Airport type Military Location Travo, France 18/36 2,627 Code SOZ Phone +33 4 95 56 84 84 | Operator Armée de l'air Elevation AMSL 65 ft / 20 m 2,627 8,619 Elevation 20 m Owner Government of France | |
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Address RN198, 20240 Ventiseri, France Similar Compreh School And Middle Sc, Galerie B ‑ Bruno Mayor, Corstyrene, Aérodrome de Corte, Figari Sud‑Corse Airport | ||
Air Base 126 Solenzara (French: Base aérienne 126 Solenzara) (IATA: SOZ, ICAO: LFKS) is a French Air Force (French: Armée de l'Air (ALA) base located in the village of Ventiseri approximately 40 km north-northeast of Porto-Vecchio on Corsica.
Today the Air Base is a NATO tactical training center. It hosts a French Air Force helicopter liaison squadron.
World War II
During World War II the air base was constructed by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force XII Engineer Command as an all-weather temporary field built using Pierced Steel Planking for runways and parking areas, as well as for dispersal sites. In addition, tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities; an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure; a dump for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water and minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting. As the airfield was not located on mainland France, no Advanced Landing Ground identifier was designated, and it was called Solenzara Airfield.
The airfield was designed for fighter, medium bomber units, as well as for command and control. Known units assigned were:
Both the 310th and 324th flew combat missions in support of the Invasion of Southern France (Operation Dragoon) during July and August 1944. At the end of the war, the American combat units moved out for their return to the United States. The airfield was then turned over to the French government in July 1945.