Wn221a (StP221) Defence ouest du terrain de Querqueville
StP221 Querqueville covers the area of the old fort and parts of the original French aerodrome (Aéronavale). By 1940 it was used by the French Airforce and on June the 17th 1940 a bombing Squadron took off to oppose Rommel's swift advances.
Breguet Br.693.
Lioré et Olivier LeO 451
Rommel's advance 19th June 1944.
Wn221a (StP221) Defence ouest du terrain de Querqueville
1 x SK bunker? (Sonderkonstruktionen [Special Construction]).
1 x Vf58c Tobruk.
Wn221a (StP221) Defence ouest du terrain de Querqueville
Reference map ALG A23C one of the many American air landing grounds established after D-Day when the area was captured. This plan gives an idea of the layout in the 1944 plan before the Americans laid out their long runway.
Dimensions: approx. 960 x 825 meters and irregular in
shape.
Surface and Runways: firm, levelled turf with artificial drainage. No paved
runway. A permanent road encircled most of the landing area and a taxiway
connected the landing area to the South dispersal.
Fuel and Ammunition: refuelling was in the hangar area and ammunition
was stored in the old fort adjacent to the airfield.
Infrastructure: there were 2 large and 1 small hangar at the NE end of the
airfield. HQ, offices and accommodations were in a barracks compound
(Caserne Dixmude) immediately SSE of the airfield.
Dispersal: had 2 dispersal areas. North and South, with a total of 20
small covered aircraft shelters with 4 more shelters under construction in
May 43. Both dispersals had concrete taxi tracks.
The two hangars under German occupation.
JG2 Richthofen during the Battle of Britain.
Another Richtofen's Me109's.
Wn221a (StP221) Defence ouest du terrain de Querqueville
This is a plan of the defences of StP221 completely surrounding the airfield itself. Wn221a is situated in the north and had a SK Sonderkonstruktionen (special construction) bunker of some kind and a Tobruk.
When the Americans arrived, men of the 850th Engineer Aviation Battalion started laying a very long runway.
They laid Hessian matting to create a runway surface.
And within days C-47 transports deliver supplies and take away wounded. C-47 of the 441st Troop Carrier Group. They were stationed at RAF Merryfield in Somerset for Operation Overlord.
Wn221a (StP221) Defence ouest du terrain de Querqueville
Vf58c Tobruk.
Vf58c plan Vf (Vf. For Verstärkt feldmäßig Semi permanent bunkers)
How it may have looked.
How the ring fitted into the Tobruk.
Wn221a (StP221) Defence ouest du terrain de Querqueville
Vf58c Tobruk.
The Tobruk had a 360° field of fire and also could be used as an anti-aircraft weapon if the gunner ducked down.
Anti-aircraft.
Standard mounting.
Heavy machine gun fitted.
Wn221a (StP221) Defence ouest du terrain de Querqueville
Vf58c Tobruk.
Wn221a (StP221) Defence ouest du terrain de Querqueville
Vf58c Tobruk.
A machine gun mounting to fit into the Tobruk.
A ring that was found that would have fitted into the concrete when the Tobruk was made.
Some had shields but not all.
Wn221a (StP221) Defence ouest du terrain de Querqueville
© 2013 Richard Drew