Vavincourt Aerodrome

Vavincourt Aerodrome, was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south of Vavincourt, in the Meuse department in north-eastern France.

Vavincourt Aerodrome
Part of American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)
Located near: Bar-le-Duc, France
Vavincourt Aerodrome, France, 23 September 1918
Vavincourt Aerodrome
Coordinates48°48′56″N 005°12′44″E
TypeCombat Airfield
Site information
Controlled by  Air Service, United States Army
ConditionAgricultural area
Site history
Built1918
In use1918–1919
Battles/wars
World War I
Garrison information
GarrisonFirst Army Observation Group
United States First Army Air Service

Overview

The airfield was built during the summer of 1918 by the French troops with an approximate area of 498,000 square meters, as an airfield and as an Advanced Air Service Depot to Colombey les Belles Main Depot. It was completed on 30 October 1918 having a capacity for 45 officers and 300 enlisted men with 7 barracks. It was able to accommodate 63 aircraft in 9 hangars.[1]

86th Aero Squadron (Depot) spent here two weeks, 4–18 September 1918, before moving to Behonne, another sub-depot to Colombey.

Vavincourt Aerodrome was used by the 1st Army Observation Group from 22 September 1918, during both the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Offensives, with its three squadrons of aircraft.[2]

In support of the flying squadrons, the 3d Air Park had a flight of mechanics for repair of both aircraft and vehicles. Also, the airfield was the home of Photo Sections #2 and #10 for processing and analyzing aerial photography. The ground support station consisted of various aircraft hangars, support buildings and quarters for personnel.[2]

After the armistice in November 1918, Vavincourt remained active as 1st Army Observation Group HQ stayed here until it was disbanded on 15 April 1919. It this time, the 24th Aero Squadron alone was still present.

Once empty, the airfield was turned over to the 1st Air Depot for de-construction: all hangars and other structures were dismantled and all useful supplies and equipment were removed and sent back to the Depot for storage. Upon completion, the land turned over to the French government.[3]

Eventually the land was returned to agricultural use by the local farmers. Today, what was Vavincourt Aerodrome is a series of cultivated fields located south of Vavincourt. The airfield was located to the east side of the D 28, south of the village of Vavincourt, as seen on the pictures above, with no indications of its wartime use.

Known units assigned

See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

  1. Series L, Miscellaneous Sections of the Air Service, Volume 11, History of the Design and Projects Section of the Construction Division, Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
  2. Series "D", Volume 2, Squadron histories,. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
  3. Series 1, Paris Headquarters and Supply Section, Volume 30 History of the 1st Air Depot at Colombey-led-Belles, Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
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