F-7 Photo Liberator, photomapping version of the B-24 bomber belonging to the 24th Combat Mapping Sqdn, Gushkara, Bengal, 1944
Gushkara Airfield was a World War II airfield built by the US Air Force. The construction of Gushkara Airfield began after the arrival of U.S. Army forces in August 1942. The original construction work was mostly done by Indian contractors where cement was mixed by hand. This airfield was used as a Photographic Reconnaissance base for the Tenth Air Force during 1944 – 1945 which was heavily involved in the Burma Campaign of World War II.
Throughout its operation this airfield was occupied by the following units:
- 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group.
- 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron – 05 January till 26 March 1944.
- 24th Combat Mapping Squadron – 05 January 1944 till February 1945.
- 40th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron – 18 July 1944 till 09 August 1944.
- 35th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron – 13 June 1944 till 01 September 1944.
- 426th Night Fighter Squadron – January till August 1945.
- 2nd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.
This abandoned World War II airfield covers an area of 16 square kilometers and is presently a vast stretch of barren land where you can still makeout the hangars and runway where the aircrafts would land and take off during the World War II. The mere excitement of driving into an abandoned World War II airfield lying obscure in the middle of a forest is no less than finding El Dorado.
