Air Force Station Kanchrapara[2] is a military airfield located near Kanchrapara, in the North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal, India.[3]
RAF Kanchrapara Kanchrapara Airstrip | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
| Owner | Indian Air Force[1] | ||||||||||
| Location | Kanchrapara, North 24 Parganas district, India | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 32 ft / 10 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 22°55′22″N 088°27′35″E / 22.92278°N 88.45972°E | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  Kanchrapara AFS Location of the airport in West Bengal  Kanchrapara AFS Kanchrapara AFS (India) | |||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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History
editAir Force Station Kanchrapara was established on September 1, 1942.[4] During September–c. 4 October 1945 World War II, the airfield was used as a reconnaissance base by the 8th Reconnaissance Group of The United States Army Air Forces Tenth Air Force. It was home to several P-51 Mustang, B-25 Mitchell and P-38 Lightning airframes during that time. After World War II, this airstrip was closed and left abandoned.
The airfield was re-activated in December 2014, when the Indian Air Force inaugurated its 5th Selection Board at the Air Force Station.[2] An old MIG-21 has been brought here for a showcase, it can be seen from the main gate.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Buddhadeb announces airports at Barrackpore, Kanchrapara". Business Standard India. Business Standard. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Air Force Station Kanchrapara resurfaces in new avatar". The Times of India. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ Mehta, Balram Singh (2021-12-27). The Burning Chaffees: A Soldier's First-Hand Account of the 1971 War. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 978-93-5492-395-1.
- ^ "Air Force Selection Board to be inaugurated on Saturday". The Economic Times. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.