Coleman Army Airfield
Encyclopedia
Coleman Barracks/Coleman Army Airfield (ICAO: ETOR) is a United States Army
military installation located in the Sandhofen
district of Mannheim
, Germany. It is assigned to U.S. Army, Europe (USAREUR) and administered by the U.S. Army Installation Management Command-Europe (IMCOM-E). Coleman Barracks should not be confused with the former "Coleman Kaserne
", located in Gelnhausen
.
in Mannheim was founded on 16 May 1925, as Flughafen Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ludwigshafen in the northern district of Sandhofen. With its opening Mannheim became part of an important air track
, running from north to south and viceversa. In the late 1920s and early 1930s Deutsche Aero Lloyd operated cargo and passenger flights from Hamburg
to Zürich
stopping in Mannheim. Balair from Switzerland
flew between Geneva
and Amsterdam
via Basel
, Mannheim, Frankfurt
, and Essen
. Badisch-Pfälzische Luftverkehrs AG operated the black forest
route to Konstanz
, via Karlsruhe
, Baden Baden and Villingen.
In 1926 the airfield was transferred to Mannheim-Neuostheim
, now called Mannheim City Airport
. The airfield in Sandhofen was closed to the public and rebuilt as the Fliegerhorst-Kaserne in 1937 as a German Air Force base. At the beginning of World War II
, the II/JG 53 (2nd Group, Jagdgeschwader 53) fighter unit "Pik-As" (Ace of Spades) was based here, commanded by one of Germany's top combat pilots, Hans Moelders. This unit operated 43 new Bf109 E-1's fighter aircraft at the start of the war. Also stationed at the airbase on the first day of the war was one staffel (squadron) of JG 72 operating 16 of the older Ar68 biplane fighters then being used as a primitive night fighter. In September 1944 a concentration camp was installed on the site which was operated and guarded by the SS, holding 80 POWs from Poland
, Luxembourg and Russia
.
After World War II
, the United States Army
took over the barracks in the fall of 1945, giving it the temporary name of "Y-79". Until mid-1949 the area was used as a collecting point for unserviceable automobile material and for surplus storage. In 1951, a replacement depot was established at Coleman Barracks and served as the staging area for all troops arriving in Germany.
Throughout its operation by the U.S. Army, rumors have circulated of an extensive set of tunnels beneath the airfield. There were tunnels under the base, there were a number of underground hangers out behind the Signal Corps barracks. The tunnels and other underground facilities were flooded after the war. There was an alley that ran behing the barracks and as you went down the slope there were numerous bunker entrances there, which were all locked.
Its current name commemorates Lieutenant Colonel
Wilson D. Coleman.
city center in the district of Sandhofen
, 2.5 km (1.6 mi) east of the river Rhine and 3 km (1.86 mi) south of Lampertheim
.
It is surrounded by the Autobahn 6 (A6) to the south and a state highway (Bundesstraße 44 (B44)) to the west; the Riedbahn train line (between Frankfurt and Mannheim) runs 1.6 km (1 mi) to the east.
and illumination. There have been discussions about extending the runway to 1200 metres, but these plans were withdrawn due to severe protests by nearby residents. The airfield is in use from 06:30 – 23:59 daily. Radar approach has been available since June 2002.
Coleman is the only U.S. Army airfield in Germany that has its own approach control zone and provides approach control for several airports in the vicinity, both military and civilian, such as Mannheim City Airport
(civilian), Speyer
airfield (civilian), Worms
airfield (civilian), and Heidelberg
Army Airfield (military).
was built in 2004. Besides air-conditioned offices, briefing-rooms, restrooms and an elevator, the tower accommodates the Coleman radar
approach control room. The only US-Army helicopter maintenance facility in Europe is located at Coleman Barracks. http://web.mannheim.de/webkosima/webkosima_vorlagen/587_2000.pdf
The only US-Army military prison in Europe, the United States Army Corrections Facility – Europe, is located at Coleman Barracks.
helicopters in Europe, Coleman Airfield has more take-offs and landings than any other US Army airfield in Germany. The Coleman Aero Club (CAC) is the only military non-profit flying organization in Europe. The CAC provides flight training to member forces of NATO, the United States Armed Forces
, and civilians. It operates a fleet of several US-registered Cessna
aircraft.
(AFN)- Europe consolidated its headquarters and Radio/TV studios from Frankfurt and Heidelberg to Coleman Barracks. Coleman Barracks also has a small post exchange (PX) and bowling alley.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
military installation located in the Sandhofen
Sandhofen
Sandhofen is a northern district of Mannheim, Germany. The US Army is present in Sandhofen with Coleman Airfield and Coleman Barracks. The US Army's only military prison in Europe is located on that base. All US Army helicopter maintenance for Europe and the Middle East is performed at Coleman....
district of Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, Germany. It is assigned to U.S. Army, Europe (USAREUR) and administered by the U.S. Army Installation Management Command-Europe (IMCOM-E). Coleman Barracks should not be confused with the former "Coleman Kaserne
Coleman Kaserne
Coleman Kaserne was a United States Army base located in the German city of Gelnhausen, located in the state of Hessen. Coleman Kaserne should not be confused with the U.S. Army "Coleman Barracks" which is located in Mannheim...
", located in Gelnhausen
Gelnhausen
Gelnhausen is a town and the capital of the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located approx. 40 kilometers east of Frankfurt am Main, between the Vogelsberg mountains and the Spessart range at the river Kinzig...
.
History
The first commercial airportAirport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in Mannheim was founded on 16 May 1925, as Flughafen Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ludwigshafen in the northern district of Sandhofen. With its opening Mannheim became part of an important air track
Air Track
An air track is a scientific device used to study motion in low friction environment. Its name comes from its structure: air is pumped through a hollow track with fine holes all along the track that allows specially fitted air track cars to glide relatively friction-free. Air tracks are usually...
, running from north to south and viceversa. In the late 1920s and early 1930s Deutsche Aero Lloyd operated cargo and passenger flights from Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
to Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
stopping in Mannheim. Balair from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
flew between Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
and Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
via Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Mannheim, Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, and Essen
Essen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
. Badisch-Pfälzische Luftverkehrs AG operated the black forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
route to Konstanz
Konstanz
Konstanz is a university city with approximately 80,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany, bordering Switzerland. The city houses the University of Konstanz.-Location:...
, via Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, Baden Baden and Villingen.
In 1926 the airfield was transferred to Mannheim-Neuostheim
Neuostheim
Neuostheim is a suburb of the city of Mannheim, Germany, and is considered to be one of the more attractive neighbourhoods of Mannheim. It is located 3.5 km east of the city centre. It lies on the River Neckar and an important lock on the Neckar Canal is situated between Neuostheim and the...
, now called Mannheim City Airport
Mannheim City Airport
Mannheim City Airport serves Mannheim, Germany. It is operated and administrated by Rhein-Neckar Flugplatz GmbH.-Location:...
. The airfield in Sandhofen was closed to the public and rebuilt as the Fliegerhorst-Kaserne in 1937 as a German Air Force base. At the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the II/JG 53 (2nd Group, Jagdgeschwader 53) fighter unit "Pik-As" (Ace of Spades) was based here, commanded by one of Germany's top combat pilots, Hans Moelders. This unit operated 43 new Bf109 E-1's fighter aircraft at the start of the war. Also stationed at the airbase on the first day of the war was one staffel (squadron) of JG 72 operating 16 of the older Ar68 biplane fighters then being used as a primitive night fighter. In September 1944 a concentration camp was installed on the site which was operated and guarded by the SS, holding 80 POWs from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Luxembourg and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
took over the barracks in the fall of 1945, giving it the temporary name of "Y-79". Until mid-1949 the area was used as a collecting point for unserviceable automobile material and for surplus storage. In 1951, a replacement depot was established at Coleman Barracks and served as the staging area for all troops arriving in Germany.
Throughout its operation by the U.S. Army, rumors have circulated of an extensive set of tunnels beneath the airfield. There were tunnels under the base, there were a number of underground hangers out behind the Signal Corps barracks. The tunnels and other underground facilities were flooded after the war. There was an alley that ran behing the barracks and as you went down the slope there were numerous bunker entrances there, which were all locked.
Its current name commemorates Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Wilson D. Coleman.
Location
The airport is located 8.5 km (5.28 mi) north of the MannheimMannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
city center in the district of Sandhofen
Sandhofen
Sandhofen is a northern district of Mannheim, Germany. The US Army is present in Sandhofen with Coleman Airfield and Coleman Barracks. The US Army's only military prison in Europe is located on that base. All US Army helicopter maintenance for Europe and the Middle East is performed at Coleman....
, 2.5 km (1.6 mi) east of the river Rhine and 3 km (1.86 mi) south of Lampertheim
Lampertheim
Lampertheim is a town in the Bergstraße district in Hesse, Germany.-Location:Lampertheim lies in the southwest corner of Hesse in the Rhine rift at the Biedensand Conservation Area and borders on Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate...
.
It is surrounded by the Autobahn 6 (A6) to the south and a state highway (Bundesstraße 44 (B44)) to the west; the Riedbahn train line (between Frankfurt and Mannheim) runs 1.6 km (1 mi) to the east.
Runways
The airport has one paved runway (900 m (2954 ft) x 20 m (67 ft)). The runway offers Precision Approach Path IndicatorPrecision Approach Path Indicator
Precision approach path Indicator is a visual aid that provides guidance information to help a pilot acquire and maintain the correct approach to an aerodrome or an airport. It is generally located beside the runway approximately 300 metres beyond the landing threshold of the runway...
and illumination. There have been discussions about extending the runway to 1200 metres, but these plans were withdrawn due to severe protests by nearby residents. The airfield is in use from 06:30 – 23:59 daily. Radar approach has been available since June 2002.
Coleman is the only U.S. Army airfield in Germany that has its own approach control zone and provides approach control for several airports in the vicinity, both military and civilian, such as Mannheim City Airport
Mannheim City Airport
Mannheim City Airport serves Mannheim, Germany. It is operated and administrated by Rhein-Neckar Flugplatz GmbH.-Location:...
(civilian), Speyer
Speyer
Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
airfield (civilian), Worms
Worms, Germany
Worms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...
airfield (civilian), and Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
Army Airfield (military).
Buildings
A new state of the art six-story control towerControl tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
was built in 2004. Besides air-conditioned offices, briefing-rooms, restrooms and an elevator, the tower accommodates the Coleman radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
approach control room. The only US-Army helicopter maintenance facility in Europe is located at Coleman Barracks. http://web.mannheim.de/webkosima/webkosima_vorlagen/587_2000.pdf
The only US-Army military prison in Europe, the United States Army Corrections Facility – Europe, is located at Coleman Barracks.
Air Traffic
Being the only maintenance base for Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Boeing AH-64 ApacheAH-64 Apache
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
helicopters in Europe, Coleman Airfield has more take-offs and landings than any other US Army airfield in Germany. The Coleman Aero Club (CAC) is the only military non-profit flying organization in Europe. The CAC provides flight training to member forces of NATO, the United States Armed Forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
, and civilians. It operates a fleet of several US-registered Cessna
Cessna
The Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft. Although they are the most well known for their small, piston-powered aircraft, they also produce business jets. The company is a subsidiary...
aircraft.
Tenant Activities
In 2004, the American Forces NetworkAmerican Forces Network
The American Forces Network is the brand name used by the United States Armed Forces American Forces Radio and Television Service for its entertainment and command internal information networks worldwide...
(AFN)- Europe consolidated its headquarters and Radio/TV studios from Frankfurt and Heidelberg to Coleman Barracks. Coleman Barracks also has a small post exchange (PX) and bowling alley.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground