Ophoven Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield which is located west of Opglabbeek (Limburg); approximately 54 miles (87 km) northeast of Brussels.
The airfield was built by the United States Army Air Forces IX Engineer Command, 820th Engineer Aviation Battalion in late November/early December 1944.
Known as Advanced Landing Ground "Y-32", the airfield consisted of a single 5000' (1500m) Pierced Steel Planking runway aligned 12/30. In addition, tents were erected for billeting and also for support facilities; an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure; a dump was created for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water; and a minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting was installed.[1]
Opened on 10 December, the airfield was first used as a resupply and casualty evacuation airfield, with C-47 Skytrain transports flying in and out of the airfield frequently. Combat units did not arrive at the airfield until late January 1945, when the 370th Fighter Group, based P-47 Thunderbolt fighters at Ophoven on 27 January. In February, the 405th Fighter Group also based P-47s at the airfield. The fighter planes flew support missions, patrolling roads in front of the beachhead; strafing German military vehicles and dropping bombs on gun emplacements, anti-aircraft artillery and concentrations of German troops when spotted.[2]
Both groups moved out at the end of April 1945, the airfield closed about a month later at the end of May. Today, the airfield is abandoned, being a mixture of agricultural fields just to the west of Ophoven.[3]
Referencesedit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
^IX Engineer Command ETO Airfields, Airfield Layout
^Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN0-89201-092-4.
^Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
External linksedit
April 11, 2024
ophoven, airfield, abandoned, world, military, airfield, which, located, west, opglabbeek, limburg, approximately, miles, northeast, brussels, advanced, landing, ground, 32limburg, province, belgium, belgium, coordinates51, 13556, 78333, 13556, 78333typemilita. Ophoven Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield which is located west of Opglabbeek Limburg approximately 54 miles 87 km northeast of Brussels Ophoven Airfield Advanced Landing Ground Y 32Limburg Province Belgium Ophoven AirfieldOphoven Airfield Belgium Coordinates51 08 08 N 005 47 00 E 51 13556 N 5 78333 E 51 13556 5 78333TypeMilitary airfieldSite informationControlled byUnited States Army Air ForcesSite historyBuilt byIX Engineering CommandIn useDecember 1944 May 1945MaterialsPierced Steel Planking PSP History editThe airfield was built by the United States Army Air Forces IX Engineer Command 820th Engineer Aviation Battalion in late November early December 1944 Known as Advanced Landing Ground Y 32 the airfield consisted of a single 5000 1500m Pierced Steel Planking runway aligned 12 30 In addition tents were erected for billeting and also for support facilities an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure a dump was created for supplies ammunition and gasoline drums along with a drinkable water and a minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting was installed 1 Opened on 10 December the airfield was first used as a resupply and casualty evacuation airfield with C 47 Skytrain transports flying in and out of the airfield frequently Combat units did not arrive at the airfield until late January 1945 when the 370th Fighter Group based P 47 Thunderbolt fighters at Ophoven on 27 January In February the 405th Fighter Group also based P 47s at the airfield The fighter planes flew support missions patrolling roads in front of the beachhead strafing German military vehicles and dropping bombs on gun emplacements anti aircraft artillery and concentrations of German troops when spotted 2 Both groups moved out at the end of April 1945 the airfield closed about a month later at the end of May Today the airfield is abandoned being a mixture of agricultural fields just to the west of Ophoven 3 References edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency IX Engineer Command ETO Airfields Airfield Layout Maurer Maurer Air Force Combat Units of World War II Maxwell AFB Alabama Office of Air Force History 1983 ISBN 0 89201 092 4 Johnson David C 1988 U S Army Air Forces Continental Airfields ETO D Day to V E Day Research Division USAF Historical Research Center Maxwell AFB Alabama External links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ophoven Airfield amp oldid 1207290874, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
