Chippelle Airfield

Chippelle à Cartigny-L’Epinay Airfield
Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) A-5

Calvados, Basse-Normandie Region, France

Chippelle à Cartigny-L’Epinay Airfield (A-5), after dismantling

Chippelle à Cartigny-L’Epinay Airfield

Coordinates

49°14′50″N 000°58′30″W / 49.24722°N 0.97500°WCoordinates: 49°14′50″N 000°58′30″W / 49.24722°N 0.97500°W

Type

Military Airfield

Site information

Controlled by

United States Army Air Forces

Site history

Built by

IX Engineering Command

In use

June–September 1944

Materials

Square-Mesh Track (SMT)

Battles/wars

World War II - EAME Theater

Normandy Campaign
Northern France Campaign

Garrison information

Garrison

Ninth Air Force

Occupants

404th Fighter Group

Airfield information

Runways
Direction	Length and surface
06/24	5,000 feet (1,520 m) SMT/PSP

One runway, 4 alert pads, 50 hardstands

World War II - EAME Theater

Chippelle à Cartigny-L’Épinay (Chippelle) Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of La Chapelle-en-Juger in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France.

Located jut outside of La Chapelle-en-Juger, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield shortly after D-Day on 16 June 1944, shortly after the Allied landings in France The airfield was one of the first established in the liberated area of Normandy, being constructed by the IX Engineering Command, 820th Engineer Aviation Battalion.

Known as Advanced Landing Ground "A-5", the airfield consisted of a single 5000' (1500m) Square-Mesh Track runway aligned 06/24. In addition, with tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities; an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure; a dump for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water and minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting.

On 3 July, the first P-47 of the 404th Fighter Group were permitted to land on A-5 and the airfield was declared operational two days later. The grop flew support missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, 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 in Normandy and Brittany when spotted.

...
Wikipedia