| Saint-Inglevert | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: none – ICAO: LFIS | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner/Operator | Aéroclub du Boulonnais | ||
| Location | Saint-Inglevert, Pas-de-Calais, France | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 430 ft / 130 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Map | |||
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Saint-Inglevert
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 03/21 | 2,070 | 630 | Concrete |
Saint-Inglevert Airfield is a general aviation airfield at Saint-Inglevert, Pas-de-Calais,[Note 1] France. In the First World War an airfield was established near Saint-Inglevert by the Royal Flying Corps, later passing to the Royal Air Force on formation and thus becoming RAF Saint Inglevert. In 1920, a civil airfield was established on a different site which was a designated Customs airfield. During the Second World War, Saint-Inglevert was occupied by the Royal Air Force and the Armée de l'Air. The airfield was captured by the Germans towards the end of the Battle of France and occupied by the Luftwaffe. It was abandoned in 1941, but in 1943 field artillery units were based around the airfield as part of the Atlantic Wall. Although civil flying returned to Saint-Inglevert post-war, the airfield was abandoned in 1957 and returned to agriculture. It was reopened by l'aéroclub du Boulonnais (English: Boulogne Aero Club) in 1986.
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Saint-Inglevert airfield is located on a 130 metres (430 ft) high hill to the north west of the village of Saint-Inglevert, and east of Hervelinghen. It lies 13 kilometres (8 mi) south west of Calais.[1]
There was a Royal Flying Corps airfield at Saint-Inglevert during the First World War, but not on the site of the existing airfield. In April 1918, No. 21 Squadron RAF were based at Saint-Inglevert, flying the Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8. From 29 June to 23 October, No. 214 Squadron RAF were based here flying the Handley Page O/400. In November, they were replaced by No. 115 Squadron RAF, also flying the Handley Page O/400. From 17 November, No. 97 Squadron RAF and No. 100 Squadron RAF squadron were also based as Saint-Inglevert. Also in 1918, two squadrons of the United States Navy were based at Saint-Inglevert, flying the Sopwith Camel. All Royal air Force squadrons departed from Saint-Inglevert on 4 March 1919.[1]
In 1920, an airfield was established at Saint-Inglevert on a different site to the former military airfield. Facilities developed over the years to include two hangars, customs facilities and ultra short wave radio.[1] In March 1920, a Notice to Airmen was issued stating that Saint-Inglevert was open and fuel, oil and water were available, but no hangars or repair facilities were available.[2] In April 1920, Saint-Inglevert was proposed to be designated as a customs airfield in order to relieve Le Bourget of some of its workload. Facilities then in existence included hangars, repair facilities and a radio station.[3] Later that month, it was notified that an aerial lighthouse had been installed at Saint-Inglevert, flashing the Morse letter A (· — ).[4] On 20 May, Saint-Inglevert was designated as a Customs airport.[5] By July, the provision of ground signals at Saint-Inglevert had begun. A 10 metres (33 ft) long arrow was displayed indicating the wind direction.[6] In August, it was reported that Saint-Inglevert was sending weather report by radio seven times a day to Le Bourget.[7] By October, aids available included a windsock and a landing T. Requirements for aircraft to perform clockwise or anticlockwise circuits when landing were indicated by the flying of a red or white flag respectively.[8] The aerial lighthouse was reported to be out of action in November 1920.[9]
In January 1921, it was notified that the road forming the eastern boundary of the airfield was to be marked by a series of posts 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) high, surmounted by vertical white discs 50 centimetres (20 in) in diameter.[10] In February, a Notice to Airmen issued in the United Kingdom stated that radio communication with Saint-Inglevert was to be in French.[11] On May 1, a Farman F.60 Goliath flew a 4,500 kilometres (2,800 mi) test flight carrying 2,250 kilograms (5,000 lb) of cargo. Three laps of a circuit Paris - Orléans - Rouen - Saint-Inglevert - Metz - Dijon - Paris were flown.[12] Saint-Inglevert was one of the designated landing places for the 1921 Coupe Michelin, an aerial Tour de France with a ₣20,000 prize. M. Poirée completed the tour in September flying a Caudron C.60. He completed the 3,000 km (1,864 mi) course in 37 hours, 14 minutes and 40 seconds, including time spent on the ground and an overnight stop at Pau, near the Pyrénées mountains. This was the first running of the Coupe Michelin since 1914, when it was won by Eugene Gilbert.[13] In November, a Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes aircraft called Saint-Inglevert to collect a cargo of six 18-pounder and three 4.5 in live shells for onward transmission to South London Croydon airport.[14] In a paper read to the Royal Aeronautical Society on 17 November, Colonel Frank Searle criticized the organization of Saint-Inglevert and Le Bourget.[15]
In or about March 1922, the wireless station at Saint-Inglevert was destroyed in a fire. At a meeting of airlines and the British Air Ministry at Croydon Airport in April following the first mid-air collision of airliners on 7 April at Thieuloy-Saint-Antoine, Oise resulted in a number of resolutions being passed with the intention of improving the safety of aviation. One of those resolutions was that the wireless station at Saint-Inglevert should be replaced.[16] The aerial lighthouse at Saint-Inglevert was in operation again by 11 April, when a test flight was flown at night on the British part of the London - Paris air route. The aircraft flew as far as Saint-Inglevert before turning back and landing at Lympne, Kent.[17] In December, a Notice to Airmen stated that a portable searchlight was in operation at Saint-Inglevert by prior arrangement for aircraft landing at night. The "T" was illuminated at night.[18]
In April 1923, a ₣25,000 (then worth £360) prize was offered by Le Matin for the first French aviator to fly from Saint-Inglevert to Lympne and back in one day in an aircraft of French design and construction, with an engine capacity of less than 1,100cc.[19] Georges Barbot won the prize on 6 May when he flew a Dewoitine aircraft fitted with a Clerget engine.[20]
In 1924, Armstrong Whitworth Argosy aircraft were operating cross-channel services for Imperial Airways. The first stop in France was Saint-Inglevert. When an aircraft departed Lympne for St Inglevert, the destination airfield was advised, and if arrival was not notified within two hours, the British Coastguard was informed. Communication was by Carmichael Microway UHF transmitters at each airfield.[21] In August, a new system was introduced for non-radio aircraft crossing the English Channel. Aircraft crossing from Lympne had to make a circuit of the airfield at an altitude of 1,000 feet (300 m) if departing for Ostend, Belgium or two circuits if departing for Saint-Inglevert. The destination was then informed by radio of the departure of the aircraft. On arrival a circuit was flown, and the arrival was then reported back to Lympne by radio. If the aircraft had not arrived within an hour of departure, it would be considered as missing. A similar arrangement applied for aircraft flying to the United Kingdom.[22] In September, Saint-Inglevert was one of the landing points in an aerial "Tour de France". A specified route had to be flown on the 2,120 kilometres (1,320 mi) course. Sixteen aircraft competed in four classes.[23]
On 18 September 1928, Juan de la Cierva made the first cross-Channel flight in an autogyro. flying a Cierva C.8, he departed from Lympne and landed at Saint-Inglevert.[24] On 19 June 1931, Lissant Beardmore completed the first cross-Channel flight in a glider. He took off from Lympne and was towed by an aircraft to an altitude of 14,000 feet (4,300 m). Beardmore landed at Saint-Inglevert after a flight of one and a half hours to the surprise of the manager at Saint-Inglevert.[25] On 20 June, Austrian Robert Kronfeld made the first double crossing of the Channel in his glider Wien.[26] Taking off from Saint-Inglevert by means of an aero-tow to an altitude of 5,000 feet (1,500 m), he landed at the former RAF Swingfield near Dover, Kent. From Swingfield, another aero-tow to an altitude of 10,000 feet (3,000 m) enabled him to return to Saint-Inglevert.[27] Kronfeld received a £1,000 prize from the Daily Mail for his flights, which were verified by the British Gliding Association.[26] On 10 September 1929, Charles Fauvel departed from Saint-Inglevert in a Mauboussin aircraft fitted with an ABC Scorpion engine. The 848 kilometres (527 mi) flight to Pau set a new Fédération Aéronautique Internationale world record for single seat aircraft weighing less than 200 kilograms (440 lb).[28]
In November 1932, it was reported that new radio equipment was to be installed at Lympne and St Inglevert operating on the 15-cm waveband at 2,000 Megahertz. The new radios were to be used for the announcement of the departure of non-radio aircraft across the Channel. Messages sent by radio were also printed out by a teleprinter, providing a record of the communication. The new equipment was scheduled to come into operation in Spring 1933.[29] The British Air Ministry and the French Ministère de l'Air co-operated in the arrangements for setting up the system.[30] On 7 March 1933, the system for non-radio aircraft proved effective when a de Havilland DH.60 Moth of British Air Transport failed to arrive at Lympne. The aircraft had ditched in the Channel and both occupants were rescued by a steamship bound for Amsterdam, the Netherlands.[31] The new short-wave radio system came into operation on 16 January 1934.[32] The equipment at Saint-Inglevert was manufactured by Le Matériel Téléphonique, Paris.[33]
On 4 February 1935, the Prince of Wales flew from Fort Belvedere, Surrey to Saint-Inglevert on the first part of a journey to take a holiday at Kitzbühel, Austria.[34] On 13 August, Henri Mignet flew from Sain-Inglevert to Lympne in his Flying Flea aircraft, then the world's smallest.[35] On 26 July 1936, King Edward VIII flew from Saint-Inglevert to RAF Hendon on his return from the ceremony to unveil the Canadian National Vimy Memorial at Vimy.[36] On 8 August, Edward VIII flew from the Great West Aerodrome, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, United Kingdom to Saint Inglevert in order to catch the Orient Express at Calais. The King was heading to Šibenik, Yugoslavia to take a holiday on board the yacht Nahlin.[37]
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Saint-Inglevert was taken over by the Armée de l'Air in December 1939. Groupe Aérien d'Observation 516 (GAO 516) of the 16ème Corps d'Armée were based here, operating five Potez 63-11 and five Breguet 27 aircraft.[38] GAO 516 carried out air reconnaissance over the Nord-Pas de Calais region.[1] "B" Flight, No. 615 Squadron RAF was stationed at Saint-Inglevert in the early months of 1940,[39] equipped with Gloster Gladiator II aircraft.[40][Note 2] A Morane-Saulnier MS.138 was discovered dismantled in one of the hangars. A wager was made between the British and French as to whether or not the aircraft could be returned to the air. With the aid of materials supplied by the French, the aircraft was made flyable. When 615 Squadron received orders to relocate to Vitry-en-Artois, an attempt was made to fly the aircraft there but a forced landing had to be made in a field.[39] On 10 May 1940, Saint-Inglevert was attacked by the Luftwaffe, with over 110 bombs being dropped. A Breguet was destroyed, with another Breguet and a Potez being severely damaged. The radio facilities were put out of action, although they were soon repaired and back in action.[1]
During April 1940, No. 607 Squadron RAF was based at Saint-Inglevert, flying the Gloster Gladiator Mk II HR. On 21 May, Saint-Inglevert was visited by General Maxime Weygand. He ordered 516 GAO to prepare to evacuate as the Germans were at Rue and Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, in the neighbouring Somme département. The following day, the order came to evacuate to Boos airfield, Rouen, Seine-Maritime. Only four of the ten aircraft that departed from Saint-Inglevert arrived safely at Boos. All aircraft carried as many passengers as could be accommodated. Two Potez 63-11's and a Bloch MB.152 were abandoned at Saint-Inglevert. They were destroyed to prevent their use by the enemy, as were supplies of fuel. Personnel from 516 GAO were evacuated from Dunquerque on the French destroyer Bourrasque. Nineteen of them were killed when the ship struck a mine and sank.[1]
Saint-Inglevert was captured by the Luftwaffe towards the end of the Battle of France. 1 Gruppe, Lehrgeschwader 2 moved in on 20 June, equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109,[1] having previously been at Cailly-sur-Eure, Eure. They departed for Jever, Lower Saxony, Germany, on 12 July,[41] and were replaced by 1 Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 51, also equipped with Bf 109s. From August until November Stab JG 51 were in occupation. Also during this period, Aufklärungsgruppe 32(H) aircraft were based at Saint-Inglevert, with the unit operating the Henschel Hs 126 parasol monoplane.[1] On 30 July 1940, Saint-Inglevert was bombed by the Royal Air Force. It was claimed that hangars and aircraft were damaged.[42] A raid on 19 August resulted in a fire, the smoke could be seen from Kent.[43]
From 24 September to 5 November, 2 Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 27 were based here. Facilities at the airfield were improved, with new hangars erected and a new 600 metres (2,000 ft) long, 50 metres (160 ft) wide concrete runway was constructed.[1] On 27 December 1940, Saint-Inglevert was again bombed by the Royal Air Force.[44] The airfield was largely abandoned by 1941, with occasional use by Junkers 52s as a refuelling station.[1]
In 1943, the airfield was designated as Stützpunkt 134 Paderborn, housing defence units as part of the Atlantic Wall. The units were equipped with 10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzers. During the winter of 1943-44, 10.5 cm leFH 324(f) howitzers replaced the leFH 18s.[1] A number of concrete bunkers were constructed to house the guns. As of October 2007, they still exist around the airfield.[45] Following Operation Overlord the Germans committed various acts of sabotage on departure from Saint-Inglevert.[1]
On 10 April 1957, a report was published which resulted in the abandonment of Saint-Inglevert in favour of Calais – Dunkerque Airport, at Marck, 6 kilometres (4 mi) east of Calais. Saint-Inglevert was returned to agriculture.[1]
In 1986, l'aéroclub du Boulonnais[46] took over Saint-Inglevert following closure in June of their previous base at Ambleteuse. The runway had been used as a dump for old tyres and scrap vehicles.[47] It took three years to restore the airfield, which reopened on 30 July 1989.[1] On the night of 5–6 April 2010, a fire in a hangar at Saint-Inglevert destroyed the hangar and three aircraft inside. Five aircraft parked outside the hangar were also destroyed. Fire appliances from Boulogne, Calais and Marquise attended.[48] The destroyed aircraft were replaced by Robin DR300, Robin DR400, CP3005 and a Jodel D195. A Piper PA-28 was also acquired which needed restoration to airworthiness. The replacement aircraft were housed in a 10 metres (33 ft) by 10 metres (33 ft) tent hangar erected on the airfield, or temporarily outstationed at Calais or Le Touquet. It was planned to replace the destroyed hangar with a new one of 30 metres (98 ft) by 20 metres (66 ft). Following the fire, a NOTAM was issued temporarily restricting the use of Saint-Inglevert until 15 November 2010 to aircraft based there. On 26 August 2010, Saint-Inglevert was given the ICAO identifier LFIS, allowing it to be classed as a public airfield instead of a private one. This had taken ten years to achieve.[49]