Hilversum Airport
Encyclopedia
Hilversum Airport is a general aviation
airport 2.2 NM south-southwest of Hilversum
, a municipality and town in the Het Gooi
region and the province
of North Holland
in the Netherlands
.
The airport has three grass runways, 07/25, 13/31 and 18/36 with the respective lengths of 600 m (1,969 ft), 660 m (2,165 ft) and 700 m (2,297 ft). An asphalt
runway is planned in the near future. The majority of flights are with smaller single engine piston aircraft, either for training or recreational purposes.
Though founded in 1939 with civil aviation in mind, because of the unrest in Europe, the Royal Netherlands Air Force
took control of the airfield, using it as a base for Fokker C-5
, Fokker C-10
and Koolhoven F.K.51 aircraft. On the 10 and 11 May 1940, the airport came under heavy attack by Luftwaffe
Messerschmitt Bf 109
aircraft. After Germany
occupied the Netherlands later that month, they expanded the airport significantly for further military use.
As it became clear that Hilversum Airport was going to be lost to allied forces, the German military destroyed most of airport to prevent use by the allied forces
. After the end of the war, the airport remained under military control briefly, but became a civil airport again in 1948.
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport 2.2 NM south-southwest of Hilversum
Hilversum
is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Located in the region called "'t Gooi", it is the largest town in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller villages...
, a municipality and town in the Het Gooi
Gooi
Het Gooi is the area around Hilversum in the centre of the Netherlands. It is a slightly hilly area characterised by its green landscape, its historical charm, the wealth of its inhabitants, and its villas. Het Gooi is known in the Netherlands as the home of the rich and famous.- Name :The name...
region and the province
Provinces of the Netherlands
A Dutch province represents the administrative layer in between the national government and the local municipalities, having the responsibility for matters of subnational or regional importance. The government of each province consists of three major parts: the Provinciale Staten which is the...
of North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
The airport has three grass runways, 07/25, 13/31 and 18/36 with the respective lengths of 600 m (1,969 ft), 660 m (2,165 ft) and 700 m (2,297 ft). An asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
runway is planned in the near future. The majority of flights are with smaller single engine piston aircraft, either for training or recreational purposes.
Though founded in 1939 with civil aviation in mind, because of the unrest in Europe, the Royal Netherlands Air Force
Royal Netherlands Air Force
The Royal Netherlands Air Force , Dutch Koninklijke Luchtmacht , is the military aviation branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeling of the Dutch Army was founded on 1 July 1913, with four pilots...
took control of the airfield, using it as a base for Fokker C-5
Fokker C.V
Fokker C.V was a Dutch light reconnaissance and bomber biplane aircraft manufactured by Fokker. It was designed by Anthony Fokker and the series manufacture began in 1924 at Fokker in Amsterdam.-Development:...
, Fokker C-10
Fokker C.X
-Bibliography:*Taylor, H.A.. Airspeed Aircraft since 1931. Putnam. 1970. London. ISBN 370 00110 9...
and Koolhoven F.K.51 aircraft. On the 10 and 11 May 1940, the airport came under heavy attack by 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....
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...
aircraft. After Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupied the Netherlands later that month, they expanded the airport significantly for further military use.
As it became clear that Hilversum Airport was going to be lost to allied forces, the German military destroyed most of airport to prevent use by the allied forces
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
. After the end of the war, the airport remained under military control briefly, but became a civil airport again in 1948.
External links
- Hilversum Airport, official website
- Photos taken at Hilversum Airport (EHHV) from Airliners.netAirliners.netAirliners.net is an aviation website founded by Johan Lundgren, Sweden, in 1997, evolving from his previous Pictures of Modern Airliners site started in 1994...