CleanupBot II at 17:37, 13 August 2023

2023-08-13T17:37:24Z

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{{Infobox airport
| name = RAF Kanchrapara
| nativename = Kanchrapara Airstrip
| image =
| IATA = 
| ICAO = VBKP
| type = Military
| owner = [[Indian Air Force]]<ref name="BS1">{{cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/buddhadeb-announces-airports-at-barrackpore-kanchrapara-107100401107_1.html |title=Buddhadeb announces airports at Barrackpore, Kanchrapara |newspaper=Business Standard India |publisher= [[Business Standard]] | date= 5 February 2013 |access-date=26 October 2019}}</ref>
| operator =
| location = [[Kanchrapara]], [[North 24 Parganas district]], [[India]]
| elevation-f = 32
| elevation-m = 10
| coordinates = {{Coord|22|55|22|N|088|27|35|E|region:IN_type:airport}}
| pushpin_map = India West Bengal#India
| pushpin_label = '''Kanchrapara AFS'''
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of the airport in West Bengal
| website =
| metric-rwy = y
| r1-number = 15/33
| r1-length-m = 1,500
| r1-length-f = 4,921
| r1-surface = [[Concrete]]
| footnotes =
}}

'''Air Force Station Kanchrapara'''<ref name="TOI1">{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Air-Force-Station-Kanchrapara-resurfaces-in-new-avatar/articleshow/45498411.cms |title=Air Force Station Kanchrapara resurfaces in new avatar |work= [[The Times of India]] | date= 12 December 2014|access-date=26 October 2019}}</ref> is a military [[airfield]] located near [[Kanchrapara]], in the [[North 24 Parganas district]] in [[West Bengal]], [[India]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mehta|first=Balram Singh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Uf5REAAAQBAJ&dq=Air+Force+Kanchrapara&pg=PT37|title=The Burning Chaffees: A Soldier's First-Hand Account of the 1971 War|date=2021-12-27|publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited|isbn=978-93-5492-395-1|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
Air Force Station Kanchrapara was established on September 1, 1942.<ref name="ET1">{{cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/jobs/air-force-selection-board-to-be-inaugurated-on-saturday/articleshow/45495308.cms |title=Air Force Selection Board to be inaugurated on Saturday |publisher= [[The Economic Times]] | date= 12 December 2014|access-date=26 October 2019}}</ref>
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 [[Services Selection Board|Selection Board]] at the Air Force Station.<ref name="TOI1"/>
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==
<references />

{{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}}.

{{Airports in India}}
{{USAAF 10th Air Force World War II}}
{{North 24 Parganas topics}}

[[Category:World War II sites in India]]
[[Category:Airports in West Bengal]]
[[Category:North 24 Parganas district]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in India]]

Air Force Station Kanchrapara - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 17:37, 13 August 2023