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RAF Ahlhorn

Coordinates: 52°53′06″N 008°13′57″E / 52.88500°N 8.23250°E / 52.88500; 8.23250
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RAF Ahlhorn
(Advanced Landing Ground B-111)
Ahlhorn, Lower Saxony in Germany
RAF Ahlhorn is located in Lower Saxony
RAF Ahlhorn
RAF Ahlhorn
Shown within Lower Saxony, Germany
Coordinates52°53′06″N 008°13′57″E / 52.88500°N 8.23250°E / 52.88500; 8.23250
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry (UK)
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Second Tactical Air Force
Site history
Built1944 (1944)
In use1945-1958 (1958)
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: ETNA
Elevation49 metres (161 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
09/27 2,106 metres (6,909 ft) Asphalt

Royal Air Force Ahlhorn or more simply RAF Ahlhorn, is a former Royal Air Force station located 1 mile (1.6 km) south east of the centre of Ahlhorn, Lower Saxony and 11 miles (18 km) north of Vechta, Lower Saxony, Germany

Originally, it was a German airbase for Zeppelins. The Royal Air Force (RAF) disestablished the station and it was closed down in the autumn of 1958 and was transferred to the Bundeswehr. It was a private airport before being converted to a solar park in 2011.

History

First World War

Built during the First World War in the summer of 1915 for Zeppelins four large hangars were built. In two pairs, the hangers measured 240 metres (790 ft) in length, 60 metres (200 ft) in width and 35 metres (115 ft) in height. The hangers were name "Albrecht" and "Aladin" (northern pair), and "Alrun" and "Alix" (southern pair).[1] On 5 January 1918 Ahlhorn hangars explosion that destroyed the LZ 87 (L 47), LZ 94 (L 46), LZ 97 (L 51), LZ 105 (L 58), and SL 20. Fifteen killed, 134 injured.[2]

Ahlhorn Hanger explosion

Production number Class Tactical numbering First flight Remarks Image
Zeppelin LZ 87 R L 47 11 May
1917 		18 reconnaissance missions and three attacks dropping 3,240 kg (7,140 lb) of bombs around the North Sea and England. On 5 January 1918, a giant explosion in the air base in Ahlhorn destroyed four Zeppelins (including L 47) and one non-Zeppelin built airship, housed in one adjacent hangar and two 0.5 mi (0.80 km) away.[3]
Zeppelin LZ 94 T L 46 24 April
1917 		19 reconnaissance missions around the North Sea; 3 raids on England dropping 5,700 kg (12,600 lb) of bombs [3]
Zeppelin LZ 97 U L 51 6 June
1917 		3 reconnaissance missions; one raid on the English coast, dropping 280 kg bombs [3]
Zeppelin LZ 105 V L 58 29 October
1917 		Two reconnaissance missions [3]
S.L.20 (Type 'f') L 58 9 September 1917 Two missions [3]

Second World War and beyond

During the Second World War the airfield was used as an Advanced Landing Ground before becoming a permanent RAF station.

Squadron Aircraft From To To Notes
No. 14 Squadron RAF Hawker Hunter F.4/F.6 26 September 1957 15 September 1958 RAF Gütersloh [4]
No. 16 Squadron RAF Hawker Tempest F.2 8 May 1947 20 May 1947 RAF Fassberg [5]
No. 20 Squadron RAF Hawker Hunter F.6 23 September 1957 30 August 1958 RAF Gütersloh [6]
No. 26 Squadron RAF Hawker Tempest F.2
Hawker Hunter F.6 		8 May 1947
7 June 1958 		20 May 1947
8 September 1958 		RAF Fassberg
RAF Gütersloh 		[7]
Reformed here
No. 33 Squadron RAF Hawker Tempest F.2 8 May 1947 20 May 1947 RAF Fassberg [8]
No. 96 Squadron RAF Gloster Meteor NF.11 17 November 1952 12 February 1958 RAF Geilenkirchen Reformed here[9]
No. 149 Squadron RAF English Electric Canberra B.2 24 August 1954 17 September 1954 RAF Gütersloh [10]
No. 193 Squadron RAF Hawker Typhoon Ib 30 April 1945 8 January 1945 RAF Hildesheim [11]
No. 197 Squadron RAF Hawker Typhoon Ib 30 April 1945 8 June 1945 RAF Hildesheim [11]
No. 213 Squadron RAF English Electric Canberra B(I).6 1 September 1955 22 August 1957 RAF Bruggen Reformed here.[12]
No. 256 Squadron RAF Gloster Meteor NF.11 17 November 1952 12 February 1958 RAF Geilenkirchen [13]
No. 263 Squadron RAF Hawker Typhoon Ib 30 April 1945 8 June 1945 RAF Hildesheim [14]
No. 266 Squadron RAF Hawker Typhoon Ib 4 June 1945 8 June 1945 RAF Hildesheim [15]
No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron Supermarine Spitfire XVI 16 September 1945
31 August 1946 		27 August 1946
7 October 1946 		RAF Sylt
RAF Hethel 		[16]
No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron Supermarine Spitfire XVI 16 September 1945
9 February 1946 		22 January 1946
7 October 1946 		RAF Sylt
RAF Hethel 		[17]
No. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron Supermarine Spitfire XVI 15 September 1945
16 August 1946 		July 1946
7 October 1946 		RAF Sylt
RAF Hethel 		[18]

Current use

A number of solar panels are now visible on the site

Jagdgeschwader 73 was formed at Ahlhorn and Oldenburg on 1 April 1959. Jagdgeschwader 71 of the German Air Force were to take residence from June 1959 with 50 Canadair Sabres, Germany's first operational jet fighter unit. They remained at Ahlhorn until 1961.[citation needed]

Solarpark Ahlhorn

From 2005 the Aircraft Maintenance Service GmbH provided services on widebody aircraft but the company went bankrupt in 2009. A number of solar panels were installed on most of the airfield converting it into Solarpark Ahlhorn. Opening in 2011 the solar panels provide, 17.5 MW. There is only one airstrip in use.[19][20]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ahlhorn Flying Field.

References

Citations

  1. ^ Robinson, Douglas (1971). The Zeppelin in Combat (3rd ed.). London: Foulis. p. 398.
  2. ^ "Ahlhorn". Abandoned, forgotten, and little-known airfields in Europe. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e M., Dan. "Disaster at Ahlhorn". Archived from the original on 4 December 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  4. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 28.
  5. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 29.
  6. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 31.
  7. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 33.
  8. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 36.
  9. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 53.
  10. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 62.
  11. ^ a b Jefford 2001, p. 67.
  12. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 71.
  13. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 79.
  14. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 80.
  15. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 81.
  16. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 84.
  17. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 85.
  18. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 86.
  19. ^ Ronald V 2022.
  20. ^ Stephenson 2012, p. 24.

Bibliography

  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Ronald V (2022). "Ahlhorn". forgottenairfields.com. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  • Stephenson, Charles (2012). Zeppelins: German Airships 1900–40. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781780965123. - Total pages: 48
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