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Wunstorf Air Base

Coordinates: 52°27′17″N 009°25′44″E / 52.45472°N 9.42889°E / 52.45472; 9.42889
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Wunstorf Air Base
RAF Wunstorf
Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) B-116
Aerial picture prior to 2010's expansion
Wunstorf Air Base is located in Lower Saxony
Wunstorf Air Base
Wunstorf Air Base
Shown within Lower Saxony, Germany
Coordinates52°27′17″N 009°25′44″E / 52.45472°N 9.42889°E / 52.45472; 9.42889
Site information
OwnerFederal Defence Forces of Germany
Operator
Site history
Built1936 (1936)
In use1936–present
Garrison information
Garrison
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: ETNW
Runways
Direction Length and surface
03/21 1,699 m (5,574 ft) Asphalt
08/26 2,499 m (8,199 ft) Concrete

Wunstorf Air Base is a German Air Force military airfield (air base), located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south-southwest of Neustadt am Rübenberge and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north-northwest of Wunstorf in Lower Saxony, Germany. Wunstorf Air Base is the home to Air Transport Wing 62 (Lufttransportgeschwader 62), a unit operating all German Airbus A400M Atlas.

History

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The airfield was opened in 1936 for the German Luftwaffe reconstituted by the National Socialist government in 1935. During the Second World War, it was seized by the British Army on 7 April 1945, in a fierce battle by elements of the 5th Parachute Brigade, 6th Airborne Division. During the battle, in which the 13th Battalion was also engaged, the 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion lost six killed, and 21 wounded, most from the initial ambush of the four leading trucks of B Company. The airfield was captured with 19 Bf 109s, four Fw 190s, two Ju 88s, two Ju 52s and much other valuable equipment.

After the battle, the base was taken over by the Royal Air Force (RAF), including Canadian (RCAF) Wing 126 of the British 2nd Tactical Air Force, and designated as Advanced Landing Ground B-116 Wunstorf.

The airfield features heavily in the book 13 - Lucky For Some, which is about the history of the 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion. There are many then and now photographs as well as maps and diagrams of battles that took place in the region.

It was later designated RAF Wunstorf and used by Royal Air Force Germany. RAF units assigned were:

  • April 1947 - June 1950: 2 Sq with Spitfire F 14/PR 19[1]
  • 1950-1952: 4 Sq,[2] 26 Sq with Vampire FB 5 later FB9[3]
  • August 1950 - September 1955: 11 Sq with Vampire FB 5, later Venom FB 1, later FB 4[4]
  • March 1952 - October 1955: 5 Sq with Vampire FB 5, later Venom FB 1, later FB 4[5]
  • July 1952 - October 1955: 266 Sq with Vampire FB 5, later Venom FB 1, later FB 4[6]
  • November 1955 - September 1956: 79 Sq with Meteor FR 9 and Swift FR 5[7]
  • November 1955 - September 1957: 541 Sq with Meteor PR 10[8]
  • 1956-1957: 5 Sq,[5] 11 Sq,[4] 266 Sq with Venom FB 4[6]

Much of the 1951 novel Air Bridge by Hammond Innes is set in RAF Wunstorf at the time of the Berlin Airlift. The novel contains descriptions of how the airfield, rapidly expanded for the Airlift, looked at that time.

The then-RAF Wunstorf also featured in the 1957 film "High Flight". Also in 1957, the airfield returned to the control of the German Air Force and became a NATO air base.

The airfield participated in Air Defender 23, the largest exercise of air forces in the history of NATO, held 12–23 June 2023 under the leadership of the German Air Force.[9]

Use by German Air Force

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A German Air Force Transall C-160D transport aircraft (s/n 50+38) of Air Transport Wing 62 (LTG 62) based at Wunstorf Air Base, in flight on 15 June 1983

German Air Force first stationed Nord Noratlas which by 1971 were replaced by Transall C-160D; those were disbanded from the local Air Transport Wing 62 (LTG 62) in July 2015, now focussing on accepting and integrating Airbus A400M Atlas. Flight training for decades was executed using Dornier Do 28.

Expansion in 2010's

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As preparation for 40 Airbus A400M Atlas to be stationed at Wunstorf Air Base, the airbase underwent major expansion. Runway 08/26 (45 metres or 148 feet wide) was lengthened from 1,877 metres (6,158 ft) to 2,499 metres (8,199 ft) mainly to the east. Parking positions were expanded, one maintenance hangar was erected, another one is under construction.[when?] A building to house the flight simulator has been added.

Motorsport

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Wunstorf Air Base Circuit
Full Circuit (1982–1998)
LocationWunstorf, Lower Saxony
Time zoneCET (UTC+1)
CEST (DST)
Opened30 August 1964; 60 years ago (1964-08-30)
Closed2 August 1998; 26 years ago (1998-08-02)
Major eventsSTW (1994, 1996–1998)
German F3 (1974–1979, 1981–1986, 1988–1994, 1997–1998)
DTM (1984–1988, 1990–1993)
Interserie (1977–1979, 1985–1990)
DRM (1981–1982, 1985)
Full Circuit (1982–1998)
Length5.047 km (3.136 miles)
Turns13
Race lap record1:30.750 (Denmark Kris Nissen, Porsche 962C, [Interserie, Group C)
Full Circuit (1981)
Length5.047 km (3.136 miles)
Turns12
Race lap record1:43.580 (West Germany Manfred Winkelhock, Ford Capri III Turbo, 1981, Group 5)
Full Circuit (1978–1980)
Length3.348 km (2.081 miles)
Turns13
Race lap record1:17.500 (West Germany Jochen Dauer, Chevron B43, 1978, F3)
Full Circuit (1976–1977)
Length3.849 km (2.392 miles)
Turns16
Race lap record1:25.300 (West Germany Helmut Bross, Lola T294, 1977, Group 5)
Full Circuit (1975)
Length3.500 km (2.175 miles)
Turns13
Full Circuit (1965–1974)
Length5.099 km (3.169 miles)
Turns17
Race lap record1:49.000 (West Germany Kurt Ahrens Jr., Porsche 908, 1969, Group 6)
Full Circuit (1964)
Length3.799 km (2.361 miles)

Between 1964 and 1998, a temporary motor racing circuit was laid out on the Wunstorf airbase. Races at the circuit were included in the German Touring Car Championship between 1984 and 1993,[10] one of several temporary airfield tracks on the DTM calendar at the time. The series eventually began to move towards permanent racing facilities and the final DTM race at Wunstorf took place in 1993. The Super Tourenwagen Cup raced at the venue in 1994 and from 1996 to 1998.

In 1977, the Wunstorf circuit was first used for a round of the Interserie sports car racing championship. Wunstorf hosted the Interserie between 1977 and 1979, and again between 1985 and 1990.

Besides the big-name national championships, Wunstorf hosted a series of annual club racing meetings until 1999, when motor racing on the airbase premises was finally halted due to the cost of preparation and administration for the events.

Lap records

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The fastest official race lap records at the Wunstorf Air Base Circuit are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event
Full Circuit: 5.047 km (1982–1998)[11]
Group C 1:30.750[12] Kris Nissen Porsche 962C 1988 Wunstorf Interserie round
Formula 3 1:38.494[13] Steffen Widmann [pl] Dallara F397 1998 Wunstorf German F3 round
Class 1 Touring Cars 1:44.620[14] Nicola Larini Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI 1993 Wunstorf DTM round
Super Touring 1:45.653[15] Laurent Aïello Peugeot 406 1997 Wunstorf STW Cup round
Group A 1:46.150[16] Keke Rosberg Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo2 1992 Wunstorf DTM round
Full Circuit: 5.047 km (1981)[11]
Group 5 1:43.580[17] Manfred Winkelhock Ford Capri III Turbo 1981 Wunstorf DRM round
Formula 3 1:49.210[18] Stefan Bellof Ralt RT3 1981 Wunstorf German F3 round
Full Circuit: 3.348 km (1978–1980)[11]
Formula 3 1:17.500[19] Jochen Dauer Chevron B43 1978 Wunstorf German F3 round
Full Circuit: 3.849 km (1976–1977)[11]
Group 5 1:25.300[20] Helmut Bross [de] Lola T294 1977 Wunstorf Interserie round
Full Circuit: 3.500 km (1975)[11]
Full Circuit: 5.099 km (1965–1974)[11]
Group 6 1:49.000[21] Kurt Ahrens Jr. Porsche 908 1969 Internationales Flugplatzrennen Wunstorf
Formula 3 1:52.500[22] Fabrizio Noé Lotus 69 1971 ADAC Flugplatzrennen Wunstorf Formula 3 race
Group 4 2:02.700[23] Hans-Heinrich Timm Porsche 914-6 GT 1971 ADAC Flugplatzrennen Wunstorf GT race
Full Circuit: 3.799 km (1964)[11]

References

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  1. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 23.
  2. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 24.
  3. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 33.
  4. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 27.
  5. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 25.
  6. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 81.
  7. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 49.
  8. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 97.
  9. ^ "Germany prepares to host NATO's biggest ever air exercise over Europe". euronews.com. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  10. ^ "DTM | die DTM-Saison". Archived from the original on 22 January 2013.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "Wunstorf | Motorsport Database". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Interserie Wunstorf 1988". 17 July 1988. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  13. ^ "ADAC Flugplatzrennen Wunstorf 11.Lauf Deutsche Formel 3-Meisterschaft Ergebnis Rennen 1" (PDF). 1 August 1998. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft 1993 » Wunstorf Flugplatz Round 8 Results". 16 May 1993. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  15. ^ "STW Cup 1997 » Wunstorf Flugplatz Round 12 Results". 13 July 1997. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  16. ^ "Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft 1992 » Wunstorf Flugplatz Round 6 Results". 3 May 1992. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  17. ^ "DRM Wunstorf 1981". 21 June 1981. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  18. ^ "1981 Flugplatzrennen Wunstorf 3.Lauf Deutsche Formel 3-Meisterschaft Ergebnis Rennen" (PDF). 21 June 1981. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  19. ^ "1978 ADAC Flugplatzrennen Wunstorf 4.Lauf Deutsche Formel 3-Meisterschaft Ergebnis Rennen" (PDF). 11 June 1978. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  20. ^ "Interserie Wunstorf 1977". 12 June 1977. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  21. ^ "Wunstorf [SP] 1969". 17 August 1969. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  22. ^ "1971 ADAC Flugplatzrennen Wunstorf Gesamtergebnis Lauf 1+2" (PDF). 15 August 1971. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  23. ^ "Wunstorf International - Grand Touring under 2000 cc 1971". 15 August 1971. Retrieved 11 April 2024.

Bibliography

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Media related to Wunstorf Air Base at Wikimedia Commons

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