Beauvechain Air Base was a pre-
World War II Belgian Air Force military airfield established in 1936 as "Le Culot Airfield". It was captured during the
Battle of Belgium by the invading German
Wehrmacht on 10 May 1940, destroying several
Hawker Hurricane and
Gloster Gladiator aircraft stationed at the airfield.
German use during World War II During the occupation of Belgium by
Nazi Germany, the facility became a major
Luftwaffe air base during the
Battle of France. During the battle, two
Junkers Ju 88A units
Kampfgeschwader 3 and
Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 3; KG 30) supported the offensive, especially the crucial breakthrough at
Sedan. Other elements supported the drive to the Swiss border, encircling the French forces on the
Maginot Line. When KG 30 moved into France, KG 3 remained at Le Culot, taking part in the
Battle of Britain. At the beginning of the battle KG 3 had a total of 108 Ju 88 bombers, of which 88 were combat ready. KG 3 operated during all phases of the battle. In March 1941, it left for bases in
Poland in preparation for
Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the
Soviet Union.
Allied use After the German forces were removed from the Beauvechain area in early September 1944,
No. 126 Wing RAF of
No. 83 Group RAF - 2nd Tactical Air Force (Canadian Fighter Wing) utilized base from Sept.20th to Oct.1st to provide air cover for
Arnhem and
Nijmegen (
Operation Market Garden tail end). This was designated B68 ALG Le Culot - until taken over by Americans at end of October and re-designated A89 ALG. Combat engineers of the
United States Army Air Forces IX Engineering Command 846th Engineer Aviation Regiment repaired the damaged airfield and applied numerous patches to the two concrete runways and taxiways of the field. The airfield was severely damaged from the Allied bombing attacks while in German hands as well as by the Germans as they withdrew, and it took nearly six weeks to make the airfield operationally ready for combat units. It was opened on 28 October, being designated as
Advanced Landing Ground A-89 or "Le Culot Airfield". The American
Ninth Air Force used the base for several units from 22 October 1944 until closing the base in June 1946. Known units assigned were: •
373d Fighter Group, 22 October 1944 – 11 March 1945 (P-47) •
36th Fighter Group, 27 October 1944 – 26 March 1945 (P-47) •
322d Bombardment Group, March 1945 – June 1945 (B-26) After combat ended in May 1945, Le Culot was used as a relief distribution base, with the Allies flying in food, clothing and other needs, and using the base to distribute these supplies in Belgium and other occupied areas in the region. The airfield was returned to Belgian control in December 1946. ==See also==