The Wildenrath wing taken in 1991. Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. Infobox Military Unit unit_name = Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath caption = Station crest dates = 15 January 1952 – ?? [9] On 1 December 2005, he was appointed Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State. WebWildenrath ASF in 1991 with the last Phantom to depart the shed. The Facebook Like button and social widgets are used to interact with the Facebook social networkand are provided byFacebook Ireland Ltd. Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. Gutersloh | Hambuhren | Jever | Laarbruch 1982 Gp Capt J S Allison, 8 Mar 1952Gp Capt Alpha Dispersal was the site used for the Bloodhounds launchers and Echo Dispersal housed the POL storage section. RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Keen half-marathon runner and Formula One motor racing fan, Squadron Leader Rick Fryer, from Eccles, Lancashire, is the new Royal Air Force station commander at RAF Mildenhall. Air Cdre Dudley Radford CB 1948 AVM Sir Alan Boxer 1958-9 Gp Capt Leonard Trent VC DFC 1959-62 On 6 June 1972, the Squadron disbanded and on 16 October 1972 was reformed with the Buccaneer S2B aircraft. RAF career. Military Airfield Directory - Airfields of the Cold War, Paul Freeman's Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields. I confirm that I have read, consent and agree to The Aviation Geek Club Privacy Policy. 2010, still recognisable, but a lot of the old airfield buildings have disappeared to makeroom for newer commercial and industrial buildings. Capt M L Feenan, xx xxx 1957 WebOn March 1st 1958 the Squadron was formed at Royal Air Force Laarbruch equipped with Canberra B (i)8, the first ones being delivered in February 1958. Categories . It was the first of four 'Clutch' air bases of the British air forces in Germany (RAF Germany) during the Cold War. The domestic site is now predominantly military. Hours before this the hooter had sounded at RAF Wildenrath (the Phantom FGR2 base) in the early hours of the morning for a station exercise. In the early 1960s, 88 Squadron Canberras were also based at Wildenrath. 1958 Gp Capt M D 14 and 17 Squadrons; the former flew B(I)8 Canberras, and was part of the 2nd ATAF tactical nuclear strike force. The surviving taxiways are being used for recreational purposes by the local civilian residents. Wegberg hospital was worse than useless. Gp Capt M F D Williams (OC, No Wg Cdr W E Pettifer, xx Jun 1965 Gp Capt W D Robertson, 18 Aug Deputy Commander Capability Air Marshal Sir Rich Wildenrath was th Bretherton, 3 Nov 1945 The aircraft was eventually declared un-airworthy due to many of its rivet-heads having been polished off. From the late 1950s to 1970, Wildenrath was home to 14 Squadron and 17 Squadron; the former flew B(I).8 Canberras, and was part of the 2nd ATAF tactical nuclear strike force. WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. Oct 1945 Catalogue number In the 1970s, Wildenrath became the home to the RAF "Harrier Force" which included 21(AS) Signal Regt. P H Cribb, 17 Sep 1959Gp Capt 1954 Gp Capt K J Mellor, xx xxx 1956 The Astra cinema was knocked down in late 2005. Webraf wildenrath station commanders. The air base was initially used as an area for rock concerts. Remember, this was in the years before compulsory medicals following accidents; i.e. WebWildenrath ASF in 1991 with the last Phantom to depart the shed. WebAir of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. The ranks shown below, where above Group Captain, indicates higher ranks the former station commanders achieved. It was later that evening that the Brggen station commander discovered they were in the bar with me, and pointed out that this would not look good for the subsequent board of inquiry since we could be accused of collaborating. Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford, Allison entered the Royal Air Force College Cranwell as a flight cadet in 1961. Notice the removed HASs on the southwest dispersal area. They were briefed hurriedly, and were the last to be allocated an aircraft, which was live armed. RAF Station Crest and Motto ("Immer Bereit" means "Always Prepared" or "Always Ready") The next two years it became home to a reggae festival called 'Summerjam'. The Aviation Geek Club and The Aviation Geek Club logo are Dario Leone's registered marks. He was the Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State. Flt Lt W E Langley, Station closed for operations in July 1955 and finally closed down on 28th Gp Capt J E Johnson, 1 May 1946 Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. It was the first of four 'Clutch' air bases of the British air forces in Germany (RAF Germany) during the Cold War. Crews were then to stand by to fly missions as directed by the SOC for training. 1998A/Cdre I W McNicoll, xx xxx Wg Cdr L A Ferguson, xx Feb 1963 To their credit, they entered into the lions den and came along, apologise. Indeed, the operations officer at RAF Wildenrath had not passed the information to the SOC because he was not aware of it himself. Capt C V Winn, 6 Jun 1959Gp Capt H N G | Lubeck | Oldenburg | In 1953, the station Commanding Officer was Group Captain JE "Johnnie" Johnson - a top-scoring British "Ace" fighter pilot of the Second World War. The Phantom I had seen fly over the farmers field had shot me down! It can be seen today in the RAF Museum at Hendon, London. Alpha and Echo were not used in the normal flying operations of the station. WebAir Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston The Chief of the Air Staff is the 4-star commander and professional head of the Royal Air Force. The former RAF Wildenrath is now much reduced in size. Sqn Ldr W Edwards, 15 Sep By clicking on "Customise" you can select which profiling cookies to activate. Air Cdre Dudley Radford CB 1948 AVM Sir Alan Boxer 1958-9 Gp Capt Leonard Trent VC DFC 1959-62 Video shot around the closedown of RAF Wildenrath in March 1992 byTristan Cossey, who kindly shared the video with us. Until 2006, a YWCA Shop and Cafe existed; but this has now been removed as the YWCA has left the forces community. In 1953, the Station Commander was Group Captain JE 'Johnnie' Johnson, a top-scoring British 'ace' fighter pilot of the Second World War. They flew with the type until 1991. 1974 Gp Capt P B Hine, xx Jul Get the best aviation news, stories and features from The Aviation Geek Club in our newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Wg Cdr Elwyn-Jones, xx Feb 1954 Gp Capt D S The base was also used for 'CasEvac' (emergency casualty evacuations) usually to the UK. Dario Leone, Via Mazzini 45, 27030, Langosco (Pavia), VAT IT 02787650189. Wildenrath was also home to an army flight operating light helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, examples of which were the Westland Scout and De Havilland Beaver respectively to give an idea of aircraft size. Supplied by Gary Binnie. WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. The domestic site is now predominantly military. Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s.[3]. Since 1972, the Squadron [Ahlhorn| Bruggen| Brussels-Evere| Buckeburg| Butzweilerhof| Celle| Detmold| Eindhoven| Fassburg|Fuhlsbuttel| Gatow|Geilenkirchen| Goch| Gutersloh| Hambuhren| Jever| Laarbruch| Lubeck| Oldenburg|Rheindalen| Scharfoldenorf| Supplied by Jim Haywood. In January 2008 only the south western dispersal and Hardened Aircraft Shelters (HAS) remained, but these have since all been removed. Again names greatfully received. Wildenrath airfield (Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath, also known as RAF Wildenrath, in German: Fliegerhorst Wildenrath, ICAO: EDUW) was an airfield close to the German-Dutch border. 1956 (bywat.co.uk). [5] Allison had 4,612 hours of flying experience across his career, though only 18 hours on this particular aircraft type. Stanbury, 24 Sep 1963Gp Capt J N Stacey, 1 Mar 1966Gp Capt K Stevens, 4 Oct 1968Gp Capt R B RAF Wildenrath housed numbers 19 Sqn, which re-formed at Wildenrath in October 1976, and 92 Sqn which formed there in April 1977. Gp Capt D McL Scrimgeour, 14 Jan Webst pete beach weather monthly; long island national cemetery columbarium; one child policy in the philippines essay; raf wildenrath station commanders. Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. RAF Station Commanders - 2 TAF, BAFO & RAF Germany. por ; 1 de novembro de 2021 D G Lewis, 19 Jan 1955 ), then a moment of blissful quiet before the ground below began approaching rapidly. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this blog contents without express and written permission from this site's author/owner is strictly prohibited. RAF Station Commanders - 2 TAF, BAFO & RAF Germany. It can be seen today in the RAF Museum at Hendon, London. Published by at 30, 2022. View the Cookie Policy. Bang! It was eventually declared un-airworthy due to many of its rivet-heads having being polished off. Capt J E Johnson, xx Apr Around this time, the CO of 2ATAF (former Battle of Britain fighter pilot, Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris) had a Vickers Valetta aircraft as his personal transport. RAF career. Capt D J Loveridge, xx Jan 1985 Gp Capt H L Lewis, xx May 1970 Gp 3 and 4 Squadrons went the opposite direction, moving to Gutersloh, while 20 Squadron stood down from the Harrier, reforming at RAF Bruggen with the SEPECAT Jaguar GR1. whole: Number Of Items/reels/tapes 1. Supplied by Gary Binnie. Capt A G Dudgeon, xx Oct 1957Gp Capt C D Tomalin, 7 Dec 1959Gp WebAir Chief Marshal Sir John Shakespeare Allison, KCB, CBE (born 24 March 1943) is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) commander. Wilson-MacDonald, xx Dec 1956 Gp Capt T W Kean, 23 Nov 1959 Gp Capt W A Toyne, xx May 1945 By 06/07/2022 ether spiritual energy 06/07/2022 ether spiritual energy RAF career. 1981 Gp Capt R H Palin, 10 Dec Allison then attempted to land in a ploughed field nearby, but the aircraft nosed over and the pilot became trapped until rescue workers arrived. | Brussels-Evere | Buckeburg | Butzweilerhof Belgian Mirage 5BR reconnaissance aircraft (s/n 319) parked on the flight line at RAF Wildenrath, Germany, during "Tactical Air Meet '78" at RAF Wildenrath on 15 May 1978 (Wikipedia). Still, morale, welfare and not offending the farmer were much higher priorities in my mind at the time as well as his daughter. Catalogue number In 1960, the Station Commander was Group Captain 'Bats' Barthold, and 17 Squadron was commanded by Wing Commander Dugald 'Buster' Lumsden, who accepted the squadron's colours presented by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Dermot Boyle. 1974 WebRAF Wildenrath, RAF Brggen, and RAF Laarbruch were physically close to each other, and came under the auspices of NATO's Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2ATAF). Security in these Siedlungs was strict: RAF Police patrolled every 30 minutes and each morning the area and any cars in it were scanned for bombs by special teams. Gp Capt D M Somerville, xx Jul 1947 Gp [1] Allison was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Following standard procedures for a simulated attack, the Phantom closed on the Jaguars and, when in an ideal position to complete what until that moment had been a typically routine engagement, the pilot pulled the the missile release trigger. It also operated DH Devon and DH Heron aircraft. The south western dispersal and hardened aircraft shelters have been dismantled and removed, with a small section of surviving taxiways being used for recreational purposes by local residents. xxxx Gp Capt Personal Data collected: Tracker; Usage Data. The north-east dispersal was completely taken over by sidings, workshops and shunting loops for the Siemens Test Centre. Might not be a Phantom then, I thought, I could be picking up the Hawk surface-to-air missile site to the north although that would be a fair distance away. In the meantime I saw a German F-104 pass down the starboard side more of him later. Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. On the southwestern dispersal not only the HASs but also the dispersals had been removed, leaving only the taxiway. 1958Gp Capt WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, that operated from 1952 to 1992. | Schleswigland | Sundern | [citation needed], In October 1989, an RAF corporal and his infant daughter were shot dead at the petrol station in Wildenrath village, outside the RAF base. Finally I found someone who told me to go down the corridor and book in for an X-ray. Even Paddy was in the dark; he had just happened to look back at me in time to see the aircraft explode, and had had the presence of mind to immediately call for me to eject. WebThe Station is made up of Javelin Barracks, Elmpt and the two quartering areas of Wildenrath and Bracht. Instead, as the pilot said later, the growl from the missile seeker transferred to his other ear (now indicating the missile on the other wing) and the first missile launched. M H Miller, 20 Jan 1973Gp Capt I confirm that I want to send my data to receive news and promotions via email. He was the Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State. Gp Capt P Kelly, xx xxx 1957 WebThe Station is made up of Javelin Barracks, Elmpt and the two quartering areas of Wildenrath and Bracht. McDonnell Douglas PhantomFGR2 (McDD F-4M)XT905 at a Wildenrath dispersal in 1987 (Rob Loonstra, used with permission). Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford,[1] Allison entered the Royal Air Force College Cranwell as a flight cadet in 1961. 19 Sqn re-formed at Wildenrath in October 1976, and 92 Sqn formed there in April 1977. Supplied by Jim Haywood. Of the southern dispersals, the central and eastern are bisected by the main railway oval test track. We are the largest and fastest growing community of UK forces veterans on the web with over 500,000 members! He was the Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State. Runway: 09/27 - 2497x45m/8192x148ft - Asphalt Maskell, xx Sep 1945 Having arrived in casualty covered in mud and with a cut chin, there was not a soul in sight even though they had been told to expect me. Obviously the accident was the result of a monumental cock-up. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); What are you waiting for? WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, that operated from 1952 to 1992. Aircraft and crews had been generated, and the aircraft loaded with live weapons in accordance with normal policy for exercising quick-reaction forces in NATO. Keppel-Compton, 26 Oct 1981 Wg Cdr P A Garth, 20 May 1985 Wg Cdr G M Goddard, 5 Apr 1961 Wg Cdr N W Gp Capt. 17 Squadron flew the PR.7 Canberra, and the two squadrons' 'in house' T.4 training aircraft were combined into the so-called 'T4 Flight' as a separate sub-unit, forming a useful additional resource for 2ATAF senior officers to use to maintain their flying hours. That over, I sat around seemingly for ages waiting to see a doctor. Left to right: Wing Commander Jez Case and Group Captain Jo Lincoln Image By: SAC Jack WebBelow are just some of our members who have served at RAF Wildenrath. In 19745, the Wildenrath station commander was Group Captain Patrick 'Paddy' Hine, who later rose to Air Chief Marshal and Joint Commander of all British forces during the Gulf War. At any rate we split from the mess, with members of 14 Squadron taking the F-4 crew away for beers at the married quarters, and me being royally entertained by the combined efforts of members of 17, 20 and 31 Squadrons elsewhere on the patch. Royal Air Force, Strike Command Media Services (Video) (Production company) Production date 2005-05 Place made GB Dimensions. Capt B E de Iongh, xx Oct 1971 On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Stn Patch. All but the western threshold and overrun of the runway has been obliterated, and the eastern runway threshold is now a Golf course, rather than the site of Bloodhound surface to air missiles. Capt R M Robson, 17 Oct 1980 WebRAF Wildenrath, RAF Brggen, and RAF Laarbruch were physically close to each other, and came under the auspices of NATO's Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2ATAF). Capt P H Eustace, xx Apr 1989 Wg Cdr W N Ash, xx Feb. 1949 Capt W V Crawford-Compton, xx Dec 1955Gp This is a photo of the Mobile MCS Rig Exodus taken around Aug 1986 at Wildenrath. All but the western threshold and overrun of the runway has been obliterated, and the eastern runway threshold is now a golf course, rather than the site of Bloodhound surface to air missiles. 17 Squadron flew the PR7 Canberra, and the two squadrons' "in house" T4 training aircraft were combined into the so-called "T4 Flight" as a separate sub-unit, forming a useful additional resource for 2ATAF senior officers to use to maintain their flying hours. Construction began in 1950, and the station became active in 1952 during the rapid expansion of NATO forces in Europe. Gp Capt T E Benson, 8 Sep 1978 Gp View from the taxi-track of the SW-dispersal area towards treshold 09, RAF Wildenrath, April 2011 (RonaldV). They took off from RAF Wildenrath to mount a combat patrol under the control of the SOC. 1973 (RAF Wildenrath information booklet, RAF Germany viaPhotobucket). A RAF SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1 of No.2 Sqn parked on the flight line during "Tactical Air Meet '78" at RAF Wildenrath on 15 May 1978 (Wikipedia) Learn how your comment data is processed. The flight, which had its own hangar facilities on the base, had various flight designations throughout its tenancy. Gp Capt P J Wilkinson, xx Jul 1991 Gp [5], He is still a keen pilot, flying his own light aircraft as well as the Shuttleworth Collection of vintage and historic aircraft at Old Warden Aerodrome, UK. Wg Cdr M A Williams, 30 Nov 1999 1975 Gp Capt A communications flight was provided by 60 Sqn (RAF Germany Communications Squadron ), initially with Hunting Percival Pembrokes, later with DeHavilland Devon and DeHavilland Heron aircraft. Allison made an attempt to land at the designated airstrip but approached too fast, aborting landing and climbing to an altitude to pass over the M11 motorway. Wildenrath was also home to an Army Air Corps (AAC) flight operating light helicopters and fixed wing aircraft such as the Westland Scout and De Havilland Beaver. WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. In 1953, the Station Commander was Group Captain JE 'Johnnie' Johnson, a top-scoring British ' ace ' fighter pilot of the Second World War . Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Hangar 5 was used to host large events of televison station 1-Live as late as 2001. It initially had a 1830 meter long runway, which was later lenghtened by 610 meters. Unlike other former RAF airbases in Germany (such as Airport Weeze, previously named Niederrhein), it was not turned into a civilian commercial airport. View towards Hangar 7 and the debris piled in front of it from treshold 09, RAF Wildenrath, April 2011 (RonaldV) 1952 Gp See on the interactive map: 5106'54"N 00612'49"E Clicking on "Refuse" or the X will refuse all profiling cookies. The hangar, RWY 09 treshold and southwestern dispersal area were freely accessible, although you could not go inside the hangar because every opening is either welded shut or locked. Gp Capt T O Prickett, 1 Dec 1955 Royal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North RhineWestphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. RAF Wildenrath, ca. As such, it formed a useful additional resource for 2ATAF senior officers to use to maintain their flying hours. This is a photo of the Mobile MCS Rig Exodus taken around Aug 1986 at Wildenrath. In November 1956, the RAF operated a three-day airlift to fly over 100 short tons (91 tonnes) of humanitarian relief supplies from Wildenrath to Vienna, for the Red Cross to distribute in Hungary during the Hungarian uprising, before the revolt was ended with Soviet military intervention.[4]. He is a keen restorer of vintage cars and old airplanes, and is president of the Light Aircraft Association. Gp Capt Coordinates: 51654.3N 61249.4E / 51.115083N 6.213722E / 51.115083; 6.213722. Infobox Military Unit unit_name = Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath caption = Station crest dates = 15 January 1952 – ?? A 3 meter wide track had been recently (April 2011) cleared on the runway from treshold 09 towards the east, RAF Wildenrath (RonaldV) At this time, the commanding officer of 2ATAF (former Battle of Britain fighter pilot, Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris) had a Vickers Valetta aircraft as his personal transport, its lower fuselage and wings kept highly polished by the ground-crew of the RAF Germany (RAFG) Communication Flight.