Cormeilles-en-Vexin Airfield - 445BG

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Cormeilles-en-Vexin Airfield

Mission Summaries > June 1944 > Airfields in Jun 44
Cormeilles-en-Vexin (FR)
(49 05 55 N – 02 02 00 E)

General: airfield in N France 35 km NW of Paris and 2.4 km SSE of the village of Cormeilles-en-Vexin.

History: used by the French Air Force Sep 39 – Jun 40. Taken over and expanded by the Luftwaffe for use as a bomber base from summer 1940 to summer 1941, then relatively inactive until early 1943.

Dimensions: approx. 1145 x 1145 meters (1250 x 1250 yards).

Surface and Runways: turf surface. Had 2 concrete runways – (1) approx. 1690 meters (1850 yards) aligned NW/SE; (2) approx. 1690 meters (1850 yards) aligned NE/SW. A perimeter road paralleled one side of the landing area. Both runways were equipped with permanent illumination and visual Lorenz systems. The landing area had a permanent flare-path and a beam approach system.

Fuel and Ammunition: there were 2 refueling loops at the main fuel storage dump on the NE boundary and a smaller refueling point at the ladder-type servicing hardstand in the East dispersal area. The station ammunition dump consisted of open bays cut into the edge of a tree line approx. 2 km SW of the airfield.

Infrastructure: had 1 small repair hangar each in the North and South dispersal areas. Station HQ and admin offices were reportedly on the W outskirts of the village of Génicourt, 2.25 km E of the airfield. Personnel were billeted in the villages adjacent to the airfield and the officers may have been quartered in a large house in Cormeilles-en-Vexin. A light branch rail line running from Montgeroult served the SW side of the airfield as well as the ammunition dump.

Dispersal: 3 areas with a total of 38 cleverly camouflaged aircraft shelters in Jun 43, but by 25 Jun 44 there were 5 – North, East, Southeast (remote), South and Southwest – with a total of 28 large covered aircraft shelters, 16 large open and 16 small open for a total of 60.

Defenses: protected by 4 heavy and 9 light Flak positions in Jun 43, all within 2.5 km of the airfield and on all sides of it. Ground defenses were anchored on 10-12 fortified strongpoints surrounding the landing area out to a distance of about 1.6 km.

Remarks:
  • 22 Sep 40: assigned airfield code number 515.
  • 01 Jul 42: assigned new airfield code number 262.
  • 06 Feb 44: bombed by 9th AAF B-26 Marauders.
  • 26 Apr 44: airfield dive-bombed by 24 VIII Fighter Command P-51 Mustangs.
  • 27 Apr 44: airfield dive-bombed by 23 VIII Fighter Command P-51 Mustangs.
  • 08 May 44: a new Southwest dispersal area under construction and development of the Southeast (remote) dispersal was continuing.
  • 11 May 44: bombed by 9th AAF B-26s.
  • 24 May 44: low-level attack by VIII Fighter Command P-51s – claimed 1 x Fw 190 destroyed and another damaged.
  • 26 May 44: low-level attack by 9th AAF P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51s.
  • 07 Jun 44: low-level attack by VIII Fighter Command P-47s – claimed 1 x Bf 109, 1 x Fw 190 and 1 x Bf 110 destroyed, plus 2 x Fw 190s damaged.
  • 11 Jun 44: bombed by 34 B-24 Liberators.
  • 25 Jun 44: a prepared strip running parallel to the E side of the NE/SW runway and measuring approx. 1145 x 110 meters (1250 x 120 yards) observed by photo reconnaissance.
  • 25 Jul 44: low-level attack by VIII Fighter Command P-47s – claimed 1 x He 111 destroyed.
  • 01 Sep 44: USAAF used to the end of the war.

Operational Units: Stab/KG 76 (Jun 40 – Mar 41); III./KG 76 (Jun-Dec 40); II./KG 6 (Jan-Jul 43); Stab, III./JG 2 (Nov 43 – May 44); 3./KG 66 (Feb-Apr 44); 6.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 123 (Apr-Aug 44); part of Horch- und Störstaffel 2 (May 44); I./JG 2 (May-Jun 44); 4.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 123 (Jul-Aug 44); 5.(F)/Aufkl.Gr.123 (Jul-Aug 44).

Reserve Training & Replacement Units: 11./KG 53 (Nov-Dec 42)?

Station Commands: Fl.H.Kdtr. E 3/I (Nov 40 – summer 1941); Fl.H.Kdtr. E 62/XIII (1941 – Dec 42); Fl.H.Kdtr. A 211/XI (c.Jan 43 – Mar 44); Fl.H.Kdtr. E(v) 225/XI (Apr-Aug 44).

Station Units (on various dates – not complete):   le.Flak-Abt. 880 (Apr-May 44); Flieger-Geräteausgabe- und Sammelstelle 4/WF ( ? – Jun 44).
Cormeilles-en-Vexin Airdrome as seen today
Image courtesy of Google Earth Pro™
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