Tezpur Airport
Encyclopedia
Tezpur Airport is located in Tezpur
in the state
of Assam
, India
. It is also known as Salonibari Airport based on the village/township of Salonibari where it is located.
It is also a major Indian Air Force
base, with Tezpur Air Force Station being the home of several Sukhoi Su-30
combat aircraft. The location of the aircraft bears great significance since it lies strategically between Bhutan, Tibet, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
in 1942. It was used by the United States Army Air Force Tenth Air Force
as a B-24 Liberator
heavy bomber base by the 7th Bombardment Group. After the war, it was subsequently developed into a full-fledged air force base in 1959. Since its inception, it has been one of the most active bases in the Northeast of India with a variety of fixed and rotary wing aircraft operating from here.
The first aircraft that flew at this base were Vampires and Toofani 101 reconnaissance squadron. In fact, in the last 25 years, it was home to the IAF MiG-21 fleet which was used extensively to train rookie pilots for the Indian Air Force. The aircraft continues to serve the air force, operating from other bases in the Northeast.
Tezpur
Tezpur is a city and the administrative headquarters and municipal board of Sonitpur district in the state of Assam in northeastern India. Tezpur is an ancient city on the banks of the river Brahmaputra and is the largest of the north bank towns with a population exceeding 100,000...
in the state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is also known as Salonibari Airport based on the village/township of Salonibari where it is located.
It is also a major Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
base, with Tezpur Air Force Station being the home of several Sukhoi Su-30
Sukhoi Su-30
The Sukhoi Su-30 is a twin-engine, two-seat military aircraft developed by Russia's Sukhoi Aviation Corporation. It is a multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions.The Su-30 started out as an internal development project in the Sukhoi Su-27 family...
combat aircraft. The location of the aircraft bears great significance since it lies strategically between Bhutan, Tibet, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
History
The airfield in Tezpur was constructed by the British Royal Indian Air Force during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1942. It was used by the United States Army Air Force Tenth Air Force
Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
as a B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
heavy bomber base by the 7th Bombardment Group. After the war, it was subsequently developed into a full-fledged air force base in 1959. Since its inception, it has been one of the most active bases in the Northeast of India with a variety of fixed and rotary wing aircraft operating from here.
The first aircraft that flew at this base were Vampires and Toofani 101 reconnaissance squadron. In fact, in the last 25 years, it was home to the IAF MiG-21 fleet which was used extensively to train rookie pilots for the Indian Air Force. The aircraft continues to serve the air force, operating from other bases in the Northeast.