Runways To Victory

Belgian Airfields & Allied Tactical Fighter Operations, 1944-‘45

By Peter Celis

In early September 1944, The Allies had just successfully ended the Battle of Normandy and were preparing for the final drive to the heart of Nazi Germany, advancing through Belgium. Thousands of tactical aircraft followed in the wake of the hard-pressed Liberation Armies. To allow the air force units to “leap-frog” all the way to Berlin, hundreds of airfields were required along the path of the Allied advance. German aerodromes were patched up and brand-new forward airfields were constructed in no time, making use of newly developed prefabricated surfacing materials. During the winter of 1944-45, Belgian airfields together accommodated a tremendous number of tactical fighter aircraft, which, consequent to the way the air war was developing, ruled the skies over Western Europe. When the Tactical Air Forces left Belgium again in March and April 1945, the war was virtually over.

Runways to Victory describes the way airfields in Belgium were constructed, repaired and used by the 9th U.S. Army Air Force and the British 2nd Tactical Air Force in 1944-’45. The first chapters are a review of the evolution of the air war during World War II. They explain the development of tactical air power and the challenge that the Allies were facing when finally going for the Invasion – having adequate airfields for their thousands of tactical aircraft, whose support was so desperately needed by the ground forces.

A further section gives an in-depth insight of wartime operations at seven Belgian fighter airfields, which were ‘typical’ fighter bases and all have a significant and characteristic story to tell. They are:

All specific aspects of the Allied tactical fighter war in 1944-’45 at these airfields are explained in words and lavishly illustrated with rare photographs.

A further chapter is an easy-reference guide to all Belgian airfields that were used by the Allied air forces in 1944-45. All the A-, B- and Y-prefixed airfields are concisely discussed, from origins and pre-World War Two history, over wartime occupation (both German and Allied), to post-war destiny. Particular attention has been given to the different Allied flying units that used each individual airfield.     

Finally, specific interesting images of most of the other Belgian airfields are shown. Abandoned German equipment, Battle of the Bulge operations, and destructions during the Luftwaffe’s desperate Operation Bodenplatte are all extensively shown. The majority of the photographs come from personal albums. To end it all, several Appendices to this book provide more in-depth material, such as, statistics, losses and victory lists, for the real enthusiast.

This book is a gripping account of the hazardous, gloomy, but often joyful life of the young Allied fighter pilots, and a documentary on the impact the proximity of an airfield had on several Belgian cities and towns. Told largely through archive records from all over the world and remembrances of the men who were there, this book is more than just a detailed reference text. It is an exciting read.

Runways to Victory will be published by MARHAV Publications on 15 April 2003. The book is written in English and contains over 360 pages and nearly 400 unique, mostly unpublished photos, including 30 in full colour, all having comprehensive captions.

The book (dimensions 21.5 by 28 centimetres or 8.5 by 11 inches) is printed and bound by well-known printing firm LANNOO, on high-quality paper. It has a hard cover with a full colour dust jacket.

About the author

Peter Celis was born in 1967. Fascinated by military aviation at a young age, he entered the Royal Military Academy of Belgium in 1985. He graduated as a Sub-Lieutenant in 1989, and was allowed to continue pilot training. Obtaining his Pilot’s Wings in 1990, he was posted to the 10th Tactical Wing of the Belgian Air Force in 1991, where he was assigned to the 31st Fighter Squadron. With this unit, he continues to fly F-16 fighters from Kleine-Brogel Air Base to this day. Runways to Victory is his second book. He has also authored a number of articles for aviation magazines. He is married and has two children.

Price and ordering info

The book costs 49.95 EURO. Postage and packing costs depend on the customer’s country.

All enquiries and orders should be sent to: pcelis@worldonline.be