Griesheim Airport
Encyclopedia
Griesheim Airport is a private airfield in Germany
, located 1 miles (1.6 km) southwest of Griesheim
(Hessen); approximately 270 miles (434.5 km) southwest of Berlin
.
Formerly a NATO military airfield, it was closed in 1992. In 1996, a large part of the airfield site was placed under the control of Darmstadt University of Technology
, where a variety of disciplines carry out experiments and operate several small aircraft.
Griesheim was originally part of an Imperial German Army
(Reichsheer) military artillery firing range in 1874, an airfield was established on the site in 1908, being Germany's first airfield and flight school. During World War I
it was used as a Prisoner of War
Camp. Re-established as an airfield in 1930, the German Research Institute for Gliding was established on the site. After 1939, the Luftwaffe
established a military presence at the airfield, and after World War II
, it was a United States Army
Airfield (Darmstadt Army Airfield) until the end of the Cold War
, jointly used in the late 1980s as civil airport for light aircraft and sailplanes (Griesheim Airport).
In 1913 the airfield was designated "Flying station Darmstadt-Griesheim" and was taken over by the German Army. During World War I
, the airfield was turned into a Prisoner of War
Camp, eventually holding over 15,000 soldiers. At the end of the war, the Treaty of Versailles
prohibited German military flying, and the French Army
moved into the area for occupation duty. The occupying force remained until 1930 when the French military withdrew.
After the withdrawal of the French in June 1930 the airfield was re-established. In April 1932 the city of Darmstadt, leased the approximately 70 acres (28.3 ha) airfield for their new airport. In May 1933 the German Research Institute for Gliding (DFS) moved their institution into the barracks at the airport formerly used by the French.
The DFS was a civilian facility. During the 1930s its mission was primarily to research gliders and their uses. The Institute established research facility hangars, workshops, and in 1936 a wind tunnel, which is used today by the Darmstadt University of Technology
. Up to 780 employees were employed at the DFS, including the staff of the Engineering School of Aeronautical Engineering (IfL). By October 1937, the entire facility along with the airfield had expanded to about 800 hectacres.
broke out in 1939, DFS was moved north to Braunschweig
in Lower Saxony
and then to Ainring
in Upper Bavaria
. The German Air Force (Luftwaffe
) then established itself at the airfield. During its use by the Luftwaffe, the airport was known as "Fliegerhorst Darmstadt-Griesheim", and was generally used by Fighter units.
The first combat unit assigned was Zerstörergeschwader 2 (ZG 2) in April 1940, being equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 110
C heavy fighter. The unit took part in the Battle of France
from May–June 1940. On 4 May the French and British Air Forces launched a series of desperate attacks against the bridges around Sedan at a heavy cost. ZG 2 helped provide air cover. In July with the battle won ZG 2 moved into France.
Jagdgeschwader 3
(JG 3), a Messerschmitt Bf 109
E fighter unit moved to Darmstadt-Griesheim in late February 1941 after taking severe losses during the Battle of Britain
. At the field the unit was rearmed, and additional pilots were assigned. In early May, the unit moved east into Poland
for eventual action against the Soviet Union
during Operation Barbarossa
.
Darmstadt-Griesheim became a key base in late 1944 as part of the "Defense of the Reich
" campaign against American Eighth Air Force
heavy bombing raids against targets in Germany. No less than two fighter units, Jagdgeschwader 53
(JG 53) and Jagdgeschwader 4
(JG 4), equipped with Focke-Wulf Fw 190
A and a few Messerschmitt Bf 109
E fighters used for day interceptor missions against the American bomber fleets. A third unit, Nachtjagdgeschwader 11
(NJG 11), flew Fw 190s and Bf 109s as night interceptors against Royal Air Force
Bomber Command Lancasters attacking at night.
Beginning in mid to late 1944, after the Allies landed in Normandy
and began to move east into central Franc
e, Darmstadt-Griesheim came into the effective range of USAAF Ninth Air Force
B-26 Marauder
medium bombers and P-47 Thunderbolt
s. The airfield came under more and more Frequent attack by the American mediums and tactical fighter bombers, mostly with 500-pound General-Purpose bombs; unguided rockets and .50 caliber machine gun sweeps when Eighth Air Force
heavy bombers (B-17s, B-24s) were within interception range of the Luftwaffe aircraft assigned to the base. The attacks were timed to have the maximum effect possible to keep the interceptors pinned down on the ground and be unable to attack the heavy bombers. Also the P-51 Mustang
fighter-escort groups of Eighth Air Force
would drop down on their return back to England and attack the base with a fighter sweep and attack any target of opportunity to be found at the airfield.
"Y-76 Darmstadt/Griesheim ". Almost immediately, C-47 Skytrain
transports began using the new airfield to fly in supplies and munitions to the ground units, and evacuate combat casualties to the rear areas and was also used by the 72d Liaison Squadron, flying light observation and courier aircraft.
After the combat ended in May Griesheim Airfield was redesignated Army Air Force Station Darmstadt/Griesheim and became became the home of several command and control organizations. Headquarters, 63d Fighter Wing
; 64th Fighter Wing, and 71st Fighter Wing
used the airfield between July and November 1945. In addition, Air Technical Service Command used the airfield as a storage depot for captured Luftwaffe aircraft prior to them being destroyed or some being transferred back to the United States. It was closed by the Air Force in October 1945.
U.S. Army Garrison Darmstadt officially ended six decades of service at its inactivation ceremony 5 Aug 2008.
Today, many wartime relics can be found at Griesheim Airport. Restrictions on U.S. Army aviation imposed in 1947 by the establishment of the United States Air Force
meant that Army aviation units assigned to the airfield were limited to helicopter and light courier and liaison aircraft. Although the Army removed the wartime runway and laid down a new asphalt one, many of the wartime taxiways and aircraft dispersal hardstands remain on the airfield today. A large German hangar was repaired and remained in use until the aviation units were withdrawn in 1993. The support area of the airfield, contains several buildings used by the German Research Institute for Gliding, including the wind-tunnel. Several wartime-era barracks were renovated and kept in good repair over the years as well.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, located 1 miles (1.6 km) southwest of Griesheim
Griesheim
Griesheim is a town in the Darmstadt-Dieburg district, in Hessen, Germany. It is situated approx. 7 km west of Darmstadt.-History:...
(Hessen); approximately 270 miles (434.5 km) southwest of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Formerly a NATO military airfield, it was closed in 1992. In 1996, a large part of the airfield site was placed under the control of Darmstadt University of Technology
Darmstadt University of Technology
The Technische Universität Darmstadt, abbreviated TU Darmstadt, is a university in the city of Darmstadt, Germany...
, where a variety of disciplines carry out experiments and operate several small aircraft.
Griesheim was originally part of an Imperial German Army
German Army (German Empire)
The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...
(Reichsheer) military artillery firing range in 1874, an airfield was established on the site in 1908, being Germany's first airfield and flight school. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
it was used as a Prisoner of War
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
Camp. Re-established as an airfield in 1930, the German Research Institute for Gliding was established on the site. After 1939, the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
established a military presence at the airfield, and 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...
, it was a 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...
Airfield (Darmstadt Army Airfield) until the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, jointly used in the late 1980s as civil airport for light aircraft and sailplanes (Griesheim Airport).
Origins
In 1874, the area south of Griesheim was established as a German Army artillery firing range. In 1908, August Euler recognized the suitability of the site as an airfield, and conducted the first glider flights at the location of the current airfield in December 1908. Afterward, he presented to the German government a request to lease a portion of the site (380 acres) for use as an airfield. Early in 1909 the lease was completed. In February, August Euler erected a building on the site, which he relocated from Mainz castle, costing him 2,400 Marks. In that building he began aircraft production. On 31 December 1909, he earned the first civil pilot's license in Germany. Between 1909 and 1911 in Griesheim Euler trained 74 pilots. The most famous student pilot was Prince Henry of Prussia, the brother of the German Emperor.In 1913 the airfield was designated "Flying station Darmstadt-Griesheim" and was taken over by the German Army. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the airfield was turned into a Prisoner of War
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
Camp, eventually holding over 15,000 soldiers. At the end of the war, the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
prohibited German military flying, and the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
moved into the area for occupation duty. The occupying force remained until 1930 when the French military withdrew.
After the withdrawal of the French in June 1930 the airfield was re-established. In April 1932 the city of Darmstadt, leased the approximately 70 acres (28.3 ha) airfield for their new airport. In May 1933 the German Research Institute for Gliding (DFS) moved their institution into the barracks at the airport formerly used by the French.
The DFS was a civilian facility. During the 1930s its mission was primarily to research gliders and their uses. The Institute established research facility hangars, workshops, and in 1936 a wind tunnel, which is used today by the Darmstadt University of Technology
Darmstadt University of Technology
The Technische Universität Darmstadt, abbreviated TU Darmstadt, is a university in the city of Darmstadt, Germany...
. Up to 780 employees were employed at the DFS, including the staff of the Engineering School of Aeronautical Engineering (IfL). By October 1937, the entire facility along with the airfield had expanded to about 800 hectacres.
Luftwaffe Use
When World War IIWorld 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...
broke out in 1939, DFS was moved north to Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
and then to Ainring
Ainring
Ainring is a municipality in the district of Berchtesgadener Land, Upper Bavaria, Germany, near the border to Austria.-References:...
in Upper Bavaria
Upper Bavaria
Upper Bavaria is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany.- Geography :Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered around the city of Munich. It is subdivided into four regions : Ingolstadt, Munich, Bayerisches Oberland , and Südostoberbayern...
. The German Air Force (Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
) then established itself at the airfield. During its use by the Luftwaffe, the airport was known as "Fliegerhorst Darmstadt-Griesheim", and was generally used by Fighter units.
The first combat unit assigned was Zerstörergeschwader 2 (ZG 2) in April 1940, being equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 110
Messerschmitt Bf 110
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten...
C heavy fighter. The unit took part in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
from May–June 1940. On 4 May the French and British Air Forces launched a series of desperate attacks against the bridges around Sedan at a heavy cost. ZG 2 helped provide air cover. In July with the battle won ZG 2 moved into France.
Jagdgeschwader 3
Jagdgeschwader 3
Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. The Geschwader operated on all the German fronts in the European Theatre of World War II. It was named after Ernst Udet in 1942.-Campaign in the West :...
(JG 3), a Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
E fighter unit moved to Darmstadt-Griesheim in late February 1941 after taking severe losses during the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. At the field the unit was rearmed, and additional pilots were assigned. In early May, the unit moved east into 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...
for eventual action against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
during Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
.
Darmstadt-Griesheim became a key base in late 1944 as part of the "Defense of the Reich
Defense of the Reich
The Defence of the Reich is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe over German occupied Europe and Germany itself during World War II. Its aim was to prevent the destruction of German military and civil industries by the Western Allies...
" campaign against American Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
heavy bombing raids against targets in Germany. No less than two fighter units, Jagdgeschwader 53
Jagdgeschwader 53
Jagdgeschwader 53 Pik-As was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. It operated in Western Europe and in the Mediterranean.Jagdgeschwader 53 - or as it was better known, the "Pik As" Geschwader - was one of the oldest German fighter units of World War II with its origins going back to 1937...
(JG 53) and Jagdgeschwader 4
Jagdgeschwader 4
Jagdgeschwader 4 was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. JG 4 was formed as a full Geschwader on June 15, 1944 in Ansbach from Stab/Jagdgeschwader z.b.V. and its first Geschwaderkommodore was Major Gerhard Schöpfel....
(JG 4), equipped with Focke-Wulf Fw 190
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
A and a few Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
E fighters used for day interceptor missions against the American bomber fleets. A third unit, Nachtjagdgeschwader 11
Nachtjagdgeschwader 11
Nachtjagdgeschwader 11 was a Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 11 was formed on 20 August 1944 with one Gruppe consisting of 2 Staffeln.-Formation:...
(NJG 11), flew Fw 190s and Bf 109s as night interceptors against Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Bomber Command Lancasters attacking at night.
Beginning in mid to late 1944, after the Allies landed in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
and began to move east into central Franc
Franc
The franc is the name of several currency units, most notably the Swiss franc, still a major world currency today due to the prominence of Swiss financial institutions and the former currency of France, the French franc until the Euro was adopted in 1999...
e, Darmstadt-Griesheim came into the effective range of USAAF Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
medium bombers and P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
s. The airfield came under more and more Frequent attack by the American mediums and tactical fighter bombers, mostly with 500-pound General-Purpose bombs; unguided rockets and .50 caliber machine gun sweeps when Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
heavy bombers (B-17s, B-24s) were within interception range of the Luftwaffe aircraft assigned to the base. The attacks were timed to have the maximum effect possible to keep the interceptors pinned down on the ground and be unable to attack the heavy bombers. Also the P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
fighter-escort groups of Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
would drop down on their return back to England and attack the base with a fighter sweep and attack any target of opportunity to be found at the airfield.
Wartime American Use
United States Army units began to move into the Darmstadt area in mid-March 1945, and elements of the Third United States Army captured Darmstadt-Griesheim airfield about 25 March. Combat engineers from IX Engineer command moved in with the 832d, 850th, and 826th Engineering Aviation Battalions arriving on 27 March 1945, to repair the runway for use by combat aircraft. The engineers bulldozed soil into the bombed runway and laid down Pierced Steel Planking over the damaged runway to make it operational for use. The engineers also performed minimal repairs to the facility to make it operational. On 28 March, the airfield was declared ready for Allied use and was designated as Advanced Landing GroundAdvanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground was the term given to the temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II in support of the invasion of Europe...
"Y-76 Darmstadt/Griesheim ". Almost immediately, C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
transports began using the new airfield to fly in supplies and munitions to the ground units, and evacuate combat casualties to the rear areas and was also used by the 72d Liaison Squadron, flying light observation and courier aircraft.
After the combat ended in May Griesheim Airfield was redesignated Army Air Force Station Darmstadt/Griesheim and became became the home of several command and control organizations. Headquarters, 63d Fighter Wing
63d Fighter Wing (World War II)
The 63d Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Texas Air National Guard, based at Ellington Field, Texas...
; 64th Fighter Wing, and 71st Fighter Wing
71st Fighter Wing (World War II)
The 71st Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Missouri Air National Guard. It was inactivated on 31 October 1950.-Lineage:* Organized as 71st Fighter Wing on 11 Ocg 1943-Assignments:...
used the airfield between July and November 1945. In addition, Air Technical Service Command used the airfield as a storage depot for captured Luftwaffe aircraft prior to them being destroyed or some being transferred back to the United States. It was closed by the Air Force in October 1945.
Postwar occupation
With the Air Force units moved out, the airfield became part of the United States Army forces in Darmstadt, and the airfield was renamed Darmstadt Army Airfield. Over the years, Darmstadt served as home for thousands of American soldiers and their families. The Airfield was home to the 159th Medical Co. (Air Ambulance) and HHD 421st Medical Battalion(AA), during the eighties and early nineties. The unit flew UH-60 Blackhawks. The airfield was closed in 1992 and the facility turned over to the Federal German Government.U.S. Army Garrison Darmstadt officially ended six decades of service at its inactivation ceremony 5 Aug 2008.
Today, many wartime relics can be found at Griesheim Airport. Restrictions on U.S. Army aviation imposed in 1947 by the establishment of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
meant that Army aviation units assigned to the airfield were limited to helicopter and light courier and liaison aircraft. Although the Army removed the wartime runway and laid down a new asphalt one, many of the wartime taxiways and aircraft dispersal hardstands remain on the airfield today. A large German hangar was repaired and remained in use until the aviation units were withdrawn in 1993. The support area of the airfield, contains several buildings used by the German Research Institute for Gliding, including the wind-tunnel. Several wartime-era barracks were renovated and kept in good repair over the years as well.