Florennes Airfield
Mission Summaries > May 1944 > Aitfields in May 44
Florennes (BELG)
(a.k.a. Florennes-Juzaine)
50 14 25 N – 04 39 00 E)
General: airfield (Fliegerhorst) 24 km SSE of Charleroi in south-central Belgium and 3 km ESE of the town of Florennes.
History: designed from the onset as a major night fighter base, construction began in 1942 and was still underway in mid-1944.
Dimensions: the landing area measured approx. 1375 x 1375 meters (1500 x 1500 yards).
Surface and Runways: grass surface. There were three concrete runways laid out in the form of a capital letter “A” and completed by Jul 43 – (1) approx. 1500 meters (1650 yards) in length and aligned ENE/WSW; (2) approx. 1235 meters (1350 yards) in length and aligned NE/SW; and (3) approx. 1325 meters (1450 yards) in length and aligned NNW/SSE. The ENE/WSW and NE/SW runways both had 125 meter wide prepared strips on either side of them and a perimeter track encircled the entire landing area. Work on the runways was completed by mid-Jan 44. Equipped with lighting for all three runways, a beam approach system and a visual Lorenz system for night operations. A flare path aligned ENE/WSW was also set up alongside the ENE/WSW runway.
Fuel and Ammunition: had a short stretch of ladder-type refueling hardstands at the center of the S boundary near the South dispersal area and another on the N boundary near the North dispersal area. Bulk fuel was stored near the Florennes- East railway station 2.5 km WNW of the airfield. The main ammunition dump was in a woods 1.6 km NNW of the airfield. Several smaller dumps were reportedly located 2.8 km W of the airfield and 2 km SSE of the airfield.
Infrastructure: a single large hangar with a paved apron was off the NW corner of the airfield, and the station’s compass swinging base was near the hangar. An extensive barracks complex, station admin offices and base motor pool with garages were situated 1.75 km WNW of the center of the landing area on the SE outskirts of Florennes. Further accommodations were provided in small clusters of huts off the NW corner and in the dispersal areas. Personnel were also billeted in Florennes and in the village of Villers-le-Gambon, 5.5 km SW of the airfield. The airfield was served by a special branch rail line from Florennes.
Dispersal: there were three dispersal areas – North (Bois Doyen), South (Bois de Bourguignon) and East (off the SE corner) with a total of 3 double covered, 20 single covered, 2 double uncovered and 13 single uncovered aircraft shelters that could accommodate 43 aircraft in Jul 43. Work was continuous in the dispersal areas during 1943 and 1944. In mid-Apr 44, the South dispersal area was extended into the Bois la Croix woods, some 2 km S of the airfield boundary, and 3 additional shelters and 7 aircraft parking sites were under construction.
Defenses: there were 7 light Flak positions surrounding the airfield in mid-1943, including one position in the South dispersal area that consisted of 4 Flak towers. The Flak defenses were undoubtedly reinforced after this date as Allied air attacks intensified. Ground defenses consisted of barbed wire, strongpoints with machine guns and a weapon trench off the NE corner with 4 gun positions at each end.
Remarks:
- 31 Dec 42: night fighter control center at Florennes airfield bombed from high altitude by 2 or 3 RAF Mosquitoes.
- 15 Jul 43: extensive leveling work reported to be underway on the landing area surrounding the concrete runways.
- 16 Aug 43: work continuing on the extension of the ENE/WSW runway and on surfacing the S end of the NNW/SSE runway.
- 10 Apr 44: bombed by 42 B-17 Fortresses.
- 27 Apr 44: bombed by a squadron of P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bombers.
- 09 May 44: bombed by 96 B-24 Liberators. (445th Bomb Group Mission #69 – 26 of 96 B-24’s dropped 1,025 x 100 lb. AN-M30 General Purpose bombs).
- 31 May 44: bombed by 30 B-17s.
- 14 Jun 44: bombed by 95 B-17s.
- 28 Jun 44: bombed by 11 B-24s.
- 14 Aug 44: bombed by 24 B-17s.
- 15 Aug 44: bombed by 59 B-24s.
Operational Units: I./NJG 4 (Sep 42 – Aug 44); I./JG 26 (Nov 43 – Apr 44); 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 121 (Aug 44).
Station Units (on various dates – not complete): Nachtjagdraumführer 7 (Jul 42 – Feb 44); 6./gem.Flak-Abt. 599 (May 44); gem.Flak-Abt. 594 (Jul-Aug 44); Stab II.(Flum.Mess)/Ln.-Rgt. 203 (c.Oct 42 – Aug 44).
Florennes, Belgium - German Occupied Airfield
Image courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration ©
Florrenes Belgium Airfield as seen today
Image courtesy of Google Earth Pro™