| Lannion Airfield | |
| Ensign: | Roundel of Germany – Type 1 – Border.svg |
| Location: | Lannion, France |
| Type: | Military airfield |
| Built: | Pre-1940 |
| Used: | June 1940 - April 1944 |
| Demolished: | 19, April, 1944 |
| Condition: | Re-developed into Lannion–Côte de Granit Airport |
| Ownership: | Luftwaffe |
| Controlled By: | Airfield Command E 73/III (1940 - Jan 1943), Airfield Command A 27/XII (Jan 1943 - Jun 1944) |
| Battles: | World War II |
| R1-Number: | 11/29 |
| R1-Length: | 1370 meters |
| R1-Surface: | concrete |
Lannion Airfield is a defunct Luftwaffe airfield located in Lannion, France.
Established in 1937 for light and sports aviation, Lannion Airfield served as an unimportant small airfield with a 695 x 640 meter large landing field.[1]
In June 1940, the airfield was listed as operational, and units were stationed at the airfield. However, full-scale operations did not begin until construction work to pave the airfield was completed in April 1941. The runway was installed with permanent runway illumination, a beamed approach system, and a visual Lorenz system. On 20 April 1941, 1,149 Non-German workers assisted in the construction.[2]
Shortly afterwards, low-level attacks by the Royal Air Force were made which destroyed 3 Ju-88s of the Coastal Aviation Group 606. On 19 May 1941, a German pilot by the of name Eiermann Helmut, was killed with two other crew wounded after Anti-aircraft struck his Ju-88 aircraft, and shortly crash-landed on the airfield afterwards.[3] From May 26-28, 1941, German Bomber Wing Kampfgeschwader 54 moved to Lannion Airfield to support operations of the German battleship Bismarck, however, they were unable to intervene before she sank.
After August 1942, Lannion Airfield was used for occasional staging missions, however, units were no longer based there. On 3 December 1943, a dispersal of 25 medium covered, and 6 medium open was opened. On 19 April 1944, the airfield was rendered unserviceable, as the landing area was plowed with trenches and craters from detonated mines.[2]
After the war, the airfield was transferred to the French Air Force. In 1959, the National Center for Telecommunications studies (CNET) established a department near the airfield, and a research center was in inaugurated in October 28, 1963.[4] In 1974, the Rousseau Aviation Company opened a route at Lannion Airfield with its Hawker Siddley 7487s.Currently, the airport is known as Lannion–Côte de Granit Airport.[5]
The following raids carried out by the United States Army Air Forces and Royal Air Force.
On August 2, 1941, 3 Westland Whirlwinds of the No. 263 Squadron RAF took off at RAF Predannack towards Lannion Airfield. They were accompanied by 10 spitfires of the No. 66 Squadron RAF, and destroyed five Ju-88 aircraft camouflaged in black.[6]
On 20 June 1942, the airfield was bombed by 11 Douglas A-20 Boston light bombers.[2]
On October 19, 1942, Boston III Bombers with an escort of RAF spitfires attacked Lannion Airfield during the day-time.[7]
Lannion Airfield was assigned to 4 decoy and satellite fields.
Description: Satellite or dispersal field, approximately 11 km southwest of Lannion airfield.Coordinates:
Description: Dummy airfield, 15 km east-northeast of Lannion airfield.Coordinates:
Description: Dummy airfield, 10 km northwest of Lannion airfield.Coordinates:
Description: Decoy, located 6.5 km north-northwest of Lannion airfield.[2]
Units and Commands that were stationed at Lannion Airfield.
These units focused on training and personnel replacement.
Units responsible for coordination within a specific airfield or station.
Book: de Zeng . H.L. . Stankey . D.G. . Creek . E.J. . 2007 . Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933–1945; A Reference Source, Volume 1 . . 978-1-85780-279-5.
