Updated:   08/25/2010

   Châteauroux Air Station - Déols Photos

Chateauroux - Déols, France

 


 Thank you, Anice Clements, for the photo.

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Photo & Artwork Credits

Bob Engle

Anice Clements

Cliff "Bud" Hankins

Herve' Simonnet

Cliff Gunderson

Dr. Gene Fish

Ron Terrill

Ed Conroy

Marvin Leman

Stephen Fletcher

Ralph "T-Bird" Tompkins

Tom Blake

Patrick Aubrun

Bob Bemis

Mike Maynard

Jack Harnett

Betty Adamek

Philippe Cassard

Joel "Mac" McDannold

Claude Clemente

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click the thumbnails to view the larger photos.  Use your back button to return to this page after viewing.  If you begin to see only red x's instead of the photo, delete your temporary internet files to free up your computer's memory.

 


 This beautiful artwork is Bob Engle's (Chad Class of 1960). Thank you, Bob.

Châteauroux, formerly a U.S. Air Force Base in Europe

This excerpt about Châteauroux is part of an article from this website:  http://www.aviationtoday.com/reports/avmaintenance/previous/0402/0402Châteauroux.htm

      "Châteauroux Airport’s history began in 1936.   Famous French aircraft designer Marcel Bloch (who later renamed himself Marcel Dassault) built his first facility there. That’s why the airport is now called Châteauroux - Marcel Dassault Airport.

      In 1951, the U.S. Air Force and the French government chose Châteauroux as the ideal place for building an air depot, an air base, and an air station. From 1953 to 1967, 8,000 American citizens lived in Châteauroux. They built strong runways, taxiways, hangars, and aprons. The Berlin airlift used to depart from this airport."

Note from John Doyle: 

"I recently came across an interesting article about Marcel-Dassault Airport (Chas Air Station at Déols). Written in April of '02 and found in the Aviation Maintenance business publication; it gives an update on what is happening there under civilian control-quite interesting! The main focus of the article tells us [about] today's civilian mission at Déols in detail! See http://www.aviationtoday.com/, then type in Châteauroux in the search box to access the "aviation maintenance" article."


C-47 courier  on its way to Wiesbaden
Our total Air Force compliment a few weeks after our arrival in Châteauroux July 1951 - Photo from Cliff "Bud" Hankins

 
Merci, Herve'

Une rue de Déols c. 1954-55 from CHAD Principal, Cliff Gunderson

Dr Gene Fish was stationed at CHAS 1955-58 3130th Maintenance & Supply.  He sent these photos from his collection of Déols memorabilia.

1956 Photos

F100 photo from Ron Terrill (58-61)

Photos from Ed Conroy's Collection (Flight Activity 1957-1958) - Thanks, Ed

   

Marvin Leman (7373rd Maintenance & Supply - Aircraft Refuelers) sent the following photos from his time at Déols 1958-60


 Déols Hangar


 Refueling F-100


 POL storage south of runway


 Refueling C-119

Taken 10-8-66 at Déols:
Thanks, Steve Fletcher Chad Class of '68 for the photos.

Ralph "T-Bird" Tompkins sent these photos of different aircraft at Déols - Photos taken between 1961-65

    

     

   


Transient Alert Building

Tom Blake's ('72) dad took these photos of The Airport  in 1962 and provided the Déols Terminal Postcard.  Thanks, Tom.

   
Terminal Postcard ** Hanger

     

I surprisingly received these photos from a Parisien named Patrick Aubrun.  He sent the photos and said he had not been at Déols since 1972.  That's all I know about this thoughtful frenchman.  Merci, Patrick.  

The arrival of a new F-102 Fighter Sqdn just after they arrived on base.  Thank you, Bob Bemis,  for sharing these excellent photos from 1965.

   


Airport Terminal

 

Mike Maynard (322nd Air Division) was stationed at Chas 65-66.  These photos were taken then.  The photo of the C-124 appears to be an occasion where civilians were invited to tour. Click the photo to view the large size; perhaps you can see yourself.

The Road to Déols  c. 1985 
(fr Clint Gould ('64)

These are photos from Vet Jack Harnett who returned to CHAS in 1995 - 40 years after serving in the 866 EAB (Army).

Betty Adamek ('68) took these  photos during the 2001 Chas Reunion.

 

 

     

Philippe Cassard is a french friend of Châteauroux who lives near Paris.  He visited Châteauroux in May 2003 and thoughtfully sent these photos for us to enjoy.    Merci beaucoup, Philippe!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         
Joel "Mac" McDannold (3131st Maintenance Gp) Photos from Joel's 2003 pilgrimage to Châteauroux

2009 Photo from former french employee Claude Clemente (7373rd Supply (Aircraft Refueling - POL)

Claude wrote "5-2009 -  I found this picture in the French press of Deols how it looks nowadays.... I think the buildings in the foreground are new facilities (new control tower probably) but in the background, we can clearly see the huge hangars and the old entry to the site. Refueling trucks were not far from there and i think we can see the parking place where they were waiting for their "customers"... The caption of the article says that Deols is now a place where old airplanes [are] grounded because of the world crisis [and] are waiting prior to being completely disassembled."  Thank you, Claude