Airfield located.
 

Hello everyone

My name is Michiels Bruno and I live in Belgium. I’m looking for more information about an airfield located between Melkwezer, Helen-Bos and Orsmael (nowadays its written Orsmaal). My main source of information comes from elder people that I interviewed who where younger when all of this took place. Information that I have found so far that is 100% accurate:

• Used for hiding airplanes during daytime that where normally settled in Brustem, this location was used because there where a lot of tree’s to hide them. At night these planes took off and returned by daylight
• Airplanes on this airfield: Messerschmitt Bf109 (15 to 20 planes) and Bf110G (3 to 4 planes)
• Summer off 1944 the Allies attacked the airplanes, airplanes far from houses got attacked by air and burned(found evidence of this in the fields) out and those near to houses got attacked by soldiers on ground(found a lot ammunition on more then 10 different places)
• The size of the airfield was around 200ha
• There is also a map of this area made by a resident(died 5 years ago) that I know by name and who lived most of his live in Ireland. This map was given too 2 British spy’s in Sint-Truiden. After the spy’s sended this information to England (telegram?) they got caught by the Germans and got executed (this map is somewhere in an English archive)
• I also have pictures off destroyed airplanes in (Orsmaal)

Thank you for reading and maybe for helping me out.Pictures:

http://img99.imagesh...unomichiels.jpg

Re: Airfield located.
 

Here is the only one I could find:


Saint Trond – Duras (BELG) (50 49 25 N – 05 09 25 E). Dummy/Decoy 4 km NW of Saint Trond airfield and 2.4 km WNW of the town of Saint Trond. Duras was an old Belgian landing ground. The Germans painted 4 runways on the landing area and built dummy aircraft shelters and dummy aircraft that were parked in various locations around the field. It was also probably equipped with decoy airfield lighting. [Source: AFHRA A5258 p.1858 (1944)]


Saint Trond also had 3 dispersal areas outside of the landing ground perimeter – North, Southeast and Southwest with a total of 37 aircraft shelters in Jul 43, although more may have been constructed later.


HTH,


L.

Re: Airfield located.
 

Hi Larry, thanks for the quick response to my message.
I know about the airfield of Duras, you can even find some pictures on the internet where you can see the dummy airplanes. If you want to, I will post the url to the pictures later on.
Although, the airfield I'm talking about is infact there. I found several remains of BF109 G6 or later. I was able to identify the remains of the extractable revi gunsight of more then three planes situated in Orsmaal, Wommersom & Melkwezer.
Do you know what unit was located around the time in this region.
Thanks in advance, Bruno.

Re: Airfield located.
 

Units of NJG1 ( II Group) were at St Trond.

http://www.ww2.dk/air/njagd/njg1.htm

Re: Airfield located.
 

See below for the Luftwaffe units at Saint Trond in August and September 1944:

Saint-Trond (BELG) (a.k.a. St.-Trond-Brustem, Brustem, Sint-Truiden) (50 47 40 N – 05 12 00 E)
General: airfield (Fliegerhorst) in E Belgium 40.5 km NW of Liège, 2.4 km SSE of Saint-Trond and 1.6 km WSW of Brustem.
History: until it was taken over by the Luftwaffe in May 1940, Saint-Trond was a small auxiliary landing ground of little signifance. It was rapidly enlarged to 4 times its original size and the concrete runways built. In fall 1941 it became an important night fighter base and retained that roll through August 1944.
Dimensions: approx. 1740 x 1465 meters (1900 x 1600 yards).
Surface and Runways: turf/sod that was kept in good condition. Had 3 concrete runways measuring approx. 1540 meters (1680 yards) aligned NE/SW, 1600 meters (1750 yards) aligned NW/SE and 1445 meters (1580 yards) aligned E/W. A perimeter track encircled the entire landing area. Each of the runways had permanent lighting and was equipped with a visual Lorenz system for night operations. There was also a permanent flarepath and a beam approach system installed across the landing area.
Fuel and Ammunition: refueling loops were available in each dispersal area along the N, E and W boundaries with bulk fuel storage in the same locations. The main ammunition and bomb storage was in the woods off the E boundary near the NE corner with a smaller dump approx. 1.6 km to the S.
Infrastructure: there was 1 medium hangar plus 1 small repair hangar in the N dispersal, and 1 smqall repair hangar in the SW dispersal area. A large block of barracks for airfield personnel was a short distance off the NW corner while officers and air crew personnel were accommodated in the village of Brustem. Station HQ, admin offices and station services were in buildings in the same general area as the barrack block. An old Belgian military cadet school 2.5 km SE of Brustem near Saffraanberg was also used to accommodate personnel (including women) assigned to the airfield and units in the surrounding area. The nearest rail connection was in the town of Saint-Trond.
Dispersal: there were 3 dispersal areas – North, Southeast and Southwest with a total of 37 aircraft shelters in Jul 43, although more may have been constructed later.
Defenses: surrounded by 2 heavy Flak positions (1 of these with 6 guns) and 7 light Flak positions, of which 3 were mounted in Flak towers and 1 on a roof top. The airfield was encircled with barbed wire and there were 5 heavy weapon bunkers or strongpoints.
Satellites and Decoys:
See Saint-Trond – Duras (BELG).
Remarks:
25 Feb 44: bombed by IX Bomber Command B-26 Marauders.
9 May 44: bombed by 101 B-24 Liberators.
14 Jun 44: bombed by 35 B-17 Fortresses.
29/30 Jul 44: bombed by 9 RAF Mosquitoes.
15 Aug 44: low-level attack by VIII Fighter Command P-47s – claimed 1 x Bf 109 destroyed and another damaged. This same date, 1,004 aircraft from RAF Bomber Command pounded 9 enemy airfields in Holland and Belgium but it is not known if St.-Trond was one of these.
25 Aug 44: bombed by 4 B-24s as a target of opportunity.
12-14 Sep 44: infrastructure and facilities demolished and airfield evacuated by the Luftwaffe.
15 Sep 44: captured by advancing U.S. troops in heavily damaged condition with all 3 runways completely cratered from one end to the other. The airfield was immediately repaired and on 18 September began operating as Allied Advanced Landing Ground A-92.
Operational Units: Stab, I., II./St.G. 77 (May 40); II./JG 27 (May 40); III./JG 3 (May 40); II./ZG 26 (May-Jun 40); III./KG 3 (Jun 40 – Mar 41); II./NJG 1 (May 41 – Mar 44, May-Sep 44); IV./NJG 1 (Mar-Sep 44); Stab, I., II./JG 2 (Aug-Sep 44).
Station Commands: Fl.H.Kdtr. E 16/VI (May 40); Fl.H.Kdtr. E 31/XI (c.Apr 41 – Mar 44); Fl.H.Kdtr. E(v) 212/XI (Apr-Sep 44).
Station Units (on various dates – not complete): Nachtjagdraumführer 6 (Jul 42 – May 44); 4. Flugh.Betr.Kp. NJG 1 (Jan 42 - ? ); 5. Flugh.Betr.Kp. NJG 1 (Jan 42 - ? ); gem.Flak-Abt. 600 (Jul 44); 9.(Tel.Bau)/Ln.-Rgt. 10 (Apr-May 43); Stab III.(Flum.Mess)/Ln.-Rgt. 211 (c.Apr 43 – Aug 44); 3./Ln.-Abt. 61 (1942); Ldssch.Zug d.Lw. 87/IV (fall 42 - ? ); Ldssch.Zug d.Lw. 20/VI (Sep 42); Ldssch.Zug d.Lw. 52/VI (Jul, Nov 42); Flugzeug-Bergungstrupp 6/VI (Jun 42).
[Sources: AFHRA A5257A pp.1843-46 (1 Aug 43); chronologies; BA-MA; NARA; PRO/NA; web site ww2.dk]

NJG 1 had the Bf 110s and JG 2 had the Bf 109s.

L.

Re: Airfield located.
 

Thank you very much for all the information,
more information or pictures are always welcome.
Past: (Orsmael Airfield) Present: (Orsmaal)

Re: Airfield located.
 

There is a discussion of the loss of a Lt Olger Aal at Helen-Bos on 29 Aug 44 on the link below. The final comment #6, seems to be talking about the "Orsmaal" field which was apparently attacked the same day. Supposedly Aal in a group of 5 planes was last seen attacking a satellite field at Diest/ Schaffen, yet no-one saw him go missing at that field. When the planes formed up after the attack Aal was missing yet no one saw him go down or heard anything on the radio. I wonder if he somehow flew south from Diest/Schaffen and possibly attacked Orsmaal and ended up crashing at Helen-Bos?

http://forum.armyairforces.com/P47-4...4-m129170.aspx

Re: Airfield located.
 

3350 Orsmaal-Gussenhoven is about 9.5 km WNW of Saint Trond airfield, too far to be what the Allies called a "remote dispersal" area for the air base. So there seem to be two possibilities: (1) the Orsmaal satellite field was several kilometers SE of Orsmaal-Gussenhoven, thus bring it a lot closer to Saint Trond airfield, or (2) the Orsmaal satellite had its own airstrip that allowed aircraft to land and take off. In any event, it seems to have been used as an Abstellplatz rather than as a satellite field and the Allies apparently did not know about it until mid-summer 1944. It would be interesting to know more about it.

All of the ground claims for 29 August seem to be at Diest, 20 km N of Orsmaal-Gussenhoven. So perhaps the Orsmaal satellite was attacked on a different date.

L.

Postscript: the MACR for Lt. Olger I. Aal (his last name is Aal) does indeed refer to an attack on Orsmaal on 29 August, but there is no evidenst of any claims being made. It appears to have been hit by just two P-47s with the first (flown by Lt. Aal) being shot down by airfield Flak. The other P-47 then came around and destroyed the Flak position before flying off.

Re: Airfield located.
 

I checked the MACRs for other planes from the 553rd lost on 29 August beside Aal's crash of 44-19580. There was a 2nd P-47 from the the 553rd FG, 350th FS, #42-26668 flown by William Smith that was lost in an attack on the airfield at Beauvechain. It would appear that airfields were the targets on that day. It would be interesting if we could get the mission lists and dailies for the 553rd for August 44.

I think the airfield at Orsmaal was a small field with a grass landing strip used by NJG1 for night fighters. It was used as was described in the first post. The night fighters would take off at night on their missions. They did not return to land at night at Orsmaal but rather would land at St Trond (Brustem) where the planes were rearmed and serviced. In the morning, as soon as there was enough daylight to see, the planes were flown to the grass strip at Orsmaal and were dispersed under the trees. During the day there would have been no activity at the field, there may have been nothing much there but a hidden refueling truck and the dispersed planes. At night, the pilots were trucked in and they took off for their night missions.

Re: Airfield located.
 

Hi guys, I investigated about Lt Olger Aal and talked to some eyewitnesses and the crash site I discovered, is not in Helen Bos, but in Melkwezer, next to a farm.
I've found the headquarters of the airfield in Orsmaal in a big orchard. There I found alot of flares, green and red ones. This was 24/7 posted. The airfield was surrounded by anti-air guns (Flak) right now I know the location of 8 of these Flak guns.(Could be more ofcourse).
The local people that I interviewed told me that the soldiers of the airfield slept in farms and houses nearby the airfield with the locals. There was also rapeseed(coleseed) around the airfield that the germans grinded to use it. (This was done in a mill in Wommersom )
What I can't understand is that the germans lost approx. 20 aircrafts (I located 5 of them) and theres nothing written about this great loss.

Re: Airfield located.
 

RSwank - your excellent description of Orsmaal defines it as a true satellite field (Ausweichflugplatz) as opposed to a remote dispersal (Aussenliegeplatz), Abstellplatz (parking area for aircraft not in use) or Behelfsflugplatz (auxiliary airfield). The main difference was that it had its own take-off and landing strip but no services or infrastructure, and was not connected to Saint Trond airfield by taxiways or taxi tracks.

Meanwhile, and of curiosity value only, I found one more landing strip near Saint Trond:

Saint Trond – Bernissenbroek (BELG) (50 49 25 N – 05 12 55 E). Former landing ground 2 km ENE of Saint Trond and S of the Saint Trond/Tongres railway line. It was a private landing ground before the war measuring approx. 320 x 320 meters (350 x 350 yards).

The daily mission summaries for the groups are probably at AFHRA Maxwell and NARA WashDC may have a copy, too. I know AFHRA has the various command daily opsums on microfilm.

Schiffer published a large over-size book in 2003, USAAF Jabos in the MTO and ETO that goes on for 391 pages, double column, but the author never looked at a single mission document. Not one. So for the purpose of finding some details about a mission on a particular day, the book is worthless.

L.

Re: Airfield located.
 

I don't think the loss of 20 airplanes on this field was anything unusual when you consider what was happening at the time. The two maps below show the battlefront on 1 Sept 44 and 15 Sept 44. Looking at how rapidly the Allies advanced (and/or the Germans pulled back) you can imagine how much material was abandoned by the Germans. This airfield was one of many in Belgium that were overrun in a very short period of time. Pretty much all of Belgium was liberated in that time period. Any plane that could not be flown out (or was short of a pilot to fly it out) would have been abandoned. (You probably know what was the exact date of the liberation of this area of Belgium. )


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...frontAtlas.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...frontAtlas.jpg

Re: Airfield located.
 

brumic wrote in part:
If the 20 aircraft were destroyed by Allied planes then it is probably written down somewhere. All we can say is that they were not destroyed by planes from the 8th AAF. But they could have been attack by 9th AAF planes or by the RAF. I don't know as I don't have the sources to investigate it.

On the other hand, if they were demolished by the Germans as they were evacuating Orsmaal and found there by the advancing Allies, they would be covered in the joint RAF/USAAF captured enemy airfield report series that has been mention here on 12 O'Clock High numerous times. These were usually referred to as "A" reports and "B" reports. The one for Saint Trond should include Orsmaal and provide considerable detail on the wrecks found there.

L.

Re: Airfield located.
 

I have interviewed eldry people, and they told me there where 2 units 1 airunit and 1 groundunit.
Alll the aircrafts that where located in orchards/forests where shot down by American Aircrafts.
All the other planes, located near barns or covered with other material (sheet metal, typical farmer ways to cover them) where shot down by fieldtroops (footsoldiers).
The Germans must have known something was coming on because 3 days before something that looked like a p-38 scouted the area.

Map drawing of the original airfield was drawn by Mister Lardinois.
Lardinois submerged to Ireland in protection against the Germans, Lardinois died approximatly 6 years ago.
I had spoken with a family relative of him, they knew of his deeds but never said anything about it because it was a fragile subject amongst them.

Re: Airfield located.
 

Brumic - I need a little clarification on your phraseology. You used the term "shot down". This means the German aircraft were in the air when they were hit. But it seems that you really mean they were shot up on the ground. The aircraft in the orchards and forest were strafed and shot up by American planes. The aircraft near barns or covered with camouflage material were shot up by American ground troops. Is that correct?

Re: Airfield located.
 

Hello,

I confirm some of the statements made by Brumic. I had met also a witness (a former butcher) who told me some wreckages were found after allied strafings occured.
Perhaps Brumic can find Resistance/weerstand reports, with sketches, at the CEGES (don't know the flemish translation): http://www.cegesoma.be/cms/index_fr.php
I found such 'reports' about German airfields in réseau MARC, CLARENCE, etc.. Albeit often much approximate and sometimes silly, they can be the only rooth to gather thin info's about those 'satellite' airfields - if made.
No mention of that particular field in AI2g reports.

I would be just curious about the parts Brumic found and ID'ed, could you post some pictures?

By the way, I remember a post (made by Reetje?) about a map box of a Bf 110, perhaps coming from that field, thus in the Brustem area?

Best regards

ClinA-78

Re: Airfield located.
 

Yes indeed, that is what i meant. They where all shot up on the ground like you described it.

Re: Airfield located.
 

@Ckin1-78 about the pictures, I have an agreement with the local goverment to do more research on public and private grounds. Untill this ain't finished I don't really want to post pictures because local "Treasure Hunters" want to digg up something that could be very usefull for these reports.
If you don't really believe me I might send a pm with a few pictures.
I have found some parts that has a production date from January 1944. (found it on the cd luftfahrt archiv hafner)
The pictures u mentioned about Reetje's map box have been taken offline from photobucket and don't exist anymore.

Re: Airfield located.
 

Hello Brumic,

By pure chance, I found some info's related to an Horpsmaal (sic.) field or at least related to St Trond airdrome air activity during the messy period of Retreat-before Liberation timeframe.

On the 28/08/44, III./JG 27 came frome Lappion-Boncourt to Horpsmaal (sic). I don't know if it is connected to Horpmaal (10 km SE of St Trond/Brustem airdrome) or Orsmaal satellite field cause the spelling mistake. Whatever, on the 29th a straffing occured there leading to 22 probably damaged/destroyed Bf 109 and causing the death of at least 3 ground crew of 9./JG 27.
Moreover, Uffz. Rudolf WEITZ's Bf 109 G-6/U2 (WNr.413732, 10./JG 27) seems to have been brought down by its own Flak during a emergency take-off.
J-B Frappé in "La Luftwaffe face au Débarquement allié en Normandie" confirms both those casualities (he quotes 25 ea) and the ORSMAAL spelling.

The 353rd FG claims 18-0-7 on the 29th on A/D 30 miles N-E of BRUSSELS 4VK 0473 but it sees to be Le Culot/Beauvechain airdrome where Capt. Smith was KIA by Flak. I./JG 4 was there at that moment.

Well nothing easy with this messy period.

Hope it helps

ClinA-78

Re: Airfield located.
 

Jochen Prien's multi-volume history of JG 27 should cover this in detail, considering so many Bf 109s were allegedly destroyed or damaged on the ground. There are 12 O'Clock High members who have these books and could look up the events of 28-28 August 1944 if they were inclined to do so.

Re: Airfield located.
 

Hello Bruno,
About the straffing: there's a report of the Belgian Underground and this reports mentioned the loss of 18 German aircraft.
Regards,
Alexander

Re: Airfield located.
 

I can confirm that he has been brought down by his own Flak.
This bf109 crashed between "Melkwezer" and "Helen-Bos"