RAF Ahlhorn

Royal Air Force Ahlhorn or more simply RAF Ahlhorn, is a former Royal Air Force station located south east of the centre of Ahlhorn, Lower Saxony and 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 hangars measured in length, in width and in height. The hangars were named "Albrecht" and "Aladin" (northern pair), and "Alrun" and "Alix" (southern pair). 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.

Ahlhorn Hangar explosion Production number Class Tactical numbering First flight Remarks Image Zeppelin LZ 87 R L 47 11 May1917 18 reconnaissance missions and three attacks dropping 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 away. Zeppelin LZ 94 T L 46 24 April1917 19 reconnaissance missions around the North Sea; 3 raids on England dropping of bombs Zeppelin LZ 97 U L 51 6 June1917 3 reconnaissance missions; one raid on the English coast, dropping 280 kg bombs Zeppelin LZ 105 V L 58 29 October1917 Two reconnaissance missions S.L.20 (Type 'f') L 58 9 September 1917 Two missions

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.

SquadronAircraftFromToToNotesNo. 14 Squadron RAFHawker Hunter F.4/F.626 September 195715 September 1958RAF GüterslohNo. 16 Squadron RAFHawker Tempest F.28 May 194720 May 1947RAF FassbergNo. 20 Squadron RAFHawker Hunter F.623 September 195730 August 1958RAF GüterslohNo. 26 Squadron RAFHawker Tempest F.28 May 194720 May 1947RAF FassbergNo. 26 Squadron RAFHawker Hunter F.67 June 19588 September 1958RAF GüterslohNo. 33 Squadron RAFHawker Tempest F.28 May 194720 May 1947RAF FassbergNo. 96 Squadron RAFGloster Meteor NF.1117 November 195212 February 1958RAF GeilenkirchenReformed hereNo. 149 Squadron RAFEnglish Electric Canberra B.224 August 195417 September 1954RAF GüterslohNo. 193 Squadron RAFHawker Typhoon Ib30 April 19458 January 1945RAF HildesheimNo. 197 Squadron RAFHawker Typhoon Ib30 April 19458 June 1945RAF HildesheimNo. 213 Squadron RAFEnglish Electric Canberra B(I).61 September 195522 August 1957RAF BruggenReformed here.No. 256 Squadron RAFGloster Meteor NF.1117 November 195212 February 1958RAF GeilenkirchenNo. 263 Squadron RAFHawker Typhoon Ib30 April 19458 June 1945RAF HildesheimNo. 266 Squadron RAFHawker Typhoon Ib4 June 19458 June 1945RAF HildesheimNo. 302 Polish Fighter SquadronSupermarine Spitfire XVI16 September 194527 August 1946RAF SyltNo. 302 Polish Fighter SquadronSupermarine Spitfire XVI31 August 19467 October 1946RAF HethelNo. 308 Polish Fighter SquadronSupermarine Spitfire XVI16 September 194522 January 1946RAF SyltNo. 308 Polish Fighter SquadronSupermarine Spitfire XVI9 February 19467 October 1946RAF HethelNo. 317 Polish Fighter SquadronSupermarine Spitfire XVI15 September 1945July 1946RAF SyltNo. 317 Polish Fighter SquadronSupermarine Spitfire XVI16 August 19467 October 1946RAF Hethel

Units: No. 418 Air Stores Park between 5 and 7 May 1945 No. 8 Section of No. 422 Aviation Fuel and Ammunition Park from 29 June 1945 No. 6014 Servicing Echelon between 26 September 1957 and 15 September 1958 supporting 14 Squadron No. 6193 Servicing Echelon between 30 April and 8 June 1945 supporting 193 Squadron No. 6197 Servicing Echelon between 5 May and 8 June 1945 supporting 197 Squadron No. 6263 Servicing Echelon between 30 April and June 1945 supporting 263 Squadron No. 6266 Servicing Echelon between 4 and 6 June 1945 supporting 266 Squadron No. 6302 (Polish) Servicing Echelon between 16 September 1945 and 16 October 1946 supporting 302 Squadron No. 6308 (Polish) Servicing Echelon between 16 September 1945 and 7 October 1946 supporting 308 Squadron Ahlhorn Station Flight used Prentice T.1, Canberra T.4, Vampire T.11 & Chipmunk T.10 2nd Tactical Air Force Tactical Development Unit between 18 February and 19 October 1953 No. 131 (Polish) (Fighter) Wing RAF between 12 September 1945 and 15 October 1946 No. 146 Wing RAF between 30 April and 6 June 1945

Current use

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.

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.

RAF Ahlhorn

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