The Airlift Airfields

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In the British zone, Germany
Wunstorf	A bomber base to 1940 - then used by single or twin engined fighters. The runway was built after the war and the station was used by RAF fighters
	Dakotas from 25th June 1948 to 29th July 1948. Yorks from 3rd July 1948 to 29th August 1949. Civil Four engined aircraft from 4th August 1948 to 15th August 1949
Lubeck	Built 1935 - initially used by Heinkel HE 111's - then became a fighter training station, later Junkers JU88 night fighters.
	Dakotas from 20th August 1948 to 23rd September 1949. Civil twin engIned aircraft from 28th August 1948 to 5th October 1948
Fassberg	During the war was a technical training station - then used by retiring squadrons towards the end of the war - used 1946/7 as an RAF fighter base.
	Dakotas from 29th July 1948 to 29th August 1948 Civil twin engined aircraft from 4th to 28th August 1948 USAF C54's from 21st August 1948 to 1st September 1949

Celle	1935 became a Luftxvaffe training school - concrete runway laid in early 1948.
	USAF C54's from 16th December 1948 to 1st September 1949
Schleswigland	1936 a glider club - night fighters during the war -concrete runway laid in early 1948.
	Hastings from 11th November 1948 to 5th October 1949. Civil four engined aircraft from 25th November 1948 to 16th August 1949 - mainly tankers.
Finkenwerder	Used as an Airlift flying boat base on the river Elbe at Hamburg.
	Sunderlands from 5th July 1948 to 16th December 1948.
Fuhlsbüttel	Civil airport for Hamburg.
	Used by civil airlines from 5th October 1948 to 15th August 1949.
In the American zone, Germany
Rhein-Main	Near Frankfurt. The European terminal for USAF Military Air Transport Service. Had a 2,000 yd runway. Also used for Commercial Flights.
	Used by the USAF, initially by C47's and then by C54's.
Wiesbaden	The other principal USAF transport base in Germany. Had been a Lufwaffe fighter base during the war.
	Again used by USAF C47's and then by C54's.
In the Allied sectors, Berlin
Gatow	In the British sector, Berlin. Initially a grass airfield - Luftwaffe training station in Berlin, the equivalent of Cranwell. A PSP runway was laid by the RAF and in 1947 a concrete runway was laid and extended to 2,000 yds in 1948. The original PSP runway laid in 1946 was relaid as a concrete runway after damage by a USAF Stratofreighter and extended in 1948.
	Used by the Royal Air Force, USAF and Civilian aircraft.
Tegel	A new airfield built by the Americans in the French sector of Berlin during the Airlift and opened for traffic in November 1948. Is now the principal commercial airport for Berlin.
	Used by USAF, Royal Air Force and Civilian aircraft.
Tempelhof	The pre-war civil airport for Berlin and in the American sector.
	Used by the USAF on flights from Rhein-Main near Frankfurt and Wiesbaden.
Havel Lake	The widest stretch of the Havel river and adjacent to RAF Gatow.
	The lake was used by Royal Air Force Sunderland flying boats and Civilian Hythe flying boats on flights from Finkenwerder. Ceased to be used in December 1948 when ice on the water became a hazard.
NOTE - The dates quoted have been taken from the HQ BAFO Report. In some cases they may not correspond to the actual dates experienced by individuals, where the transfer from one station to another took place over a number of days whilst the Airlift operations were continuing.

geoffsmith@supanet.com
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