Former Vogelsang Airfield

With the construction of the "NS-Ordensburg Vogelsang" in 1933/34, the "German Labor Front" acquired farm Walberhof for the construction of a field airfield. The airfield was used militarily during the Second World War during the German invasion of the Benelux countries and the attack on France, in the last phase of the war by American units, later by Belgian troops.

Since the location was very close to the western border of the German Reich, Luftwaffe units from Münster used the location of the later airfield as early as 1937 to practice takeoffs and landings.
With the start of the Second World War on September 1, 1939, the airfield was handed over to the Luftwaffe.
At the same time, the airfield was a landing place for the return transport of wounded German soldiers, who were admitted to the Vogelsang military hospital for first aid. Up to 700 flights a day were registered here, but after about a week after the outbreak of war, peace reigned.

In the late summer of 1944, Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers (Stuka) landed in Vogelsang. Under cover of darkness, the night fighters attacked enemy targets close to the front, such as troop concentrations.
On September 11, 1944, the night fighter pilots flew disruptive strikes against American forces in Liege, Belgium, as well as roads and rail lines in the area, for the first time with nine aircraft from Vogelsang; One machine did not return.
On September 13, 1944, the night attack aircraft moved their port to Cologne-Ostheim. On Sunday, September 17, 1944, the Wehrmacht destroyed the structures, including the hangar and runway, by plowing and blowing.

The airfield under American troops In February 1945, the region was conquered by American troops. These made the airport operational again in a few days. They laid steel plates over a length of about 1,100 meters as a runway. The airfield was operational from March 23, 1945. After the withdrawal of the tactical troops, supply flights took place from here before the airfield was closed on 10 July 1945.

From 1 September 1946, Walberhof airfield was part of the Vogelsang military training area, where the British and, from 1950, the Belgian occupiers were stationed. The latter used the airport until the end of 2005.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Hans Tasma

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