Asansol Airfield

Asansol Airfield
Asansol, India
A United States Army Air Forces pilot sits on the aircraft nicknamed "Asanol II", belonging to the East India Squadron, stationed at Ningha Airfield near Asansol, West Bengal, during World War II. Likely photographed around 1943–45. USAAF Aircraft Parked at Ningha Airfield, Asansol during World War II
Site information
Type	Military airfield
Code	VEAS
Owner	Airports Authority of India
Controlled by	Airports Authority of India
Condition	Degraded by nature
Location
Coordinates
Height	100m(330ft)
Site history
Built	1941
Built by	L.D. Mehta and his Sons
In use	1942-1945
Materials	Concrete and Asphalt
Battles/wars	Burma Campaign 1944-1945
Garrison information
Garrison	United States Army Air Forces (Tenth Air Force), notably the 80th Fighter Group and its fighter squadrons during World War II

Asansol Airfield is a former wartime Royal Air Force Station and later used by the United States Army Air Forces airfield in Asansol, India used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. It is located near Nigah village on NH 2/ Grand Trunk Road.

History

Established in 1941 by the Royal Air Force as a result of the Japanese conquest of Burma. On 3 April 1942 six USAAF 7th Bombardment Group B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft took off from Asansol Airfield to bomb warehouses and docks at Rangoon.

On 6–7 April, 10 DC-3s of Pan American Airways begin hauling 30,000 gallons of fuel and 500 gallons of lubricants from Dum Dum Airport, Calcutta to Asansol for operations. This fuel, subsequently transferred via Dinjan Airfield, India to China, was for use by Lieutenant Colonel James H Doolittle's raiders when they landed in Zhuzhou, about 100 miles southwest of Shanghai, China after their attack on Japan. Doolittle Raiders never made Zhuzhou due to fuel shortages, aircraft subsequently lost.

In 1943, airfield turned over to USAAF. Initially used by 5318th Provisional Air Unit, beginning late 1943 operating P-51 Mustangs, B-25 Mitchell medium bombers and C-47 transports with Waco CG-4A gliders used for attacks in Burma. The unit tested the United States' first use of a helicopter in combat, six Sikorsky R-4s in May 1944. 1st Air Commando Group activated in May 1944. Used by 164th, 165th, 166th Liaison Squadrons, equipped with UC-64, L-5 observation aircraft, September–December 1944. Later used by 5th and 6th Fighter Squadrons, December 1944-June 1945 flying P-47 Thunderbolts.

Also used by 319th Troop Carrier Squadron, flying C-47s, September–December 1944. 1st ACG returned to United States, 6 October 1945.

File:Planes parked at the Asansol Airfield, Nigha, Asansol.jpg

USAAF Aircraft Parked at Ningha Airfield, Asansol during World War II

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983.
• www.pacificwrecks.com - Asansol Airfield

External links

• Airports Authority of India