Brétigny Airfield
Mission Summaries > June 1944 > Airfields in Jun 44
Brétigny (FR)
(a.k.a. Brétigny-sur-Orge, Le Plessis-Pâté)
(48 35 50 N – 02 19 45 E)
History: the airfield became operational under the Luftwaffe in July 1940 as a bomber base for the air offensive against England (Battle of Britain). From June 1941, it was used by bomber reserve training groups (IV. Gruppe).
Dimensions: approx. 1555 x 1005 meters.
Runway: two concrete runways, one 1,550 x 60 meters NE/SW and the other 1,280 x 60 meters WNW/ESE. Both had assembly tarmacs or platforms at the ends which were connected to the dispersal areas by taxiways. Large grassy areas W of the NE/SW runway had been drained and leveled. A perimeter road or track encircled the landing area. Equipped for night landings with runway illumination, beam approach system and a visual Lorenz system.
Infrastructure: there was a refueling loop E of the South dispersal area. Fuel was stored near the main hangars, and in the woods where the dispersal areas were located. The fuel was brought by rail from Bordeaux and Nantes to the railway yards at Brétigny-sur-Orge. There were 3 large hangars (one four-bay and two double-bay) with concrete aprons at the NW corner along with several workshop buildings. A motor pool and garages were in Brétigny village. Two munitions’ dumps were situated off the E and S boundaries, both served by a light rail spur. A block of 6 barrack buildings lay just to the SE of the South dispersal area.
Dispersal: there were 3 areas; the East dispersal had 21 covered aircraft shelters, the South dispersal had 12 covered and 1 open aircraft shelter and the Northwest dispersal had 3 covered aircraft shelters.
Defenses: there were 4 heavy Flak positions within 3 km of the airfield and 4 light Flak positions around the perimeter of the field on 10 June 1943.
Satellites and Decoys:
- Bretigny/I
(a.k.a. Arpajon)(48 33 55 N – 02 16 35 E)new satellite for Bretigny on the site of the former landing ground known as Arpajon that was first identified as active on 5 Jul 44 and located 5.25 km SW of Bretigny airfield. Not yet fully rehabilitated and operational, the grass was being leveled and rolled at that time to create a strip measuring 1370 x 185 meters (1500 x 200 yards). Aircraft would be dispersed on the edge of woods surrounding the landing area on the N and S sides.
- Bretigny/II
(a.k.a. Courcouronnes?)(48 35 00 N – 02 23 00 E)satellite strip 4 km ENE of Bretigny airfield with a length of approx. 915 meters (1000 yards). Under construction and not yet serviceable in Jul 44. Plans called for it to be connected by taxiway with a planned Northeast (remote) dispersal area for Bretigny airfield.
- Bretigny/III
(48 37 00 N – 02 22 00 E)satellite strip 4 km NE of Bretigny airfield and immediately S of the village of Fleury-Mérogis. Measured approx. 1190 x 185 meters (1300 x 200 yards). Prepared summer 1944 and serviceable in Aug 44.
- Bretigny/IV
(48 35 00 N – 02 20 00 E)satellite strip 2.5 km S of Bretigny airfield and immediately NW of the village of Rue-Croix-Boissee. Measured approx. 1325 meters (1450 yards) in length and connected to the South dispersal area of Bretigny airfield. Under construction and not yet serviceable in Aug 44.
- Bretigny-Leudeville
(48 34 00 N – 02 18 00 E)dummy located 3.25 km SSW of Bretigny airfield.
Remarks:
- 20 Apr 41: employed 2,391 non-German workers.
- 04 May 42: bombed by the RAF – 1 x Fw 44, 1 x Bü 131 and 1 x K1 35 from IV./KG 30 all destroyed on the ground.
- 16 Dec 43: 6 additional open aircraft shelters were reported to be under construction for the South dispersal area.
- 10 Apr 44: construction work to extend the East dispersal and add 3 more shelters was observed to be under way while work on the South dispersal was continuing.
- 11 May 44: low-level attack by VIII Fighter Command P-38s – claimed 2 x Ju 88s destroyed.
- 25 May 44: bombed by 37 B-24 Liberators as a secondary target (90.5 tons).
- 02 Jun 44: bombed by 13 B-24s as a primary target (39 tons).
- 04 Jun 44: bombed by 55 B-24s as a primary target (150 tons) – 1 x Ju 188 and 1 x Bf 110 destroyed, another aircraft damaged and 4 men WIA; 2 hangars destroyed and 1 workshop damaged, 2 barracks destroyed and 2 more damaged. Serviceability restored in 24 hours. (German report).
- 14 Jun 44: bombed in morning by 69 B-17 Fortresses as a primary target (126.3 tons) – c. 500 bursts on the runway and 90 on the taxiways, but serviceability only interrupted for 24 hours. (German report).
- 17 Jun 44: bombed mid-day by 17 B-24s as a primary target (50 tons) – runways and take-off strips hit many times. Airfield unserviceable and restoration was expected to take 7 days due to the delayed action fusing of many bombs. (German report). (445th BG Mission #107 – 17 B-24s dropped 352 x 500 lb. AN-M-43 General Purpose bombs)
- 25 Jun 44: bombed by 35 B-24s as a primary target (82 tons).
- 08 Aug 44: bombed by 11 B-24s as a target of opportunity (31.5 tons).
- 12 Aug 44: low-level attack – 1 x Bf 109G from III./JG 1 damaged on the ground.
- 16 Aug 44: ordered by Luftflotte 3 to prepare for evacuation and demolition.
Operational Units: III./KG 51 (Nov 40 – Mar 41); II./KG 54 (Apr-May 41); 15./KG 40 (Sep 42); I./KG 6 (Mar-Jun 44); Stab, II./KG 6 (Jul-Aug 44); III./JG 1 (Aug 44).
Reserve Training & Replacement Units: IV./KG 30 (Jun 41 – Jul 42); IV./KG 6 (Jul 42 – Mar 44).
Station Commands: Fl.H.Kdtr. E 13/XII (Jul 40 – Mar 43); Fl.H.Kdtr. A 231/XII (Mar/Apr 43 – Mar 44); Fl.H.Kdtr. E(v) 210/XII (Apr-Aug 44).
Station Units (on various dates – not complete): Luftgaustab z.b.V. 300 (Jun 40 - ? ); 137. Flugh.Betr.Kp. (Qu) (1943 – Apr 44); Res.Flak-Abt. 522 (Jan-Feb 41); elements of Res.Flak-Abt. 497 (Oct 41); Lw.-Bauleitung Bretigny (c.1940-44); Lw.-Bau-Btl. 14/XIII (Saint-Vrain, Feb 41); Sanitätsbereitschaft (mot) d.Lw. 1/XII (Arpajon, Jul-Sep 40).
Brétigny Airdrome as seen today
Image courtesy of Google Earth Pro™