BA113 Saint Dizier-Robinson,  29 May 2009

After a good night rest we drove to BA113 St.Dizier-Robinson around 8.15h. Only ten minutes later we arrived in the landing area which we found the night before. Unfortunately the changed during the night, so we had to find a spot on the other side of the runway. Eventually  we found a nice spot in de landing area near a small soccer field. From here you have a view on the airbase, and a very nice clear view on the landing area.

When the first three Rafales departed we were jointed by a French spotter from the St.Dizier region. He told us the Gendarmerie and airfield guards have no problems with us standing here taking shots of the landing aircraft, as long as you don't  take pictures of the airbase itself.

It lasted more than three hours till the three Rafales finally returned back to their home base. So they probably did an air refueling mission with a French C-135FR. Compared to the weather during the first two days of our tour, today the weather was really good. A nice warm temperature and a clear blue sky.

In the afternoon again three Rafales departed for a local mission. And by then we were jointed by some twelve French spotters who were all very friendly but pretty surprised to see three Dutch spotters at their spotters place. Around three o'clock the Rafale landed again and the airbase closed.

We decided to make a quick stop at the small airfield Reims-Prunay to see whether some aircraft could be seen at the Reims Aviation factory. Unfortunately all hangar doors were closed, but we did manage to see two war birds. A CM-170 Magister in Patrouille de France colors and a sand colored MH.1521 Broussard.

From here we drove back home where we arrived at nine o'clock in the evening after driving 1700 kms in three days. A very big thank you goes out to my two friends Mike Schoenmaker and Niels Hoogenboom for again a very nice trip. You guys rock!

History of BA113 Saint Dizier-Robinson

The first time the lands around Robinson officially were used as an airfield was on August 24 1913. However, at that time it was only used for civil aviation. During the World War I and II it was heavily used for military aviation as well.

From 1945, important construction works are undertaken on the infrastructure which resulted in the official opening of Base Aérienne 113 Saint Dizier-Robinson in 1951. In 1965, Base Aérienne 113 becomes an important element of the French nuclear arsenal with the creation of the Bomber Squadron EB 02.094 "Marls" equipped with Mirage IV. The squadron remained operational till 1988.

The 7th Escadre establishes itself at St.Dizier in 1973 operating the fighter bomber Sepecat Jaguar. The last Jaguar was finally withdrawn from use on July 1st 2005.  Fighter squadron EC 01.007 "Provence"  is since this date the first unit to operate the new French fighter, Rafale. A second squadron of Rafales EC 01.091 "Gascogne" which will receive a nuclear task will be operational in 2009.