Reims - Champagne Air Base
Reims-Champagne Air Base Base aérienne 112 Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) A-62 |
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
| Owner | Government of France | ||||||||||
| Operator | Armée de l'air | ||||||||||
| Serves | Reims, France | ||||||||||
| Location | Bétheny, France | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 314 ft / 95 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 49°18′37″N 004°03′03″E / 49.31028°N 4.05083°E | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
 LFSR
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Source: French AIP
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Reims – Champagne Air Base (French: Base aérienne 112 Reims-Champagne) (IATA: RHE, ICAO: LFSR) is a former Front-line French Air Force (French: Armée de l'Air) (ALA) NATO air base. The base is located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Reims; about 81 miles (130 km) northeast of Paris.
Reims Air Base was authorized by the French Air Ministry in 1925 and was opened in October 1928. Much work was needed to restore the land in the area after the ravages of the World War I Western Front, and the myriad of trenches built, all needed to be filled in, the land leveled, unexploded ordnance removed and have a graded, smooth grass surface for airplane operations as well as a support facility. Reims was planned to be the "showcase" base of the Armée de l'Air. It had a concrete parking apron; hangars and a support area, and consisted of a grass field for aircraft takeoffs and landings.
The first unit to arrive at Reims was the Breguet 19–equipped 12th Regiment, which arrived from the Occupied Rhineland airdrome at Lachen-Speyerdorf.
During the 1930s, the base was greatly expanded and modernized. Known units assigned to BA 112 during the decade were:
With the breakout of World War II in 1939, Reims was reinforced with additional units. In May 1940, the following units were stationed at Reims BA 112:
In addition, RAF units of the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force were attached to Reims equipped with Fairey Battles
The base was seized by the Germans in June 1940 during the Battle of France. In 1941 the Luftwaffe designated the base a "Flugplatz A213/XI" and it became a maintenance and repair depot for Junkers aircraft, in particular Junkers Ju 88s. It was attacked by Eighth Air Force bombers beginning in the second half of 1943, with a particular damaging raid in April 1944. It was also the target of numerous night leaflet drops aimed at resistance forces in the area.
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