Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The museum of Condé-Vraux's military airfield, located in a farm in the village of Vraux (Marne), preserves the memory of the air units operating on this field during the Second World War. Inaugurated in 1994, it presents five thematic rooms about the lives of British pilots of the Royal Air Force (RAF), their housing conditions at home, and operations from this site. The collections include uniforms, aircraft parts, models and period documents, illustrating both French, German and American aviation.

The land of Condé-Vraux, originally built between 1936 and 1937 as a clearing site for Reims Air Base 112, was first used by the French army in 1939. As early as September 1939, he hosted British squadrons such as Squadron XV (Fairey Battle) and Squadron 114 (Bristol Blenheim), whose planes were destroyed during a German raid on 11 May 1940. The museum reconstructs these episodes, notably via a room dedicated to the Red House, a French aerial photo laboratory, and spaces evoking the bombings and daily life of the aviators.

After the French defeat in 1940, the terrain was occupied by the Luftwaffe, serving as an occasional base for Junkers Ju 87 or Messerschmitt Me 109, before being released in August 1944 by General Patton's 3rd American Army. Renamed Y 45, it became a logistics hub for the US Army Air Forces until 1945, hosting aircraft such as the P-47 Thunderbolt or the C-47 Sacred Cow. Outside the museum, a Max-Holste MH-1521 Broussard and a Jaguar cell recall the local aeronautical heritage, while the Red House association perpetuates this duty of memory.

The visit, free of charge and guided by volunteers, highlights rare objects: flying suits, badges, aircraft engines, and reproductions of posters. Special attention is paid to Squadron 114, whose history is marked by the destructive raid of May 11, 1940, filmed by a German Dornier Do-17. The museum also highlights the role of local people, who housed British pilots in barns, and the links between civilians and military during the conflict.

The land of Vraux, returned to agriculture after 1945, was returned to its owners in 1955. Today, the museum, run by an association, aims to transmit the unknown history of this site, where British, American and French airmen risked their lives. It also serves as teaching material to discuss the strategic issues of military aviation in Champagne during the war.

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