Belandah Airfield Complex
| Belandah Airfield Belaudah I II Flugplatz | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 30°34′45″N 020°24′00″E / 30.57917°N 20.40000°E (Belaudah I Airfield)[1] 30°33′30″N 020°26′00″E / 30.55833°N 20.43333°E (Belaudah II Airfield)[2] |
| Type | Military airfield complex |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |  German Luftwaffe United States Army Air Forces |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1941 |
| In use | 1941-1943 |
Belandah Airfield Complex, also known as Baheira Airfield Complex is an abandoned military airfield complex in Libya, which is located about 19 Miles (30 km) Southeast of Ajdabiya, Libya.
History
[edit]The facility was built either by the Italian Regia Aeronautica or German Luftwaffe on June 1941. It consisted of two airfields, about 2.5 miles apart. During World War II, after the Axis defeat in Egypt during the Western Desert Campaign, the facility was abandoned by the retreating Axis forces.
It was later used by the United States Army Air Force during the North African Campaign by the 57th Fighter Group, which flew P-40 Warhawks from the airfield between 3 December 1942 and 3 January 1943.
Belandah I
[edit]Belandah I, also known as Bel Audah faced little Axis usage, however in January 1942, Bf 109 fighters operated by the Jagdgeschwader 27 was stationed. The airfield had two natural firm airstrips measuring 915 x 135 meters and 960 x 135 meters. It was named after the Belandah Hill, located approximately 14.5 kilometres from the airfield. [3]
Belandah II
[edit]Belandah II also faced little Axis usage. The airfield consisted of two natural firm airstrips measuring 915 x 185 meters.[3]
Today there are no remains of either airfield, the desert has completely reclaimed the facilities and runways. Their locations can only be determined by German maps of the area.
See Also
[edit]- Agedabia Airfield Complex Similar airfield complex, located in Ajdabiya.
References
[edit]- ^ German map of Belaudah I and II Airfields
- ^ German map and description of Belaudah I and II Airfields
- ^ a b "Airfields - Libya and Egypt" (PDF). WW2.dk. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
