (A-36) Added 21 Feb 2012
Montreuil (A-38) Added 25 Apr 2012 - Saint Marceau (A-43) Added 21 Feb 2012
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48°05'55"N 000°27'12"E
runway: 12/30 - 1542x37m/5000x120ft - SMT/PBS
Lombron airfield (Advanced Landing Ground A-37 'Lombron', also known as aerodrome La Chapelle-Saint-Rémy) was an Allied wartime airfield 160 kilometers southwest of Paris.
The airfield was built between 18 August and 3 September 1944 by the 834th Engineer Aviation Battalion.
It was actually very little used, but at least one unit temporarily settled at the base:
P-47s Thunderbolts of the 405th Fighter Group.
Although the airfield was not finished yet, advance parties of the Group was sent there with the remainder sent to Cretteville on 25 August.
These P-47s remained at the airfield until 13 September 1944, when the much better equipped former Luftwaffe field at Saint-Dizier (A-64) became available.
Construction of A-37 "Lombron" in late August 1944 (PhotosNormandie, on Flickr"
Map of the airstrip in 1944
The airfield was abandoned by the end of the month and returned to agricultural use.
Nothing remains of the former airfield.
The location of the airfield in 2005 (Google Earth)
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47°56'29"N 000°03'06"E
Runway: 18/36 - 1542x37m/5000x120ft - SMT/PBS
Saint Léonard airfield (Advanced Landing Ground A-36, also known as aèrodrome de Louplande) was an Allied wartime airfield 200 kilometers southwest of Paris.
The airfield was built between 16 August and 4 September 1944 by the 818th Engineer Aviation Battalion and finished by the 846th Engineer Aviation Battalion.
The airfield was not located near Reims, as in claimed by this English Wikipedia article.
The airfield was temporary home to 406th Fighter Group, equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts.
512FS, coded L3, was stationed here between 4 and 20 September 1944.
513FS, coded 4P, was stationed here between 4 and 22 September 1944.
514FS, coded O7, was stationed here between 28 August and 24 September 1944.
Map of A-36 airfield in 1944
The airfield was abandoned by 4 October and returned to agricultural use.
Nothing remains of the former airfield.
The terrain in 2006 (Google Earth)
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48°05'29"N 000°11'16"E
runway: 18/36 - 1542x37m/5000x120ft - 3600ft PB+/1400ft compacted earth
Montreuil airfield (Advanced Landing Ground 28, also known as Aèrodrome de Neuville-sur-Sarthe) was an Allied wartime airfield 180 kilometers southwest of Paris.
The airfield was built between 17 August and 4 September 1944 by 820 Engineer Aviation Battalion.
It was temporary home to 363 Tact Reconnaissance Group, flying photo-reconnaissance Mustangs.
380FS (160 TRS), coded A9, was stationed here between 9 September and 11 October.
381FS (161 TRS), coded B3, was stationed here between 11 September and 2 October.
382FS (162 TRS), coded C3, was stationed here between 13 September and 24 September.
Map of Montreuil airfield as it was in 1944
After 363 Reconnaissance Group left, the airfield was abandoned on 5 October and returned to agricultural use.
Nothing remains of the former airfield.
The location of Montreuil airfield in 2005 (Google Maps)
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48°10'37"N 000°09'30"E
runway: 08/26 - 1542x37m/5000x120ft - PBS
St. Marceau airfield (advanced landing Ground A-43, also known as Aèrodrome de Saint-Jean-d'Assé) was an Allied wartime airfield 175 kilometers southwest of Paris.
The airfield was built between 20 and 31 August 1944 by 819 Engineer Aviation Battalion.
It was temporary home to 474 Fighter Group, flying P-38 fighter-bombers.
The Group and its squadrons were supporting operations in the Brest area.
428FS, coded F5, was stationed here between 2 and 12 September 1944.
429FS, coded 7Y, was stationed here between 2 and 12 September 1944.
430FS, coded K6, was stationed here between 2 and 12 September 1944.
When 474FG had left, the airfield sat abandoned for a few weeks.
It was returned to operational status on 1 October 1944.
It became temporary home to 441 Troop Carrier Group, flying C-47 Skytrains.
99TCS, coded 3J, was stationed here between 1 October and 4 November 1944.
100TCS, coded 8C, was stationed here between 2 October and 3 November 1944.
301TCS, coded Z4, was stationed here between 1 October and 4 November 1944.
302TCS, coded 2L, was stationed here between 1 October and 2 November 1944.
The Troop Carrier Group and its squadrons were supporting operations near the Ruhr area in Germany.
Map of St. Marceau airfield as it was in 1944
The airfield finally closed on 20 November 1944.
It was dismantled and returned to its original owners.
Today, the lands are built over with the A-28 highway between Le Mans and Le Havre.
The remainder is for agricultural use.
Nothing remains of the former airfield.
The location of St. Marceau airfield in 2005 (Google Maps)
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If you have any information about airfields (listed and unlisted) in France, email RonaldV.
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