Aérodrome de Brienne-le-Château
AN ABANDONED AIRFIELD IN FRANCE
Aérodrome de Brienne-le-Château is an abandoned military airfield in Brienne-le-Château, a village in the north of France. It was used by the NATO and the US Army. Today it’s a leisure airfield and the buildings are abandoned or demolished.
The Aérodrome is inaugurated in 1913. From 1953 to 1965, it served as the operational base of the NATO. The aerodrome has two runways. Firstly, a tarmac runway of 1305 meters long and 30 meters wide. Secondly, a 727-meter-long grass runway. The base was mainly used by the F-100D of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing. To accommodate 50 fighter planes, three large hangars were built in 1956.
US Army
From the autumn of 1961, because of increasing tensions between East and West Europe, the US Air Force is massively reinforced in Europe. Therefore, the 852nd Aircraft Maintenance Company of the US Army, in charge of the revision of the airplanes of the American Army, settles in Brienne-le-Château in September 1961.
I found five abandoned aircraft at Aérodrome de Brienne-le-Château. Firstly, the Fouga CM.170 Magister. A 1950s French two-seat jet trainer aircraft, developed and made by French aircraft manufacturer Fouga. Secondly, a North 2501Noratlas, a dedicated military transport aircraft built in 1950 and manufactured by French aircraft manufacturer Nord Aviation. The Lockheed P-2 Neptune was a maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. Further, a Dassault MD 315 Flamant, a light twin-engined transport airplane built shortly after World War II for the French Air Force. Lastly, a Max Holste MH.1521 Broussard, a 1950s French six-seat utility monoplane.
Leisure and tourism
Today, Aérodrome de Brienne-le-Château is partly in use for leisure activities and tourism. It hosts a range of air activities for amateurs and experienced practitioners. The other buildings are abandoned. I made these photos of the airfield and planes in 2017. You can see more transport themed abandoned locations here.
