RAF Airfields in Mainland Europe, 1944-45
Part 2: Push Through France
Location of RAF airfields B.23 - B.54
[Martin Waligorski, with satellite imagery by NASA]
Following the breakout from the Normandy beachhead area in mid-August 1944, the bulk of the German resistance in France had been broken and the campaign turned into a rapid push across France. In terms of tactical air support, this period was characterized by the "leapfrogging" of RAF units as they alternately occupied and abandoned airfields behind the front lines.
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B.23 - B.54 Open the entire group in Google Earth |
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| Code | Airfield | Country | Location | Latitude, longitude | Comments |
| B.23 | Morainville | France | View in Google Earth | 49?13'N 00?27'E | |
| B.24 | Saint-Andr?de-l'Eure | France | View in Google Earth | 48?54'N 01?15'E | |
| B.25 | Le Tr?ort, Le Theil Nolent | France | View in Google Earth | 49?10'N 00?31'E | |
| B.26 | Illiers l'Eveque | France | View in Google Earth | 48?51'N 01?14'E | |
| B.27 | Boisney | France | View in Google Earth | 49?09'N 00?38'E | |
| B.28 | Evreux, Fauville | France | View in Google Earth | 49?02'N 01?13'E | |
| B.29 | Valailles, Bernay | France | View in Google Earth | 49?06'N 00?36'E | |
| B.30 | Cr?on, Orne | France | View in Google Earth | 48?51'N 01?20'E | |
| B.31 | Fresnoy-Folny, Londini?e | France | View in Google Earth | 49?53'N 01?26'E | |
| B.32 | Prey | France | 48?58'N 01?14'E | Not used | |
| B.33 | Campneuseville | France | View in Google Earth | 49?51'N 01?38'E | |
| B.34 | Avrill? Angers | France | View in Google Earth | 47?30'N 00?34'W | |
| B.35 | Baromesnil | France | View in Google Earth | 50?00'N 01?24'E | |
| B.36 | Boussey | 48?56'N 01?24'E | Not used | ||
| B.37 | Tours-en-Vimeu, Corroy | France | View in Google Earth | 50?02'N 01?38'E | |
| B.38 | La Lande | France | View in Google Earth | 48?57'N 01?20'E | |
| B.39 | Ecouffier | France | Not used | ||
| B.40 | Nivillers, Beauvais | France | View in Google Earth | 49?28'N 02?09'E | |
| B.41 | Plouvy | France | View in Google Earth | 50?40'N 02?08'E | |
| B.42 | Till? Beauvais | France | View in Google Earth | 49?27'N 02?07'E | Shared with Americans as A.61 |
| B.43 | Fort Rouge, St Omer | France | View in Google Earth | 50?44'N 02?19'E | |
| B.44 | Poix | France | View in Google Earth | 49?48'N 01?58'E | |
| B.45 | Longuenesse, St. Omer | France | View in Google Earth | 50?44'N 02?14'E | |
| B.46 | Grandvilliers | France | View in Google Earth | 49?41'N 01?56'E | |
| B.47 | Unassigned | ||||
| B.48 | Glisy, Amiens | France | View in Google Earth | 49?52'N 02?23'E | |
| B.49 | Unassigned | ||||
| B.50 | Vitry-en-Artois, Douai | France | View in Google Earth | 50?21'N 02?59'E | |
| B.51 | Vendeville, Lille | France | View in Google Earth | 50?34'N 03?05'E | |
| B.52 | Douai, Dechy | France | View in Google Earth | 50?22'N 03?30'E | |
| B.53 | Merville | France | View in Google Earth | 50?37'N 02?39'E | |
| B.54 | Achiet | France | View in Google Earth | 50?06'N 02?47'E | |
One of the more interesting airfield layouts to be seen in Google Earth is Evreux-Fauville. Originally a pre-war Armee de l'Air station, Evreux was used by the Luftwaffe throughout German occupation of France and it was heavily bombed by the Allies. When the Allied ground forces seized the airfield within a month of the Normandy invasion, the runways and taxiways were useless due to bomb craters and debris, but the airfield was renovated and put to use as B.28. The Royal Air Force used it until May 1945.
Google Earth is a virtual Earth browser built on satellite imagery which allows to explore the world from your PC. It can be downloaded free of charge here.