Dreux airport was built in the 1920s as a grass airfield. In the 1930s it was upgraded to include two concrete runways, a primary 02/20 at 1692 m (5500 ft) and a secondary 12/30 at 1354 m (4400 ft). In addition, a control tower, terminal and a hangar provided services to passengers and aircraft.
French use during World War II The French Air Force
Armée de l'Air used
Dreux during the
Battle of France. The Polish squadron
G.C. I/145 was transferred north from Lyon Mions Airport to Dreux Vernouillet Airport during the later phases of the
Battle of France. I/145 operated
Caudron CR.714 fighter planes in air defence roles until France was over-run and Dreux was seized by the Germans in June 1940.
German use during World War II Seized by the Germans in June 1940 during the
Battle of France, Dreux was used as a
Luftwaffe military airfield during the occupation. Known units assigned (all from Luftlotte 3, Fliegerkorps IV): •
Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55) 1 August 1940 – 14 April 1941
Heinkel He 111P/H (Fuselage Code: G1+) •
Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG 51) 25 April-23 May 1944
Messerschmitt Me 410A (Fuselage Code: 9K+) •
Schnellkampfgeschwader 10 (SKG 10) 6–15 June 1944
Focke-Wulf Fw 190A •
Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3) 8–13 June 1944
Focke-Wulf Fw 190A; 12 July–August 1944
Messerschmitt Bf 109G KG 55 took part in the
Battle of Britain and subsequent night bombing raids on
England. KG 51 was a fighter/bomber unit, and along with SKG 10 and JG 3, attacked
Eighth Air Force daylight heavy bomber raids over Occupied Europe and Germany. Largely due to its use as a base for Fw 190 interceptors, Dreux was attacked by USAAF
Ninth Air Force Martin B-26 Marauder medium bombers and
Republic P-47 Thunderbolts mostly with 500-pound general-purpose bombs; unguided rockets and .50 caliber machine gun sweeps when
Eighth Air Force heavy bombers (
B-17s,
B-24s) were within interception range of the Luftwaffe aircraft assigned to the base. The attacks were timed to have the maximum effect possible to keep the interceptors pinned down on the ground and be unable to attack the heavy bombers. Also the
P-51 Mustang fighter-escort groups of
Eighth Air Force would drop down on their return to England and attack the base with a fighter sweep and attack any target of opportunity to be found at the airfield.
American use It was liberated by Allied ground forces about 18-19 August 1944 during the Northern France Campaign by the 40th Tank Battalion, 7th US Armoured Division. Almost immediately, the USAAF IX Engineering Command 840th Engineer Aviation Battalions began clearing the airport of mines and destroyed Luftwaffe aircraft, and repairing operational facilities for use by American aircraft.
Pierced Steel Planking was laid down over some filled in bomb craters on the main runway and it became fully operational for combat aircraft. Dreux Airport became a USAAF
Ninth Air Force combat airfield, designated as "A-41" about 26 August, just a few days after its capture from German forces. Under American control, the airport hosted numerous combat units. •
366th Fighter Group, flew
Republic P-47 Thunderbolts from 24 August-8 September 1944 •
397th Bombardment Group, flew
amrtin B-26 Marauders from 11 September-6 October 1944 •
441st Troop Carrier Group, flew
Douglas C-47 Skytrains 3 November 1944 – 12 August 1945. The C-47s pulled gliders in the airborne assault across the Rhine (
Operation Varsity). After the war, the airport was returned to French civil control.
Current As mentioned before, with the expansion of Orly Airport, air traffic congestion became a severe problem and it was decided to close Dreux airport. The airport was torn down and its runways and other concreted areas removed. However, a grass airstrip was built to accommodate light general aviation for the Dreux area, the airport which exists today. The runways of the prewar airport and wartime airfield can still be seen in aerial photography. They can be seen at . ==See also==