Nouvion Airfield was a pre-war airport and World War II military airfield in Algeria, located about 5 km west of Camp Militaire d' El Ghomri in Mascara province; about 76 km east of Oran.
The facility was built in the 1930s as a civil airport. In the immediate aftermath of the Allied Operation Torch landings in Algeria on 8 November 1942, the airport was taken over by the United States Army Air ForceTwelfth Air Force as a military airfield.
When taken over by the USAAF, Nouvion consisted of basically one long building and a rough airstrip. The Army Corps of Engineers moved in to upgrade the facility to minimum military requirements. The airport's runway was improved and a pierced steel planking (PSP) parking apron was constructed, utilizing the few permanent existing structures. Tents were used for ground support operations and personnel billeting.
During its entire tenure at the airfield, the 1st flew combat operations while ongoing construction continued. It moved east on 14 December to Biskra. Other units that were assigned to Nouvion were:
Active operations at the airfield ended by the end of May 1943, as the front moved east into Tunisia. The Americans dismantled their facilities by the end of July and returned the former airport to French authorities. Today, the airfield is part of the Algerian Military Camp Militaire d' El Ghomri.
Referencesedit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN0-89201-092-4.
External linksedit
January 01, 1970
nouvion, airfield, airport, world, military, airfield, algeria, located, about, west, camp, militaire, ghomri, mascara, province, about, east, oran, part, twelfth, forcecoordinates35, 6764472, 1815083, 6764472, 1815083typemilitary, airfieldsite, informationcon. Nouvion Airfield was a pre war airport and World War II military airfield in Algeria located about 5 km west of Camp Militaire d El Ghomri in Mascara province about 76 km east of Oran Nouvion AirfieldPart of Twelfth Air ForceCoordinates35 40 35 21 N 000 10 53 43 E 35 6764472 N 0 1815083 E 35 6764472 0 1815083TypeMilitary airfieldSite informationControlled byUnited States Army Air ForcesSite historyBuilt1942In use1942 1944 Nouvion Airfieldclass notpageimage Location of Oran Tafaraoui Airport AlgeriaHistory editThe facility was built in the 1930s as a civil airport In the immediate aftermath of the Allied Operation Torch landings in Algeria on 8 November 1942 the airport was taken over by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force as a military airfield When taken over by the USAAF Nouvion consisted of basically one long building and a rough airstrip The Army Corps of Engineers moved in to upgrade the facility to minimum military requirements The airport s runway was improved and a pierced steel planking PSP parking apron was constructed utilizing the few permanent existing structures Tents were used for ground support operations and personnel billeting After several weeks the 1st Fighter Group arrived at the field from Oran Tafaraoui Airport on 20 November operating P 38 Lightnings During its entire tenure at the airfield the 1st flew combat operations while ongoing construction continued It moved east on 14 December to Biskra Other units that were assigned to Nouvion were HQ 87th Fighter Wing 11 January 9 February 1944 27th Bombardment Group January April 1943 A 20 Havoc 62d Troop Carrier Group 24 December 1942 16 May 1943 C 47 Skytrain 316th Troop Carrier Group 9 29 May 1943 C 47 Skytrain Active operations at the airfield ended by the end of May 1943 as the front moved east into Tunisia The Americans dismantled their facilities by the end of July and returned the former airport to French authorities Today the airfield is part of the Algerian Military Camp Militaire d El Ghomri References edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Maurer Maurer Air Force Combat Units of World War II Maxwell AFB Alabama Office of Air Force History 1983 ISBN 0 89201 092 4 External links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nouvion Airfield amp oldid 944642169, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
