Ahlhorn: Air Base

RAF Ahlhorn

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!
CoordinatesN525320 E0081400 (WGS84) Google Maps
Elevation 162 ft
Federal stateNiedersachsen (Lower Saxony)
Location indicatorDAAH (RAF), EDNA (Luftwaffe), ETNA, EDHA
Map with location of Ahlhorn Air Base
Germany during the Cold War Map
The history of the Cold War airfields: Ahlhorn

General

In World War I, Ahlhorn was an airship port and in World War II a Luftwaffe airfield. In the 1950s the field was expanded and used by the Royal Air Force. In the late 1950s, Ahlhorn was handed over to the German Luftwaffe, which based here combat, transport and helicopter units through the years. At the end of the 1970er years Ahlhorn became additionally a forward operating location for aircraft A-10 Thunderbolt of the US Air Force. The aviation use ended in the early 1990s. At the end of 2005, the facility was abandoned by the Bundeswehr.

During World War II

Use

Luftwaffe airfield.

Situation

Ahlhorn Air Base in World War II on a US map 1943
Ahlhorn Air Base in World War II on a US map from 1943
Source: McMaster University Library Digital Archive, Lizenz: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 CC BY-NC 2.5 CA

Overview

Ahlhorn Air Base on a US map from 1951
Ahlhorn Air Base on a US map from 1951 - The map should represent the expansion of the 1940s with three runways. Noticable is the curved course of the railway siding in the south.
Source: AMS M841 GSGS 4414, Courtesy Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University

During the Cold War

RAF Ahlhorn (- 1958)

Use

The Royal Air Force (RAF) used Ahlhorn until 1958.

Overview

RAF Ahlhorn on a map from 1956
RAF Ahlhorn on a map from 1956 - The approach areas of the three British airfields Ahlhorn, Oldenburg and Jever are protected by restricted areas. The white "E" in the circle symbolizes the Eureka radio beacon, used by the British at this time. The square around the airport symbol with the "V" underneath shows an VHF direction finder. The black star stands for the coded beacons which is characteristical for British airfields

Lights

Red airfield beacon with morse code AN

Radio beacons

  • NDB: 282 "AN", Power 30 W
  • Eureka: 218R, 213T "AN"

Radar

GCA

Radio communication

  • Approach 130.68, 111.42, 117.9, 121.5, 133.38, 152.1, 111.78
  • Tower 133.38, 111.42, 117.9, 130.68

Airspace and procedures

Operating times Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 07:00Z until 16:00Z, Wednesday and Saturday from 07:00Z until 11:00Z

Ahlhorn air base from 1958

In the 1960s

Overview

Ahlhorn Air Base, Germany, on a US satellite image 1964
Ahlhorn Air Base on a US satellite image from Wednesday 23 December 1964 - 1: airfield. a: Autobahn A1 under construction, b: junction Ahlhorner Heide, c: clear area - was a parking lot planned here?
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Ahlhorn Airfield
Airfield
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Lufttransportgeschwader LTG 62 Noratlas
Enlargement - 1: There are 10 to 15 aircraft on the southwest apron. These could be Noratlas transport aircraft of the Air Transport Wing 62 of the German Air Force (LTG 62), which was stationed in Ahlhorn at that time.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

In the 1970s

Situation

Ahlhorn Air Base on a US map 1972
Ahlhorn Air Base on a map of the US Department of Defense from 1972 - Not shown here are the later built Autobahn A 1 and A 29, which lead past the field in the south and in the west. Thus the Ahlhorn Highway Strip is also missing, which is situated a little further to the north on the A 29.
Source: ONC E-2 (1972), Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin

Radio beacons

Data for the year 1971:
  • NDB: 290 "AHL"

Airspace and procedures

HI NDB approach to runway 09 (1973). Source: DoD Flight Information Publication (Terminal) - High Altitude Instrument Approach Procedures Europe and North Africa, effective 16 August 1973 to 13 September 1973
NDB approach Ahlhorn
Source: US DoD

In the 1980s and early 1990s

Overview

Map from 1984
Map from 1984 - In the west the triangular layout is still visible.
Source: US DoD

Runways

  • 09/27: 2101 m x 45 m Asphalt/Concrete

Radio beacons

  • NDB: 361 "HHN", to RWY 27
  • NDB: 290 "AHL", to RWY 09
  • TACAN: CH17 "AHL"
  • ILS 27: 109.3 "AHL"

Radar

ASR, PAR

Units

Units 1990:
HTG 64 UH-1D
Det 3, 10th TFW A-10

Images

The following pictures were taken in May 1983, during the exercise CHECKERED FLAG '83. Source: Department of Defense, Scene Camera Operator: TSGT G. Dennis Plummer
Look across Ahlhorn airfield, Germany
Look across the field from east to west
Source: US DoD
Ahlhorn Air Base: Ladder-shaped parking area
Enlargement: Ladder-shaped parking area in the north
Source: US DoD
Shelter area at Ahlhorn
Enlargement: Shelter area in the south
Source: US DoD
GAU-8/A 30 mm gun of an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft
A munitions maintenance specialist pulls an ammunition loader into position for loading the GAU-8/A 30 mm gun of an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft
Source: US DoD
Ammunition loader to load the GAU-8/A 30mm gun
Munitions maintenance personnel use an ammunition loader to load the GAU-8/A 30mm gun of an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft
Source: US DoD
AGM-5 Maverick missile
A member of a munitions maintenance crew loads an AGM-5 Maverick missile onto the wing pylon of an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft
Source: US DoD
Removal of the wing tanks from an Air Force Reserve A-10 Thunderbolt
Maintenance personnel remove the wing tanks from an Air Force Reserve A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from Barksdale after its arrival
Source: US DoD
Class 30 Trackway portable roadway from a Bedford Mark 4 X 4 4-ton truck
British Army personnel deploy a Class 30 Trackway portable roadway from a Bedford Mark 4 X 4 4-ton truck
Source: US DoD
British Army AH. Mark 1 Gazelle helicopter
A left side view of a British Army AH. Mark 1 Gazelle helicopter hovering a few feet off the ground
Source: US DoD

Today

Use

General aviation airfield.

Overview

Landsat image from 2016
Landsat image from 2016 - There are solar modules on both sides of the runway

Links

Recommended

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