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BA112 Reims-Champagne ,
Reims-Champagne, otherwise known by the
l'Armée de l'Air as Base Aérienne 112, last base flying the Mirage F1 in
the French air force. Equipped with a mix of Mirage F1CRs, Mirage F1CTs
and two-seat F1Bs for the all-important pilot training rôle.
Reims Air Base was authorized by the French Air Ministry in 1925 and was
opened in October 1928. Much work was needed to restore the land in the
area after the ravages of the World War I Western Front, and the myriad
of trenches built, all needed to be filled in, the land levelled,
unexploded ordinance removed . Reims was planned to be the "showcase"
base of the Armée de l'Air. It had a concrete parking apron; hangars and
a support area, and consisted of a grass field for aircraft takeoffs and
landings.
The first unit to arrive at Reims was the Breguet 19 equipped 12th
Regiment. During the 1930s, the base was greatly expanded and
modernized. With the breakout of World War II in 1939, Reims was
reinforced with additional units. In May 1940
After the war, Reims Air Base became a massive aircraft storage depot
for surplus (mostly American) aircraft. From Reims, aircraft were sold
under the Military Assistance Program to France and other Western
European countries. In 1949 the air base was reactivated the
infrastructure of the base, which was badly damaged by the Allied
bombing raids of the Junkers works during the war was torn down and
replaced with new, modern buildings. In 1950 the Armee de L'Air
commenced jet operations here with the De Havilland Vampires of 3 Wing.
One of the most notable landmarks in Reims' history is the formation of
3 Squadron as an aerobatic unit, later to become the Patrouille de
France.
Following use of the Republic F-84 Thunderjet and North American F-100
Super Sabre the 30th Fighter Wing moved in with the Vautour IIN in 1961
and the associated 2/30 Squadron 'Normandie-Niemen' . From 1961 to 1978
the base housed a transport unit (62 Wing) with the Nord 2501 Noratlas
and Breguet 941S. The first Mirage F1C's arrived here in 1973. With the
departure of the "Normandie" to Colmar and the closure of Strasbourg-Entzheim
the units (01/033 and 02/033) moved here in 1994 from Strasbourg with
their Mirage F1CR .
One of the more well known squadrons of reims is the "Normandie-Niemen"
In 1942 General de Gaulle sent a fighter squadron from the Free French
Air Forces (Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres or FAFL) to fight
alongside Soviet troops. The "Normandie-Niemen" group was to complete
more than 5,000 sorties and 869 aerial combats. It was credited with 273
victories.
In June 1966, the squadron took over the Reims airbase, where in 1976 it
received the air force's first Mirage F1 C. Due to its link with Russia
it was the only place on the mainland off western Europe to see a
visited of the MiG-21 and Mig-23 during the cold war. In 1991 the
squadron was visited by MiG-29 and in 1992 by Su-27, just before the
group moved to Colmar and became the 1/13-fighter squadron. With the
dissolution of the 13th fighter squadron in 1995, it became the
2/30-fighter squadron once again. On the 3rd July 2009, the squadron was
officially suspended. The Normandie-Niemen may be reformed in 2011 or
2012 at the Mont-de-Marsan air base.
At the moment only ER 02/033 is active at Reims, flying a mix of all the
types of Mirage F1 available. This unit will then continue to fly here
until mid 2011 when the squadron will transfer to Mont De Marsan. The
expectation then is that BA.112 will close and flying will come to an
end.
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