Bluie West One, later known as Narsarsuaq Air Base and Narsarsuaq Airport, was built on a glacial moraine at what is now the village of Narsarsuaq, near the southern tip of Greenland. Construction by the United States Army began in June 1941. The first aircraft landed there in January 1942, as a link in the North Atlantic air ferry route in World War II. The base had a peak population of about 4,000 American servicemen, and it is estimated that some 10,000 aircraft landed there en route to the war in Europe and North Africa.
Soon after the United States entered the war, the War Department decided to deploy Major General Carl Spaatz's Eighth Air Force to Britain, putting the North Atlantic ferry route facilities constructed by the Corps to an early test. Radioing from Bluie West 1, while crossing the Atlantic in mid-June 1942, Spaatz ordered the movement to begin. The P-38 and P-39 fighters, piloted by combat crews who had been given special training in long-distance flying, were escorted by the longer-range B-17 bombers.
Bad weather is frequent in Southern Greenland, and Narsarsuaq is virtually surrounded by high mountains, making the approach to the steel-matrunway exceedingly difficult. The usual approach was a low-level flight up a fjord. Because the runway slopes up west to east, landings were (and still are predominantly) made to the east, with take-offs to the west, regardless of the wind direction.[1]
BW-1's importance declined post World War II, but the U.S. Air Force maintained it as Narsarsuaq Air Base during the early Cold War years, when it served as a refuelling station for jet fighters and for helicopters crossing the North Atlantic. The runway by this time had been paved with concrete. Jets require a longer take-off run than do propeller-driven aircraft, and the air base used a small tugboat to move icebergs out of the way of planes taking off over the basin west of the runway. There is a detailed account of a visit to BW-1 in the early days of World War II by Ernest K. Gann, in the book Fate Is The Hunter.
^Gann, Ernest (2 July 1986). Fate Is the Hunter. Simon & Schuster. ISBN0-671-63603-0.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
External linksedit
Remembering Bluie West One
Narsarssuak Air Base BW-1 - John Stott
December 15, 2023
narsarsuaq, base, bluie, west, later, known, narsarsuaq, airport, built, glacial, moraine, what, village, narsarsuaq, near, southern, greenland, construction, united, states, army, began, june, 1941, first, aircraft, landed, there, january, 1942, link, north, . Bluie West One later known as Narsarsuaq Air Base and Narsarsuaq Airport was built on a glacial moraine at what is now the village of Narsarsuaq near the southern tip of Greenland Construction by the United States Army began in June 1941 The first aircraft landed there in January 1942 as a link in the North Atlantic air ferry route in World War II The base had a peak population of about 4 000 American servicemen and it is estimated that some 10 000 aircraft landed there en route to the war in Europe and North Africa Narsarsuaq Air BaseBluie West One in June 1942Narsarssuak Air Base in 1956IATA UAKICAO BGBWSummaryLocationNarsarsuaq near the southern tip of GreenlandIn use1942 1958Elevation AMSL112 ft 34 mCoordinates61 9 38 29 N 45 25 33 16 W 61 1606361 N 45 4258778 W 61 1606361 45 4258778RunwaysDirection Length Surfaceft m07 25 6 000 1 835 concrete17 35 4 300 1 300 gravelSoon after the United States entered the war the War Department decided to deploy Major General Carl Spaatz s Eighth Air Force to Britain putting the North Atlantic ferry route facilities constructed by the Corps to an early test Radioing from Bluie West 1 while crossing the Atlantic in mid June 1942 Spaatz ordered the movement to begin The P 38 and P 39 fighters piloted by combat crews who had been given special training in long distance flying were escorted by the longer range B 17 bombers With stops at the Canadian built base at Goose Bay in Labrador Bluie West 1 in Southern Greenland and Reykjavik or Keflavik in Iceland the aircraft could fly from the new Presque Isle Army Airfield in northern Maine to Prestwick Airport in Scotland with no leg of the journey longer than 850 mi 740 nmi 1 370 km Other important bases in Greenland were Bluie West Eight near the present day town of Kangerlussuaq and Bluie East One on the almost uninhabited east coast Bad weather is frequent in Southern Greenland and Narsarsuaq is virtually surrounded by high mountains making the approach to the steel mat runway exceedingly difficult The usual approach was a low level flight up a fjord Because the runway slopes up west to east landings were and still are predominantly made to the east with take offs to the west regardless of the wind direction 1 BW 1 s importance declined post World War II but the U S Air Force maintained it as Narsarsuaq Air Base during the early Cold War years when it served as a refuelling station for jet fighters and for helicopters crossing the North Atlantic The runway by this time had been paved with concrete Jets require a longer take off run than do propeller driven aircraft and the air base used a small tugboat to move icebergs out of the way of planes taking off over the basin west of the runway There is a detailed account of a visit to BW 1 in the early days of World War II by Ernest K Gann in the book Fate Is The Hunter The advent of aerial refueling and the opening of the larger Thule Air Base in northern Greenland made the base redundant and it was turned over to the Danish government of Greenland in 1958 It is currently known as Narsarsuaq Airport and served by regular flights from Reykjavik Iceland during the summer season as well as by commuter aircraft from Kangerlussuaq and other Greenlandic airfields There is no control tower and ceiling is required on all approach procedures See also edit nbsp World War II portalErik the Red Narsarsuaq AirportReferences edit Gann Ernest 2 July 1986 Fate Is the Hunter Simon amp Schuster ISBN 0 671 63603 0 nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency External links editRemembering Bluie West One Narsarssuak Air Base BW 1 John Stott Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Narsarsuaq Air Base amp oldid 1183672787, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
