Panagarh Airport

Panagarh Airport
पनागढ़ हवाई अड्डे
IATA: none – ICAO: VEPH
Summary
Airport type Public
Operator Government
Location Panagarh, India
Elevation AMSL 240 ft / 73 m
Coordinates 23°28′28″N 087°25′39″E / 23.47444°N 87.42750°E / 23.47444; 87.42750
Map
Panagarh

Location of Panagarh Airport in India

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
15/33 2,743 9,000

Now new asphalt concrete runway project is coming to Panagarh

 Asphalt
Source: DAFIF[1]

Panagarh Airport (ICAO: VEPH) is an airport serving Panagarh,[1] in the state of West Bengal in India. It also serves as an Indian Air Force base.

History

During World War II, the airport was used as a supply transport airfield from 1942-1945 by the United States Army Air Forces Tenth Air Force and as a repair and maintenance depot for B-24 Liberator heavy bombers by Air Technical Service Command.[2] [3]

The airport has numerous wartime relics, with abandoned taxiways and a large concrete parking ramp remaining, although not used and in a deteriorating state.

Facilities

The airport resides at an elevation of 240 feet (73 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 15/33 with an asphalt surface measuring 2,743 by 46 metres (8,999 ft × 151 ft).[1] The Air Force is planning to deploy six mid-air refuelling tanker aircraft at Panagarh air base in West Bengal. With the deployment of these tanker aircraft in Panagarh, the striking range of fighter planes like Su-30 MKIs based in Tezpur and Chhabua (both in Assam) will be enhanced as these can get fuel mid-air.Panagarh is also the likely location of a proposed Army Mountain Corps headquarter.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Airport information for VEPH from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
  2. ↑  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
  3. ↑ Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.


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