Vogelsang Airfield
Encyclopedia
Vogelsang Airfield is an abandoned World War II
military airfield located approximately 3 miles northwest of Schleiden
(Nordrhein-Westfalen); approximately 330 miles southwest of Berlin
.
The airfield is a part of the former Ordensburg Vogelsang
military training area.
In May 1940, as part of the buildup in western Germany prior to the Battle of France
, the Luftwaffe
stationed Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76) with Dornier Do 17
Z light bombers, and Jagdgeschwader 3
and 21 (JG 3, JG 21) with Messerschmitt Bf 109
E fighters at the airfield. All of these units moved into Belgium shortly after the invasion on 10 May. Vogelsang was not used again by combat aircraft until 1945.
In late February 1945, as a result of the Western Allied invasion of Germany, United States Army
forces moved though the Eifel
area and captured the airfield about 1 March. On 8 March the IX Engineer Command 816th Engineer Aviation Battalion moved in and began to construct an operational airfield for Allied aircraft. The engineers laid down a 3600' Pierced Steel Planking runway aligned 15/33 on the former Luftwaffe field to support all-weather operations on the site. On 23 March the airfield was designated as Advanced Landing Ground
"Y-51 Vogelsang".
Its operational use by the USAAF was by the Ninth Air Force
67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, which operated various photo-reconnaissance aircraft (P-38, P-51) from the airfield taking reconnaissance photos west of the Ludendorff Bridge
supporting the advancing Ninth Army to close the Ruhr Pocket
until the end of April 1945 when it moved into Central Germany. After the combat units moved out, the airfield remained open, supporting the Occupation forces in the area with transport supply flights until being closed on 10 July 1945.
The airport and the Vogelsang estate were turned over to Belgian military authorities in 1945, and was used as a NATO military training area until 2006. The USAAF airfield was dismantled and there is little evidence of the wartime airfield today.
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...
military airfield located approximately 3 miles northwest of Schleiden
Schleiden
Schleiden is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It lies in the Eifel hills, in the district of Euskirchen, and has 13,957 inhabitants...
(Nordrhein-Westfalen); approximately 330 miles 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...
.
The airfield is a part of the former Ordensburg Vogelsang
Ordensburg Vogelsang
Ordensburg Vogelsang is a former national socialist estate placed at the former military training area in the national park Eifel in North Rhine-Westphalia. The landmarked and completely preserved estate was used by the National Socialists between 1936 and 1939 as an educational centre for future...
military training area.
History
The airfield was built as part of the National Socialist estate about 1935 for light courier aircraft operations. It was likely a grass airfield with a small aircraft parking area and possibly a hangar and a station building.In May 1940, as part of the buildup in western Germany prior to 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...
, 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....
stationed Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76) with Dornier Do 17
Dornier Do 17
The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift , was a World War II German light bomber produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke...
Z light bombers, and 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 :...
and 21 (JG 3, JG 21) with 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 at the airfield. All of these units moved into Belgium shortly after the invasion on 10 May. Vogelsang was not used again by combat aircraft until 1945.
In late February 1945, as a result of the Western Allied invasion of Germany, 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...
forces moved though the Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
area and captured the airfield about 1 March. On 8 March the IX Engineer Command 816th Engineer Aviation Battalion moved in and began to construct an operational airfield for Allied aircraft. The engineers laid down a 3600' Pierced Steel Planking runway aligned 15/33 on the former Luftwaffe field to support all-weather operations on the site. On 23 March the airfield was designated as Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced 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-51 Vogelsang".
Its operational use by the USAAF was by the 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....
67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, which operated various photo-reconnaissance aircraft (P-38, P-51) from the airfield taking reconnaissance photos west of the Ludendorff Bridge
Ludendorff Bridge
The Ludendorff Bridge was a railway bridge across the River Rhine in Germany, connecting the villages of Remagen and Erpel between two ridge lines of hills flanking the river...
supporting the advancing Ninth Army to close the Ruhr Pocket
Ruhr Pocket
The Ruhr Pocket was a battle of encirclement that took place in late March and early April 1945, near the end of World War II, in the Ruhr Area of Germany. For all intents and purposes, it marked the end of major organized resistance on Nazi Germany's Western Front, as more than 300,000 troops were...
until the end of April 1945 when it moved into Central Germany. After the combat units moved out, the airfield remained open, supporting the Occupation forces in the area with transport supply flights until being closed on 10 July 1945.
The airport and the Vogelsang estate were turned over to Belgian military authorities in 1945, and was used as a NATO military training area until 2006. The USAAF airfield was dismantled and there is little evidence of the wartime airfield today.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground