Post by Al on Nov 14, 2023 18:26:08 GMT -5
Laon Air Base is now close enough to post some pictures. As this base has similar history to the previously posted Chaumont AB in this same section, I will not go into the history of USAFE in France here except where it is specific to this base. First, the ICAO code chosen is made up as Wikipedia listed the real code as LFQC which in FS9 is in use by a stock airport in France, so LFQX was one of the few LFQ codes left. This airport was not in FS9 so it was built entirely from scratch using John Hewson's album of this base. Unfortunately, unlike Chaumont and many of the other UAFE bases John provided albums for, this one has the least number of photos to work from.
Laon AB was one of the 10 original air bases France agreed to provide the USAFE for development. Like most of the others that at least existed, it only had a runway and some rudimentary facilities. It took from Late 1951 to 1955 to get the basics built and provide the minimum necessary facilities to support a combat wing. As the French government insisted that these airports be built by French contractors and using French building materials, neither available in quantiles required to build projects as large as these, they of course took longer and at greater expense than originally planned. But alas, they were finally finished and here is Laon AB starting in 1955 with the arrival of the 38th Bomb Wing which began receiving their B-57 Night Intruders.
The airport 1956
There were 3 squadrons making up the flying portion of the 38th Bomb Wing
They were the 71st BS (Red)
The hangars in this scenery (as well as the Tower/Fire Station) are custom built by Dan French who did a remarkable job capturing the unusal hangar design.
405th BS (Green)
and the 822nd BS (Yellow)
All 3 of the above squadrons were painted by Ken Lawson
Next, Laon AB was unusual for another reason. Like Chaumont and the Skyblaser demonstration Team, Laon hosted the only bomber demonstration team known to have existed. They were the Black Nights, made up of pilots from the 3 Squadrons flying specially painted aircraft (4 of them). They performed aerial demonstrations all around Europe until they were disbanded in early 1958. These were custom painted for this scenery by DeltaDart along with the T33s, DeHavilland Beaver and the C47 you see.
The B-57s served at Laon until early 1958 when, as with Chaumont and other Air Bases, the French required all Nuclear capable aircraft and their payloads be removed from French soil. Unlike many of the other USAFE bases in France which went dormant for the next couple of years, Laon received the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing flying the RF-101 Voodoo's made up of teh 17th and 18th TRS. Painted by DeltaDart
In 1960 the 32nd TRS also joined the 66th TRW
By 1966 the French wanted all NATO forces out of France as France would only participate in the Polical part of the NATO Alliance. So, the the 66th TRW moved to RAF Upper Heyford in late 66 which is where I met up with them (as a child) when my father was assigned there as an Air Traffic Controller. We stayed there until 1969 hearing those Voodoo's roaring down the runway at all times of the day.
The project is nearly done so release is imamate.
Al
Laon AB was one of the 10 original air bases France agreed to provide the USAFE for development. Like most of the others that at least existed, it only had a runway and some rudimentary facilities. It took from Late 1951 to 1955 to get the basics built and provide the minimum necessary facilities to support a combat wing. As the French government insisted that these airports be built by French contractors and using French building materials, neither available in quantiles required to build projects as large as these, they of course took longer and at greater expense than originally planned. But alas, they were finally finished and here is Laon AB starting in 1955 with the arrival of the 38th Bomb Wing which began receiving their B-57 Night Intruders.
The airport 1956
There were 3 squadrons making up the flying portion of the 38th Bomb Wing
They were the 71st BS (Red)
The hangars in this scenery (as well as the Tower/Fire Station) are custom built by Dan French who did a remarkable job capturing the unusal hangar design.
405th BS (Green)
and the 822nd BS (Yellow)
All 3 of the above squadrons were painted by Ken Lawson
Next, Laon AB was unusual for another reason. Like Chaumont and the Skyblaser demonstration Team, Laon hosted the only bomber demonstration team known to have existed. They were the Black Nights, made up of pilots from the 3 Squadrons flying specially painted aircraft (4 of them). They performed aerial demonstrations all around Europe until they were disbanded in early 1958. These were custom painted for this scenery by DeltaDart along with the T33s, DeHavilland Beaver and the C47 you see.
The B-57s served at Laon until early 1958 when, as with Chaumont and other Air Bases, the French required all Nuclear capable aircraft and their payloads be removed from French soil. Unlike many of the other USAFE bases in France which went dormant for the next couple of years, Laon received the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing flying the RF-101 Voodoo's made up of teh 17th and 18th TRS. Painted by DeltaDart
In 1960 the 32nd TRS also joined the 66th TRW
By 1966 the French wanted all NATO forces out of France as France would only participate in the Polical part of the NATO Alliance. So, the the 66th TRW moved to RAF Upper Heyford in late 66 which is where I met up with them (as a child) when my father was assigned there as an Air Traffic Controller. We stayed there until 1969 hearing those Voodoo's roaring down the runway at all times of the day.
The project is nearly done so release is imamate.
Al
