Barrackpore Air Force Station
Barrackpore Air Force Station बैरकपुर एयर फोर्स स्टेशन | |||||||||||
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| IATA: none – ICAO: VEBR | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
| Operator | Indian Air Force | ||||||||||
| Location | Barrackpore , India | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 18 ft / 5 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 22°46′55″N 088°21′33″E / 22.78194°N 88.35917°ECoordinates: 22°46′55″N 088°21′33″E / 22.78194°N 88.35917°E | ||||||||||
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  Barrackpore Air Force Station Location in India | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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Barrackpore Air Force Station is an Indian Air Force base located at Barrackpore in the state of West Bengal, India. Barrackpore is one of the oldest stations in the IAF, operating transport units.One of the MI 17 squadrons is based here.
History
During World War II, the airfield was used as a reconnaissance airfield by the United States Army Air Forces Tenth Air Force, which flew unarmed P-38 Lightning aircraft from the station, equipped with several mapping cameras to gather intelligence on Japanese forces in occupied Burma. Barrackpore was also home to several Spitfire Squadrons in the early 1950s.
In 1963 No. 11 Squadron IAF was located at Barrackpore flying Douglas Dakotas. That year two Dakotas were sent to Bandung (Husein) in Indonesia to carry air and ground crew to pick up Indonesian Air Force de Haviland Vampire fighters which were to be transferred to the IAF.[1]
Several Spitfire airframes were salvaged from Barrackpore in the 1970s and 1980s and are currently restored to flying status in the west.
About AFS BKP
At present the Station Commander is Gp Capt AR Shendye VM. Its ancillary units are 5 Tettra and 3 Tettra and Flying unit is 157 HU
References
- ↑ Wing Cdr Venu Kondath (Retd), 'Ferrying Vampires from Indonesia', Bharat-Rakshak.com, accessed October 2011
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
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