St-Inglevert Aerodrome (French Air Force 1939, RAF 1939, Luftwaffe 1940's)

Technically nothing to do with the Atlantikwall or K.V.Gruppe Wissant, K.V.A. 'C'. Nord Pas de Calais. But this aerodrome has a history going back to WW1, WW2. A batterie of 10.5cm guns were placed on the edge of the landing ground much later in 1943/1944. StP131 Paderborn, St Inglevert. Aeroclub Du Boulonnais 1913 to 2013.

You can see the grey runway of the earodrome and also the four casemates of StP131 Paderborn to the right

This is the entrance into the aerodrome and behind the trees is the original Flying Control (control tower) now a private house. The small blue house here I think is a building for the old aerodrome.

There were about three quite large aircraft hangars along the left of this road onto the aerodrome.

1920's reception building (control tower).

1920's reception building (control tower) today a private house.

BE2esApril 1918 and the RFC/RAF are using St-Inglevert with R.E.8's and No.100 Sqn used BE's.

Handley Page 0/400 From October 1918 115 & 214 Squadron's used St-Inglevert until March 1919 using Handley Page 0/400 twin engined bombers for bombing strategic targets. No.97sqn also came here with 0/400's in August 1917 and completed 91 bombing sorties and dropped 64 tons of bombs.

1930 and a customs border station of the civil aeronautics. This field of grass with installation of a club and development of two aircraft hangars (34mx30mx 8.50m), ultra short wave radio with two 30m high pylons for customs verification of foreign aircraft calling, reception building in this case the roadside housing at the entrance of the current field and even a weather office.

Three hangars, reception building (control tower), direction T and two planes. It all looks very smart.

This April 1939 and two French Air Force planes are using the aerodrome with one private plane. Five months before the WW2 starts.

Reception building (control tower).

A 1939 picture showing a large grass airfield with a circle with Inglevert written in white (chalk). About three hangars and a control tower. As far as I can see the aerodrome was used by the Royal Flying Corps and then the RAF in 1917/18/19, all RAF squadrons left by March 1919. Even US naval aviation was here in 1918 with the 1st and 2nd squadron on Sopwith Camels. 1939/1940 French Air Force & the RAF. GAO 516 (Aerial Observation Group) commanded by Commander Durant attached to the 16th Corps used the field with five Potez 63-11 and five Breguet 27/270. On the morning of May 10, 1940, the Luftwaffe went on the attack and made its first bombing raids on the region. The aerodrome of Marck near Calais is targeted as well as here around 5:15 Saint-Inglevert. April 1940 the RAF with No. 615 & 607 Squadrons equipped with the very modest Gloster Gladiator Mk II biplane arrived. Gladiator losses at the time: K6137 lost near Saint-Inglevert on 07.02.1940 K7996 lost in the fog in Vitry en Artois on the 26.03.40 K8000 lost due to collision with K8030 on 23.03.40 On May 22, 1940, at 6:45 am, the field is evacuated, at 7 o'clock, fifty German planes will pass over.

French Air Force planes parked in front of the hangars.

A German bombing attack on the aerodrome in 1940.

German units that used the aerodrome during 1940: -. I. (jagd) / LG 2 (Lehrgeschwader) from June 20 to July 12, 1940 equipped with Bf 109 E I./JG51 from July 12 to November 20, 1940 with Bf 109E. The Stab of the JG51 from August 25 to November 26, 1940 II./ JG27 from 24 September to 5 November1940 presence also of 5. (H) / 32 of Aufkl 32 (reconnaissance squadron) with Hs 126 until November 1940.

This is a 1944 air photo showing the batterie in situ. The German's built a concrete runway 600m long, several dispersals and a hangar on the north east side. By then the Luftwaffe had left never to return. Post war the area went back to farming but in the 1980's the German runway was cleared and re surfaced, a new hangar was built. A lot of people think the now derelict hangar is older, but its not about 1980. Now with 75 members (and a steady increase), the Aeroclub du Boulonnais is primarily designed to train pilots (aircraft 3-axis ULM) and sport flying. Some of my information has come directly from websites that can be found by searching St-Inglevert in your browser. There are a few very good sites.

In 1943, the site became the Stützpunkt 134 Paderborn, named after a small town in Rhineland. An artillery position will then be set up in April with the 1/451 Artillerie Abteilung with four pieces of 15 cm s.FH18 in earthen revetments established at the end of the track. During the winter, this unit will be replaced by 4/1143 Heeres - Artillerie - Abteilung with four guns of 10.5cm le.FH 324. These pieces will then be placed in casemates of type R669 built near the original emplacements. Oriented to the North West that can shoot up to 13km distance or 8 km at sea.