Melsbroek Air Base
{{more citations needed|date=December 2012}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Melsbroek Air Base
| nativename = {{small|(Advanced Landing Ground B-58)}}
| image = Roundel of Belgium.svg
| image-width = 65px
| caption =
| IATA =
| ICAO = EBMB
| type = Military
| owner =
| operator = Belgian Air Component
| city-served = Brussels
| location = Steenokkerzeel
| elevation-f = 184
| website =
| coordinates = {{coord|50|54|05|N|004|29|04|E|region:BE-VBR|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = Belgium
| pushpin_mapsize = 250
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Belgium
| pushpin_label = EBMB
| pushpin_label_position = left
| built =
| metric-rwy = Yes
| r1-number = 01/19
| r1-length-m = 2,987
| r1-surface = Asphalt
| r2-number = 07R/25L
| r2-length-m = 3,211
| r2-surface = Asphalt
| r3-number = 07L/25R
| r3-length-m = 3,638
| r3-surface = Asphalt
| stat-year =
| stat1-header =
| stat1-data =
| stat2-header =
| stat2-data =
| footnotes = {{AIP BE|EBMB|BRUSSELS / Melsbroek (MIL)}}, {{AIP BE|EBBR|BRUSSELS / Brussels-National}}
}}
Melsbroek Air Base {{Airport codes||EBMB}} is a Belgian Air Component facility in Steenokkerzeel, {{convert|6.5|NM|abbr=on|lk=in}} northeast of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. It is located on the northern side of Brussels Airport, with which it shares runways and ground and air control facilities.
The 15th Air Transport Wing operates from Melsbroek Air Base with following types:
- Airbus A310 (retired)
- Airbus A330 (retired)
- Airbus A321
- Dassault Falcon 20
- Dassault Falcon 900
- Dassault Falcon 7x
- Embraer 135 & 145
- Lockheed C-130 (being replaced by A400M)
- Airbus A400M Atlas
History
The aerodrome was constructed by the German Wehrmacht during World War II. After the 1944 liberation of Belgium, Melsbroek was operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Air Force when it was known as B58 Melsbroek.
Operation Bodenplatte, the German aerial attack of 1 January 1945, hit Melsbroek hard. According to Emil Clade (leading III./JG 27), the AAA positions were not manned, and aircraft were bunched together or in lines, which made perfect targets. The attack caused considerable damage among the units based there and was a great success. The Recce Wings had lost two entire squadrons worth of machines. No. 69 Squadron RAF lost 11 Vickers Wellingtons and two damaged. Possibly all No. 140 Squadron RAF′s de Havilland Mosquito aircraft were lost. At least five Supermarine Spitfires from No. 16 Squadron RAF were destroyed. No. 271 Squadron RAF lost at least seven Handley Page Harrow transports "out of action". A further 15 other aircraft were destroyed. 139 Wing reported five North American B-25 Mitchell bombers destroyed and five damaged. Some 15 to 20 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) bombers were also destroyed.Manrho & Pütz 2004, p. 217.Weal 2003, p. 117. Another source states that 13 Wellingtons were destroyed, as were five Mosquitoes, four Austers and five Avro Ansons from the Tactical Air Forces 2nd Communications Squadron. Three Spitfires were also lost and two damaged.Franks 2000, p. 134. At least one RAF Transport Command Douglas Dakota was destroyed.{{cite web |url=http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205211720 |title=CL 2934 |publisher=Imperial War Museum |access-date=3 June 2012}}
After the war, Melsbroek replaced Haren Airfield as the Belgian national airport. That title is now carried by the Zaventem terminal on the same aerodrome, built for the 1958 world exposition. At that time, the existing terminal was taken over by the then Belgian Air Force.
When Trans European Airways existed, its head office was in Building 117 of Melsbroek Airport."World Airline Directory." Flight International. 1 April 1989. [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1989/1989%20-%200936.html?search=%22TAT%20European%22 126]. When CityBird existed its head office was in Building 117D."[https://web.archive.org/web/19991103193716/http://www.citybird.com/contact/offices.html CityBird Offices]." CityBird. Retrieved on 3 November 1999.
See also
{{Portal|Belgium|Aviation}}
{{Commons category|Melsbroek Air Base}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Airports in Belgium}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Airports in Flemish Brabant
Category:World War II airfields in Belgium