Air Force Station Kanchrapara

RAF Kanchrapara Kanchrapara Airstrip
IATA: none ICAO: VBKP
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″N088°27′35″E / 22.92278°N 88.45972°E / 22.92278; 88.45972
Map
Kanchrapara AFS Location of the airport in West Bengal Show map of West Bengal Kanchrapara AFS Kanchrapara AFS (India) Show map of India
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 15/33 1,500 4,921 Concrete

Air Force Station Kanchrapara ^[2] is a military airfield located near Kanchrapara, in the North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal, India. ^[3]

History

Air 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

• List of airports by ICAO code: V#VA VE VI VO - India
• List of airports in India
• List of airports in West Bengal

References

1. "Buddhadeb announces airports at Barrackpore, Kanchrapara". Business Standard India. Business Standard. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
2. "Air Force Station Kanchrapara resurfaces in new avatar". The Times of India . 12 December 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
3. 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.
4. "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.