Barrackpore Air Force Station

Barrackpore Air Force Station बैरकपुर एयर फोर्स स्टेशन
IATA: none – ICAO: VEBR
Summary
Airport type	Military
Operator	Indian Air Force
Location	Barrackpore , India
Elevation AMSL	18 ft / 5 m
Coordinates
Map
Barrackpore Air Force Station Location in India
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 02/20 6,250 1,893 Asphalt

Barrackpore Air Force Station is an Indian Air Force base located at Barrackpore in the state of West Bengal, India. Barrackpore is one of the oldest stations in the IAF, operating transport units.One of the MI 17 squadrons is based here.

History

During World War II, the airfield was used as a reconnaissance airfield by the United States Army Air Forces Tenth Air Force, which flew unarmed P-38 Lightning aircraft from the station, equipped with several mapping cameras to gather intelligence on Japanese forces in occupied Burma. Barrackpore was also home to several Spitfire Squadrons in the early 1950s.

In 1963 No. 11 Squadron IAF was located at Barrackpore flying Douglas Dakotas. That year two Dakotas were sent to Bandung (Husein) in Indonesia to carry air and ground crew to pick up Indonesian Air Force de Haviland Vampire fighters which were to be transferred to the IAF.

Several Spitfire airframes were salvaged from Barrackpore in the 1970s and 1980s and are currently restored to flying status in the west.

About AFS BKP

At present the Station Commander is Gp Capt AR Shendye VM. Its ancillary units are 5 Tettra and 3 Tettra and Flying unit is 157 HU

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of 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.