Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
France, Lower-Normandy Manche
This collection of airfields is ©
2010-2012 by RonaldV
(Disclaimer).
Montebourg-Ecausseville Revised 18 Mar 2012 - Poupeville (ELS-1) Updated 18 Apr 2011
Beuzeville (A-6) Repaired 10 Sep 2012 - Azeville (A-7) Updated 11 Sep 2012 - Querqueville Updated 10 Sep 2012
Carentan (A-10) Updated 10 Sep 2012 - Méautis (A-17) Updated 11 Sep 2012 - Cherbourg-Chantereyne Added 18 Mar 2012
Brucheville (A-16) Updated 10 Sep 2012 - Biniville Added 19 Jul 2012 - Picauville (A-8N) Added 11 Sep 2012
Cretteville Added 11 Sep 2012 - Gorges (A-26) Added 13 Sep 2012 - Lessay Updated 7 Dec 2012
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49°27'06"N 001°22'50"W
runway: grass field
Air field Montebourg-Ecausseville (french: aerostation de Montebourg-Ecausseville) was an air station in Normandy, France.
The air field was built between January and August 1917 as an airship station for airships battling German U-boats in the English Channel (french: Pas-de-Calais).
A 150feet long, 20 feet wide and 22 feet high wooden hangar was built to host the SS-49/VA-3 Sea Wasp and the airships Astra-Torrès, Zodiac and Chalais-Meudon .
By October the millitary decided to build a second hangar, this time of concrete, large nough to house a Zd3-type airship.
Construction of this hangar ran from 112 November 1917 until 18 August 1919.
2540 locally produced tiles were laid on a row of 25 arches to form a 150x24meter large hangar floor with a heigth of 28 meters.
Its large double doors, requiring 6 men to open them, were put on the northwest side of the hangar in 1920.
By the time it was finished it was already obsolete however, an airship only docked once, in 1922.
The property was used as an airstation for aircraft flying between Cherbourg and Paris.
Map of the hangar area as it was ca. 1920 (aerobase.fr).
Model of the airfield (source).
The hangars were struck off by the military in 1927 and the wooden hangar was torn down in 1933 after it was severely damaged by a storm in 1931.
In 1939 the other one was handed over to the naval artillery in Cherbourg.
They stationed 200 men and 2 mobile batteries of 155mm and 4 mobile batteries of 90mm at the station.
During the German occupation the hangar lost its two rolling doors, which were removed by blowtorch.
The hangar after the Germans removed the doors (aerobase.fr)
After the Allied invasion in 1944 the Americans used it as a repair facilities for all kinds of vehicles, ranging from trucks to tanks.
In 1946, the french Navy planned to sell the site, but then decided to use it as a warehouse for field hospitals and various spare parts for ships and aircraft until 1994.
Closing the hangar took until 1953, when it was closed with a concrete block.
Between 1967 and 1969, part of the hangar is reserved for the Military Applications of the Atomic Energy Commission, for the development of the balloons for the first H-bomb testing at French Mururoa.
To have a sufficient height, a pit was built inside the hangar.
During this period, security was reinforced by constructing additional fencing around the hangar and two guard posts with a search light coupled with a machine gun turret.
In 1999, the French-American Association for Normandy Airfields of the 9th Air Force, together with the Association of Friends of the airship hangar at Écauseville (link in French, or translated with Google), acquired the site.
The organisations attempt to promote its heritage and have managed to register it as a monument by order of 30 August 2000.
The hangar, the last building of its kind since the destruction of those built at Brest, Orly and Rochefort, was classified as a historical monument by decree of 7 January 2003.
The joint communities of Manche bought the hangar in 2008, with the Association of Friends retaining its mission.
The hangar was visited by about 5000 people in 2010, against 3,500 the previous year.
The hangar in July 2007 (Wikipedia)
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49°23'02"N 001°12'00"W
Runway: 06/24 - 600x30meters/2000x100feet - SOD
Air field Poupeville was an emergency landing strip near Utah Beach in Normandy, France
The strip was completed on D-Day and served as the first safe location for Allied aircraft having to make an emergency landing on the beachhead.
The strip only measured 600m in length, because it was only intended for landings, and not for takeoffs.
The landing strip was completed on D-Day, and remained in use for a while.
It is not known if it was actually used.
According to the IX Engineer Command website it is not known when the airstrip was released back to its owners.
ELS-1 Poupeville was still faintly recognisable when IGN had Normandy photographed on 11 Jun 1947. Normandy's famous hedges
("bocages") were missing locally, and lines in the soil showed the outline of the landing strip, west of Poupeville village on the right.
(Photo IGN, via Rémi Brouillaud)
Map of A-16 Brucheville and ELS-1 Poupeville as they were in 1944 (6juin1944.com).
"Merci beaucoup" to Mr. Rémi Brouillaud of France for pointing me to the location of this airfield!
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49°25'22"N 001°17'39"W
Runway: 06/24 - 1500x45meters/5000x120feet - SMT
Air field Beuzeville (ALG A-6 Beuzeville, also known as La Londe) was an Advanced Landing Ground near Utah Beach in Normandy, France
The airfield was built just outside Ste-Mère-Église by IX Engineering Command, 819th Engineer Aviation Battallion.
It was declared operational on 14 June, 8 days after D-Day, and served as the first airfield on the beachhead.
Combat units stationed at the airfield were 371FG (404,405 and 406FS, flying P-47 Thunderbolts) and 367FG (392,393 and 394FS, flying P-38 Lightnings).
The airfield was in operational use from 15 June 1944 until 18 September 1944.
Its flying units flew close air support and air defense missions above and just in front of the front line.
According to the IX Engineer Command website it is the airstrip was released back to its owners on 18 September.
A rare photo of CG-4A Waco gliders landing at A-6. The gliders carried the coils of SMT tracks that were
used to reinforce the runway of the airfield, some of which can already be seen on the edge of the runway.
When used for runways about 10 square meters could be installed per man per hour. In one week a 1200m
runway could be installed, and in 10 days a 1700m runway would be completed. In this photo no SMT is
yet seen installed, or the Waco would have crashed while 'biting' itself into the mesh. This sets the date of
the photo shortly after 7 June 1944. Some 2560 rolls of SMTs were needed to complete the temporary
airfield, a load of 740 tonnes (PhotosNormandie, on Flickr").
819 EAB installling SMT at ALG-6. Dated 14 June, this photo holds several interesting details. Two aircraft
are parked 'with their noses in the hedge' on the left side of the photo: a P-47D 'Razorback' Thunderbolt
and a Spitfire laying on its belly with its wooden propellor broken. On the right side another Spitfire (Vb)
is visible, coded 4G, 4O or 4Q. These are probably Spitfires (or Seafires) that were loaned to the
provisional VCS-7 Air Spotting Pool of the United States to observe and adjust naval artillery. The aircraft
are wearing their full invasion stripes and were likely unable to reach England, causing them to divert to
this airfield (PhotosNormandie, on Flickr).
When work began on 7 June, 819 EAB counted 50 men working on the airfield. When a firefight broke out
between German defenders and US paratroopers, 7 workers were kiled. The photo lists a date of 17 June,
the date the image was taken, but also the date the 371FG began flying into the airfield. To the left two
Wacos are still parked (PhotosNormandie, on Flickr").
A P-47 crashed and burned at ALG A-6 on 21 June, only a few days after the station opened. A GI is trying
to put down the flames. The crash must have occured on takeoff as the anti-personnel mines are stil hanging
under the wings, and the engine was running because the blades are twisted. This picture is shown on the
cover of the book 'Shot to Hell: Stories and the Photos of Ravaged WWII Warbirds' (Paperback) by author
Cory Graff (PhotosNormandie, on Flickr).
9th Air Force mechanics refill the compartments for the 4 12.7 machine guns on the left side of a Republic
P-47 Thunderbolt. In the rear three 'Razorback' Thunderbolts are visible and another one to the left. Although
it is not clear on which ALG this photo was taken, it gives a good impression of conditions at the ALGs.
Offloading of jerrycans with fuel at ALG A-6. Visible are three GMC trucks, a DUKW and a C-47 Skytrain/Dakota
in the back.
German prisoners unloading crates off a C-47 under the supervision of an armed black GI on a rainy airfield.
The ground is covered with plates PSP (Pierced Steel Planking) instead of SMT, the C-47 in the foreground
with the code L4 is part of the 91st TCS/439th TCG/50th TCW /IX Troop Carrier Command and it does not
carry the invasion stripes. The original caption indicates the location as Sainte Mère Eglise (just south of ALG
A-6), however. Likely the official USAAF caption is completely wrong!
The above photos were collected by PhotosNormandie and shared via Flickr. Click on the photos for larger versions.
The remains of A-6 Beuzeville airfield were still recognisable from aerial photography in the summer of 1947 (IGN).
Today, nothing remains of the former landing ground.
After 18 september the lands were brought back to their original state, as farmland.
Only a small memorial reminds of the once very important airfield.
Photo Richard Drew, via AirfieldInformationExchange
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49°28'55"N001°18'55"W
Runway: 08/26 - 1150x45meters/3600x150feet - SMT
Air field Azeville (ALG A-7) was an Advanced landing Ground near Utah Beach in Normandy, France
The airfield was completed a little over two weeks after D-Day and served as an air base for Allied aircraft operating above and just ahead of the beachhead.
It was built by the US IX Engineering Command, 819th Engineer Aviation Battallion.
Although named after the town of Azeville, it was actually located closer to Fontenay-sur-Mer and St. Marcouf.
It was built north of the lane to Chateau de Fontenay, one of the most beautiful chateaus in Normandy and cut through another.
Most of the construction took place under enemy fire, but 819 EAB did not sustain major damage or loss in men.
Although planned for a 1500m (5000ft) runway, it was built as a fighter air base with 3600ft of runway.
Reason is that any lengthening would require major earthworks.
The airfield was declared operational on 23 June and completed on 2 July, 16 resp. 26 days after D-Day.
Map of USAAF Advanced Landing Ground A-7 Azeville Airfield, France. Although this image comes from Wikipedia,
Wikipedias own description (as well as that of Skylighters) of the airfield puts it in a position about 3km/2mi south of
here (USAAF via National Archive via Wikipedia).
The airfield was used by the 365th FG, consisting of 386, 387 and 388 FS, flying P-47 Thunderbolts on fighter bomber missions.
The group moved into the airfield on 28 June 1944.
The Fighter Group left on 15 August.
For about a month the airfield was used by 363 FG consisting of 380, 381 and 382 FS, flying P-51 Mustangs on fighter and tactical reconnaissance missions.
USAAF abandoned the site on 15 September 1944.
Colonel Ray J. Stecker, CO of 365FG, posing in his P-47 in front of Chateau de Fontenay. A-7 Azeville was located in the gardens of the Chateau (6juin1944.com).
Colonel James B. Tipton, CO of 363FG, posing at almost the same spot at A-7 Azeville as his predecessor. A few weeks
worth of battle did visible damage to the chateau's chimneys (6juin1944.com).
The remains of Azeville airfield were still very visible on the estate of Chateau de Fontenay in 1947 (IGN).
The lands were released to french control and returned to the original owners.
Today, nothing reminds of the former airfield.
Chateau de Fontenay is still in ruins from the battle of Normandy.
A-7 Azeville Airfield, drawn on a 2007 aerial photo of the area. In blue the runway, in red the base perimeter (Google Earth/RonaldV).
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49°40'07"N 001°41'20"W
Querqueville station crest (FFAA.net)
Runway: 11/29 - 1450x45meters/4600x150feet - SMT
Air field Querqueville (l'aèrodrome Cherbourg-Querqueville, also known as ALG A-23C Querqueville) was an airfield 3 miles (5km) west of Cherbourg in Normandy, France
The airfield was built immediately southwest of the Fort de Querqueville.
It was opened in 1925 and served as a training and research airfield for the Aèronavale (French Navy).
Among the units stationed at the airfield was the Section d'Entraînement et Servitudes de Cherbourg (Cherbourg Training and Utility Section - coded CB) operating NA-57 (Better known in USAAC service as BT-14 and in UK/Canadian service as Yale I).
When the Battle of France was over, the airfield became a German Fliegerhorst.
As such it was bombed several times by both the RAF and USAAF.
That did not stop the Luftwaffe from using it though: amongst others it was used by JG2 Richthofen during the Battle of Britain.
-assembling-for-a-mission-France-1940-01.jpg)
Bf-109s of JG2 assembling for missions over England during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. The fort in the background is the Fort de Querqueville.
Querqueville from SO sector, facing NE (atlantikwall.superforum.fr).
The beach at Querqueville near Cherbourg - ca. 1941. Potez 631 aeroplanes that had been captured during the
Battle of France, had served for some time as decoys with German crosses painted on. Later the Germans pushed
them onto the beach, presumably to make space at the aerodrome (Mr. Green's gallery).
In 1944, after Cherbourg fell to US forces following a lengthy battle, US IX Engineering Command, 830th Engineer Aviation Battallion began rebuilding the airfield.
Assisted by 826 EAB they found and cleared 4500 landmines at the airfield.
As the mines could not be detected by their mine detectors, this meant an extraordinary effort, for which the units' men were awarded with several Bronze Stars.
830EAB then proceeded to convert Querqueville into a transport airfield, designated ALG-23C.
They constructed a large platform and managed to squeeze in a 4600x120ft runway.
A hangar was repaired, only to be destroyed again by a B-17 in distress, and repaired a second time.
Querqueville was one of the longest serving ALGs in Europe.
Immediately after the war is was used by both the RAF and USAAF as the location where captured german military aircraft were brought to in preparation to the transport to the UK and USA.
This project was known as Operation LUSTY (LUftwaffe Secret TechnologY)
Querqueville airfield, section of a map depicting the german minefields found at Scribd.com (Pages 90-100)
830 EAB rebuilding ALG A-23C Querqueville in July 1944 (click photo to enlarge at Flickr).
Men of 850th Engineer Aviation Bn (EAB), IX Engineer Command, Ninth Air Force place Hessian Matting on
ALG A-23C. This photo has some very crude censor marks. See the next photo for more subtle censoring of the
same photo (PhotosNormandie, on Flickr).
A more subtly censored version of the photo above. Clearly, something was in the photo that was not to be seen,
possibly a radar site (PhotosNormandie, on Flickr).
Douglas C-47 Skytrain of 99th Troop Carrier Squadron / 441st Troop Carrier Group, winter 1944-1945.
According to the book "Cherbourg Port De La Liberté Dans La Bataille De Normandie" ("Cherbourg
Port Of Liberty In The Battle Of Normandy", Éditions Isoete, page 438) by Robert Lerouvillois, this is
ALG A-23C Querqueville.
(PhotosNormandie, on Flickr").
The airfield ultimately closed on 8 Aurgust 1945.
It was handed over to the Aeronavale who used it until 1948.
It was then put on a Care and Maintenance status.
It was finally closed in 1966.
The area had changed very much, with a Defence academy and a new suburb having been built over the site.
Some taxitracks, concrete hangar floors and modereate scarring of the soil west of the academy are all that remain of the former airfield.
Querqueville 29 May 1947 (IGN).
Querqueville photographed on 22 April 1955. Two transport-size aircraft can be seen in front of the hangars, 4 more
airframes appear to be discarded in the triangular area north of the transports (IGN).
Querqueville, late September 1958 (IGN).
Querqueville, March 1965, a year before the airfield closed for good (IGN).
Querqueville in 1966, shortly after the airfield was permanently closed. White Xs were painted on both ends of the runway (IGN).
The former Querqueville airfield is now the Ecole des Fourriers of the French Ministry of Defense (defense.gouv.fr).
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49°18'17"N 001°11'06"W
runway: 08/26 - 1524x35m/5000x120ft - SMT
Carentan airfield (Advanced Landing Ground A-10 Carentan, in French: Aèrodrome de Carentan) was an Advanced Landing Ground near Utah Beach in Normandy, France
The airfield was built just east of Carentan by 826 Engineer Aviation Battalion from 15 June 1944.
It was taken into limited service only 4 days later.
Its 35 meter wide landing track (Square Mesh Track) was extended on both sides by taxi tracks, effectively making for a 100meter wide landing strip.
The southern taxitrack doubled as an emergency crash-runway.
On 19 June 1944 P-47s Thunderbolts of 50 Fighter Group, part of 84 Fighter Wing of 9 Air Force, took up residence at the airfield.
It's first squadron (313, coded W3) arrived the same day.
The other two squadrons (10FS, coded T5, and 81FS, coded 2N) arrived a day later.
On 22 July the station received another unit, when P-38J Lightnings of 392FS (coded H5), belonging to 367FG, took up residence.
The Lightnings arrived shortly after a tragedy near Cotentin.
Being part of a large 14 squadron effort to bomb and strafe German positions from low level, the unit was last to attack.
Obviously, by this time German flak was expecting them, and the unit took a heavy loss.
14 pilots were killed, one taken prisoner, and commander RC "Buck" Rogers returned to base with only 7 aircraft left.
392FS remained until 15 August 1944, leaving for Cricqueville to join its two sister squadrons.
50FG left the next day for Méautis airfield.
P-47D 42-25904 "Lethal Liz II" of the 81 FS, 50 FG (coded 2N-U) is met with passing interest by the local livestock
at Carentan airfield (A-10), France. Noteworthy is the presence of a RAF Spitfire on its belly in the background (warbird-central.com).
The location and layout of Carentan airfield projected on a map depicting todays roads (6juin1944.com).
The location close to Carentan and the junction with two major roads in the region meant that Carentan remained in service for some more time.
Many aircraft visited the airfield and the terrain was not returned to the original owners until November 1944.
Carentan was still recognisable from the air in 1947(IGN).
Today, nothing remains of the airfield.
Part of it was dug under when the E-3/E-46 highway was built.
The western end of the runway used to be where the E-3 and E-46 merge and continued just north of the E-46.
It's location is still recognisable today, as the famous Normany hedges are still missing in the landcape halfway between Saint-Pellerin and Catz.
The location of the airstrip in 2007. If you do not know what to look for you would never recognise the former airfield (Google Earth).
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49°17'04"N 001°18'00"W
runway: 10/28 - 1524x35m/5000x120ft - Prefab Bitumous Surfacing/earth
Méautis airfield (Advanced Landing Ground A-17 Méautis, in French: Aèrodrome de Méautis) was an Advanced Landing Ground just north of the village of Méautis near Utah Beach in Normandy, France
Construction of the airfield by 840 Engineer Aviation Battalion began on 24 July 1944.
The airfield went operational on 17 August 1944 when 50FG had moved in from nearby Carentan airfield.
The Fighter Group stayed until 6 September.
The airfield closed on 15 September 1944 and was returned to its original owners.
A 81stFS/50FG P-47 Thunderbolt, presumably taken at Méautis airfield (USAF/Schriever AFB, via Wikipedia
Méautis ALG was stilll clearly recognisable in June 1947 (IGN).
Today, it is very hard to recognise the location of the former airfield from the ground.
Only a small memorial dedicated to the airfield and 50 Fighter Group indicates its location.
From aerial photography (Google Earth) some very light scarring of the landscape is still recognisable.
As with most other ALGs in Normandy, the famous hedges are missing from the location of the former runway.
4 windmills were built along the line that made up the runway.
The text on the memorial at former Méautis airfield (aerosteles.net) reads:
The 50th Fighter Group
of Ninth USA Air Force
flew from
this advanced
landing ground A 17
build by
the 340th Air Engrs Battallion
16.08 to 15.09.1944
In respectful memory
of those who gave their lives
for liberty
Méautis
7.06.1989
The location of the former airstrip in 2005. 4 Windmills can be seen aligned with the western half of the former runway, of which some light scarring remained visible in the ground (Google Earth)
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49°38'47"N 001°37'35"W
Runway: n/a - water
Cherbourg-Chantereyne airstation (French: Aerodrome de Cherbourg-Chantereyne, also known as Base Aèronavale Cherbourg-Chantereyne) was an aerdrome In Cherbourgh, 300 kilometers west of Paris
The airfield was opened in March 1917 as a naval base to facilitate patrols over the English Channel and the North Sea.
Being a seaplane base it had no runways, but it did have many squadrons operating from its hangars.
As such, it was one of the most important Aèronavale bases of the inter-war period.
Seaplane crane at the Base Aéronavale Cherbourg-Chantereyne (coll. Michel Le Querrec, on Flickr).
A row of FBA 17 and CAMS 37 on the Cherbourg dock in the 1930s (postedeschoufs.com)
Overview of the Base Aéronavale Cherbourg-Chantereyne (Coll. Michel Le Querrec, on Flickr)
The airfield was taken over by the Germans after the Battle of France in June 1940.
They flew He-59 partol planes from the airfield.
The Germans were driven out of Cherbourg after heavy fighting on 26 June 1944.
The battle left much of Cherbourg and almost the complete air station in ruins.
It was never rebuilt.
Today the area is part of the sea front of Cherbourg, with a large marina.
Inspection of the Base Aéronavale Cherbourg-Chantereyne by an Italian Amiral accompanied by German Rear-Admiral Rieve.
Seaplanes can be seen floating in the background. The wheels on the dock are to bring the aircraft into the hangars.
(coll. Alain Chazette, via Michel Le Querrec, on Flickr)
A German Heinkel He59 on the dock at Cherbourg-Chantereyne (Atlanticwall)
Impression of the damage done to Cherbourg-Chantereyne, as seen in August 1944 (Flickr).
Cherbourg-Chantereyne in the early 2000s (Flashearth)
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49°22'07"N 001°12'55"W
runway: 07/25 - 1524x43m/5000x140ft - Prefab Bitumous Surface (BPS)/Compacted earth
Brucheville airfield (Advanced Landing Ground A-16 "Brucheville") was an Advanced Landing Ground southeast of the community of Brucheville near Utah Beach in Normandy, France
The airfield was built between 6 July and 2 August 1944 by the 843 Engineer Aviation Battalion.
It served as an air base for Allied fighter-bombers operating above and just ahead of the beachhead.
The airfield was used by 36 Fighter Group (P-47Ds) as early as 7 July, but only with one squadron: 53 FS.
The other two (22 and 23 FS) followed in early August, possibly because they were converting from Razorback P-47D-20 to the bubble canopy P-47D-25 in England.
On 1 September 1944, just before the Group was to move to Le Mans, they earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for operations south of Loire river.
Map of A-16 Brucheville and Poupeville (ELS-1) as they were in 1944 (6juin1944.com).
After 36 FG moved out, the airfield was almost immediately closed on 5 September.
It was subsequently returned to agricultural use.
Overview of what was left of A-16 Brucheville in 1947 (IGN).
Nothing remains of the former airfield.
Only a small monument exists to remind us of the airfield and 36 FG.
Overview of A-16 Brucheville in 2007. Some very mild scarring of the land shows the location of the former runway (Google Earth)
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49°26'12"N 001°28'15"W
runway: 04/22 - 0000x00m/3600x120ft - earth
Biniville airfield (Advanced Landing Ground A-24C "Biniville") was an Advanced Landing Ground north of the community of Biniville near Utah Beach in Normandy, France
The airfield was built between 12 and 17 July 1944 by the 830 Engineer Aviation Battalion.
It served as a transport airfield for C-47 transport aircraft.
They brought in supplies to the battlefield and returned with wounded soldiers from the battlefield.
The airfield was returned to French authorities on 21 August 1944.
It was subsequently returned to agricultural use.
The location of the airfield was still clearly visible from aerial photography in July 1947 (www.geoportail.gouv.fr).
Today nothing remains of the former airfield.
Even the famous Normandy hedges have largely returned, although from aerial photography taken in 2006 they appear to be thinner (Google Earth/IGN).
The location of the former ALG in 2006 (Google Earth)
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49°23'41"N 001°24'28"W
runway: 07/25 - 1524x36.5m/5000x120ft - SMT/PBS
Picauville airfield (Advanced Landing Ground A-8 or A-8N "Picauville") was an Advanced Landing Ground north of the communities of Étainville and Picauville on the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy, France.
The airfield was built between 20 and 27 June 1944 by the 826 Engineer Aviation Battalion.
The airfield was home to 405FG (509FS - coded G9, 510FS - coded 2Z, 511FS - coded K4) flying P-47Ds.
Their first squadron began arriving at the airfield on 29 June 1944, the group was complete on 11 July.
During July, the Group flew 300 missions.
During those missions they had 11 pilots listed as MIA (Missing In Action) and another 4 as KIA (Killed In Action).
When German nightly incursions and attacks became more than a nuisance, RAF Mosquito night fighters were brougt to Picauville.
It made the airfield a major installation, because now it featured night landing equipment (hence the extra 'N' in the designator).
Two squadrons of 2nd Tactical Air Force, 604Sqn and 264Sqn equipped with Mosquito XII and XIII respectively, arrived on 6 and 11 August at Picauville.
An accident involving two Mosquitos damaged the airfield so much that all U.S. units were diverted to other airfields.
Two Mosquitos of 264 Sqn were operating without their machine guns.
Instead, they HF radio equipment during their missions over the Netherlands.
During their nightly missions, a Dutch secret agent would communicate with the Dutch resistance for updates on enemy troop movements.
The Mosquitos selected for this mission had three witches riding a broomstick on their nose (a reference to MacBeth).
The codename of the operation was 'Blackmail'.
Both RAF squadrons served at Picauville until the first week of September, when both squadrons returned to England (604 Sqn via ALG B-6).
The airfield was then abandoned and the lands returned to French control on 15 September 1944.
Picauville was still very recognisable from the air in 1947 (IGN).
Although the lands had been returned to agriculture, it was still possible to recognise some features of the ALG in April 1955 (IGN).
Today nothing remains of the former airfield.
Even the famous Normandy hedges have largely returned, although from aerial photography taken in 2006 they appear to be thinner (Google Earth/IGN).
In 2006 only the absence of hedges reminded of the former airfield (Google Earth)
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49°20'11"N 001°22'47"W
runway: 04/22 - 1100x36m/3600x120ft - PBS (+ 425m/1400ft earth)
Cretteville airfield (Advanced Landing Ground A-14 "Cretteville") was an Advanced Landing Ground north of the communities of Étainville and Picauville on the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy, France.
The airfield was built between 23 June and 4 July 1944 by the 819 Engineer Aviation Battalion.
ALG A-14 was declared operational with 358FG on 4 July.
358FG consisted of 365FS - coded CH, 366FS - coded IA and 367FS - coded CP, all flying the P-47D Thunderbolt.
Between 27 July and 15 August, 358 was joined by P-38Js of 393FS (367FG) squadron.
On 15 August they were replaced with Thunderbolts of 406FG (512, 513 and 514FS).
The movements were the result of the sudden breakthrough near St. Lo, which triggered a lot of movements and reorganisations.
406FG was originally planned to use the former German airfield Lessay.
However, destruction caused by departing Germans along with widespread mining of the airfield, meant that 406FG was instead sent to Cretteville.
The group ultimately departed for Le Mans on 4 September and the airfield closed the following day.
The remains of Cretteville were still slightly visible in August 1947 (IGN)
Today nothing remains of the former airfield.
Even the famous Normandy hedges have largely returned, although from aerial photography taken in 2006 they appear to be thinner (Google Earth/IGN).
Two small memorials are located near the airfield.
One is located on the wall surrounding the Château de Franquetot.
The other one is in a field near the former runway.
The location of Cretteville in 2006, when there was nothing left to remind of the Advanced Landing Ground (Google Earth)
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49°14'25"N 001°24'19"W
runway: 07/25 - 1900x36m/6000x120ft - PSP
Gorges airfield (Advanced Landing Ground A-26 'Gorges') was an airfield south of the community of Gorges on the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy, France.
The airfield was built between 2 and 19 August 1944 by the 826 Engineer Aviation Battalion.
The airfield was declared limited operational on 16 August and by the 19th, the B-26 Marauders of the 397th Bombardment Group began arriving.
Their last aircraft arrived on 31 August.
The unit left for A-41 Dreux airfield on 11 Sep 1944.
Gorges airfield closed on 28 September 1944.
The former airfield was still clearly recognisable in 1947 (IGN)
In 1965 the only reason the airfield was recognisable was that the hedges still had not grown back (IGN)
Today nothing remains of the former airfield.
Even the famous Normandy hedges have largely returned, although from aerial photography taken in 2006 they appear to be thinner (Google Earth/IGN).
A small memorial was built near the former airfield.
It is located on the west side of the former runway.
Even in 2006, more than 60 years after the airfield closed, the hedges were still missing from the former airfield (Google Earth).
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49°12'08"N 001°30'29"E
runway: 07/25 - 6000x120ft - PSP (CLOSED)
runway: 13/31 - 5000x120ft - PSP (CLOSED)
runway: 07/25 - 1250x80m/4101x..ft - grass
Lessay airfield (French: Aérodrome de Lessay or Aérodrome Charles Lindbergh, also known as Advanced Landing Ground A-20 'Lessay', ICAO LFOM) is an airfield southeast of Lessay on the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy, France.
According to French sources the airfield opened in December 1923.
On 4 June 1927 the airfield was used by Charles Lindbergh as his final stop in Europe, before boarding a ship in Cherbourg for his return to the United States.
It is not clear what happened at the airfield between 1928 and April 1944.
In April 1944, elements of the Fs.Jg.-Regt. 6 (Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment 6, or Para Regiment 6) were tasked with defending the airfield.
After it was captured, the airfield was completely rebuilt by 830 Engineer Aviation Battalion between 1 and 25 August 1944.
It was planned to reopen as a medium bomber base and became operational on 25 August.
323 Bombardment Group (Medium) flying B-26 Marauders were based at the airfield until 24 September.
After the bombers left, the airfield closed on 28 September 1944.
The grounds were then returned to the french authorities.
Lessay, photographed by IGN in 1947. The airfield still clearly shows the signs of the military use, such as the dispersals.
Also, notice the oval shape on the west side of the airfield, which remains visible throughout the airfields history
Unlike most other ALGs in Normandy, Lessay was not closed and returned to farmland, but instead it remained open.
In 1980 the airport was named after Charles Lndbergh.
Some time between 1978 and 2007 the airfield lost one runway and the remaining runway was shortened.
Lessay in 1965, 20 years after World War II had ended. While the airfield still had two runways, they were notably shorter.
The oval shaped taxitracks of 1947 are no longer part of the airfield, but they remain visible (IGN).
Lessay, 1968. Only minor changes compared to 1965, although the first signs of the breaking up of the oval begin to appear (IGN)
Again, few changes when this photo was taken in 1971, although the oval - whilst still recognisable- is beginning to fade (IGN).
In this 1978 photo a small radio control airfield has appeared and the oval is even less clearly defined. Its southern
half is now completely erased by the presence of what apears to be a dirtbike racing track. The airfield has gained
a parachuting circle and a communications board north of the intersection of the runways (IGN).
Lessay in 2007. Notice that the vval has now become part of town and the dirtbike track was relocated onto the 13/31 runway, which is now closed (Google Earth).
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