There was a violent explosion, my head was driven down to the breast plate of my lifejacket, I had a vision of the floor of the cockpit dropping away, a snatch of parachute opening, a wrenching pain in my right hand (fool, let go of the seat handle! Hours before this the hooter had sounded at RAF Wildenrath (the Phantom FGR2 base) in the early hours of the morning for a station exercise. RAF Wildenrath, with RAF Bruggen and RAF Laarbruch were clustered fairly closely together and came under the auspices of NATO's Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2ATAF). WebAir Chief Marshal Sir John Shakespeare Allison, KCB, CBE (born 24 March 1943) is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) commander. Again names greatfully received. Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. In 19745, the Wildenrath station commander was Group Captain Patrick 'Paddy' Hine, who later rose to Air Chief Marshal and Joint Commander of all British forces during the Gulf War. The locations of their quick-readiness dispersals can still be seen to the south of the former main gate. From the late 1950s to 1970, Wildenrath was home to 14 Squadron and 17 Squadron; the former flew B(I).8 Canberras, and was part of the 2nd ATAF tactical nuclear strike force. In addition to its other overt and covert functions, 60 Squadron also acted as visiting aircraft flight for Wildenrath, hosting almost every type of RAF and NATO aircraft and civilian 'trooper' BAC-111s and Boeing 737s. Gp Capt D McL Scrimgeour, 14 Jan Gp Capt D F Rixson, 11 Jun 1965 2010, still recognisable, but a lot of the old airfield buildings have disappeared to makeroom for newer commercial and industrial buildings. Left to right: Wing Commander Jez Case and Group Captain Jo Lincoln Image By: SAC Jack RAF Station Commanders - 2 TAF, BAFO & RAF Germany. One crew, who shall remain nameless, were scrambled for such a mission in Phantom FGR2 XV422. There were two Canadair Sabre F.4 squadrons (Nos 67 and 71 Squadrons RAF), and a Sabre conversion flight. Wildenrath airfield (Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath, also known as RAF Wildenrath, in German: Fliegerhorst Wildenrath, ICAO: EDUW) was an airfield close to the German-Dutch border. List of aircraft of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Test and validation centre, Wegberg-Wildenrath, Test- and Validationcenter Wegberg-Wildenrath, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Military units and formations established in 1952, Military units and formations disestablished in 1992, Harrier GR.1/T.2-later converted to GR.3/T.4, Aircraft of the air force of the United Kingdom, List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons, "Test- and Validationcenter Wegberg-Wildenrath", http://www.mobility.siemens.com/mobility/en/pub/urban_mobility/rail_solutions/service/testcenter_for_railway_systems/test_und_validationcenter.htm, Memories of a National Serviceman at Wildenrath 1960, Military (Airport no longer in operation). Always ready / ever prepared: RAF Phantom FGR2 XV439 'D' on short finals for runway 27, RAF Wildenrath, It is a community housing estate for both the Joint Heaquarters for NATO, and Javelin Barracks/Elmpt Station (former RAF Brggen). RAF career. The aircraft was yawing violently to the right, and not responding to the controls; I heard the canopy shattering. 1992 country = Germany allegiance = UK: British Armed Forces branch = Royal Air Force command_structure = RAF Second Tactical Air Force, then Royal Air Force Germany type = Flying station P H Cribb, 17 Sep 1959Gp Capt (OC, No 135 Wing), 11 I hear Paddys voice from the other aircraft yelling Eject! Gp Capt J Cox, xx Aug 1945 88 (renumbered later to 14) and 17 Squadrons; the former flew B(I)8 Canberras, and was part of the 2nd ATAF tactical nuclear strike force. Wildenrath airfield (Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath, also known as RAF Wildenrath, in German: Fliegerhorst Wildenrath, ICAO: EDUW) was an airfield close to the German-Dutch border. This site uses cookies. Gp Capt H L Smeddle, xx May 1945 Published by at 30, 2022. It can be seen today in the RAF Museum at Hendon, London. In 19745, the Wildenrath station commander was Group Captain Patrick 'Paddy' Hine, who later rose to Air Chief Marshal and Joint Commander of all British forces during the Gulf War.[5]. Wg Cdr Elwyn-Jones, xx Feb 1954 Gp Capt D S Gp Capt P R Walker (OC, No 135 Wing), 14 Nov 1945 Gp Capt 1992 country = Germany allegiance = UK: British Armed Forces branch = Royal Air Force command_structure = RAF Second Tactical Air Force, then Royal Air Force Germany type = Flying station He was the Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State. Notice the removed HASs on the southwest dispersal area. Since 1997, the original airfield and immediate environs comprise the Wegberg-Wildenrath Test and Validation Centre, a facility for testing railway vehicles operated by Siemens AG. Always ready / ever prepared: RAF Phantom FGR2 XV439 'D' on short finals for runway 27, RAF Wildenrath, Infobox Military Unit unit_name = Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath caption = Station crest dates = 15 January 1952 – ?? 19 Sqn re-formed at Wildenrath in October 1976, and 92 Sqn formed there in April 1977. whole: Number Of Items/reels/tapes 1. | Lubeck | Oldenburg | Crews were then to stand by to fly missions as directed by the SOC for training. J E Johnson (OC, No 135 Wing), 28 May 1946 Sqn Ldr N R Stevens, xx Mar 1953 Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford,[1] Allison entered the Royal Air Force College Cranwell as a flight cadet in 1961. 1985 Gp Capt I A D MacBride, xx xxx 1945/6 Alpha and Echo were not used in the normal flying operations of the station. WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. Gp Capt D E Leppard, 10 Dec 1982 Gp Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s.[3]. The Wildenrath wing taken in 1991. Deputy Commander Operations Air Marshal Harvey Smyth The Deputy Commander of Operations is based at Air Command as the Royal Air Forces senior war fighter. The aircraft was eventually declared un-airworthy due to many of its rivet-heads having been polished off. From 1953 there were two North American F-86E Sabre squadrons [67 and 71], and a Sabre conversion flight. Personal Information processed: Usage Data; Tracker, Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation, Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation, Dario Leone and The Aviation Geek Club, 2016. Webraf wildenrath station commanders. Dario Leone, Via Mazzini 45, 27030, Langosco (Pavia), VAT IT 02787650189. Gp Capt S W R Hughes, 1 Oct 1958 Gp Capt I S Look up and think, momentarily, that I might be in heaven (I was a young, bachelor flight lieutenant at the time) as a blonde vision of loveliness dressed in tight-fitting jodhpurs ran over to me, followed her father (blast!). RAF Wildenrath housed numbers 19 Sqn, which re-formed at Wildenrath in October 1976, and 92 Sqn which formed there in April 1977. Sqn Ldr W Edwards, xx xxx xxxx 1956 (bywat.co.uk). This Google Analytics integration anonymizes your IP address. D G Evans, 12 Oct 1966Gp Capt Gp Capt R W Oxspring, xx Aug 1967 17 Squadron flew the PR7 Canberra and the two squadrons' "in house" T4 training aircraft were combined into the so-called "T4 Flight" as a separate sub-unit. McDonnell Douglas PhantomFGR2 (McDD F-4M)XT905 at a Wildenrath dispersal in 1987 (Rob Loonstra, used with permission). No 92 Squadron flew from 'Delta Dispersal' with both squadrons using the hardened shelters in 'Charlie Dispersal' for spare space to house Phantoms when necessary. WebIn 1960, the Station Commander was Group Captain "Bats" Barthold and 17 Squadron was commanded by Wing Commander Dugald "Buster" Lumsden, who accepted the squadron's colours presented by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Dermot Boyle . Views: 21343 The domestic site is now predominantly military. Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. One of the airmen died from gunshot wounds, the other was seriously injured. WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, that operated from 1952 to 1992. No. Wg Cdr W E Pettifer, xx Jun 1965 [21][22] By 2007, the railway test tracks had taken over considerable areas of the airfield. Sep 1945 McDonnell-Douglas F-4M Phantom FGR.2 XV464/B of19 Squadronon the southern taxitrack at RAF Wildernath in 1977 (aviationphotocompany.com) It also operated DH Devon and DH Heron aircraft. WebWildenrath ASF in 1991 with the last Phantom to depart the shed. 1970 RAF Sabres on the flightline WebIn the 1970s, Wildenrath served as the initial domestic of the RAF 'Harrier Force', which listed numbers 3, 4, and 20 Squadrons, as living as 21ASRegiment. [7], He was Director of Strategy, and subsequently, Operations Director at Jaguar Racing from May 2001 to October 2004. D F C Ross, 15 Jul 1968Gp Capt Gp Capt P H Cribb, xx May 1953Gp The north-east dispersal was completely taken over by sidings, workshops and shunting loops for the Siemens Test Centre. In the 1970s, Wildenrath became the home to the RAF "Harrier Force" which included 21(AS) Signal Regt. WebUnedited footage of the Royal Air Force Central Band on their visit to Moscow in Russia. John Rogerson SERGEANT Served from 1962 - 1975 Served in RAF Wildenrath John Newland CORPORAL Served from 1961 - 1976 Served in RAF Wildenrath Rob Howsam CORPORAL Served from 1985 - 1991 Served in RAF Wildenrath Jean Bowen (Tomlinson) Get the best aviation news, stories and features from The Aviation Geek Club in our newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Composite made with 35 screenshots from Flashearth.com Personal data that are processed:Tracker; Usage Data. 2000 Gp Capt T M Anderson, xx xxx 1944 On 1 May 1988, two airmen from the RAF Regiment squadron based at RAF Wildenrath were attacked by IRA armed assailants whilst sitting in a car in the nearby Dutch town of Roermond. The next two years it became home to a reggae festival called 'Summerjam'. Did you see what happened? I asked the farmer.He did not, and neither did I know what had happened, except that I though that it was odd for the F-4 to be alone they normally flew as pairs. Gp Capt D C Stapleton, xx Mar 1957 The form of anonymisation is no longer acceptable. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. A RAF SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1 of No.2 Sqn parked on the flight line during "Tactical Air Meet '78" at RAF Wildenrath on 15 May 1978 (Wikipedia) 3 and 4 Squadrons went the opposite direction, moving to Gutersloh, while 20 Squadron stood down from the Harrier, reforming at RAF Bruggen with the SEPECAT Jaguar GR1. Little did I know that he was quite used to having aircraft crash into his fields. RAF Station Crest and Motto ("Immer Bereit" means "Always Prepared" or "Always Ready") He was the Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State. Since 1972, the Squadron There I was minding my own business at 1,350ft, returning to Brggen after a forward air controller training sortie as number two to Paddy Mullen, when the radar unit we were using warned of conflicting traffic ahead. This is a photo of the Mobile MCS Rig Exodus taken around Aug 1986 at Wildenrath. Notice the Bloodhound site in the background (1978 Frank "Stinks" Swinkels, viaKLu104, Facebook) [9] On 1 December 2005, he was appointed Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State. By giving your consent, the data will be sent anonymously, thus protecting your privacy. No 19 Squadron operated from one of the three dispersals on the far (south) side of the airfield, designated 'Bravo Dispersal'. By 2007 the railway test tracks had taken over considerable areas of the airfield. Gp Capt C D Tomalin, xx xxx 1945 [6] The flight had its own hangar facilities on the base and various flight designations throughout its tenancy. WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, that operated from 1952 to 1992. Sqn Ldr W D Caldwell, xx Jun 1958 Remember, this was in the years before compulsory medicals following accidents; i.e. Gp Capt A E Clouston, 7 Jun 1960 Wg Cdr C V E M Donaldson (1951+), xx xxx 1946 Webraf wildenrath station commanders. Royal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North RhineWestphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. Gp Capt P H Hamley, xx Aug 1946 Learn how your comment data is processed. RAF Canberras on the flightline at Wildenrath, ca. Aircraft and crews had been generated, and the aircraft loaded with live weapons in accordance with normal policy for exercising quick-reaction forces in NATO. The original airfield site and immediate environs are now used by Siemens AG under their Transportation and Automotive business arm (Siemens Mobility), as their railway testing centre; known as the Test and validation centre, Wegberg-Wildenrath. Webst pete beach weather monthly; long island national cemetery columbarium; one child policy in the philippines essay; raf wildenrath station commanders. Harcourt-Smith, 26 Jul 1974Gp Capt P R Harding, 27 Feb 1976Gp Capt J R Walker, 6 Jan 1978Gp Capt G C 1958Gp Capt The locations of their quick-readiness dispersals can still be seen to the south of the old main gate. Gutersloh | Hambuhren | Jever | Laarbruch WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. Capt P H Eustace, xx Apr 1989 This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Stn Patch. In 19745, the Wildenrath station commander was Group Captain Patrick 'Paddy' Hine, who later rose to Air Chief Marshal and Joint Commander of all British forces during the Gulf War. Web5 X 4 patch, good condition.The former Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase which opened on 15 January 1952. Personal Data collected: Tracker; Usage Data. The former RAF Wildenrath is now much reduced in size. A Denison, xx xxx xxxx Mar 1946 Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. [Ahlhorn| Bruggen| Brussels-Evere| Buckeburg| Butzweilerhof| Celle| Detmold| Eindhoven| Fassburg|Fuhlsbuttel| Gatow|Geilenkirchen| Goch| Gutersloh| Hambuhren| Jever| Laarbruch| Lubeck| Oldenburg|Rheindalen| Scharfoldenorf| RAF Wildenrath, ca. 1952 Gp Capt P WebThe former Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase which opened on 15 January 1952. 17 Squadron flew the PR7 Canberra, and the two squadrons' "in house" T4 training aircraft were combined into the so-called "T4 Flight" as a separate sub-unit, forming a useful additional resource for 2ATAF senior officers to use to maintain their flying hours. He was not even on the same radio frequency as me, and we in turn had not been made aware that we were to be intercepted for training. They were questions for later, since a bottle of brandy had now been produced and hospitality offered (not by daughter, unfortunately). This website uses technical and profiling cookies. G E Ord, 8 Mar 1980 Supplied by Jim Haywood. Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. John Rogerson SERGEANT Served from 1962 - 1975 Served in RAF Wildenrath John Newland CORPORAL Served from 1961 - 1976 Served in RAF Wildenrath Rob Howsam CORPORAL Served from 1985 - 1991 Served in RAF Wildenrath Jean Bowen (Tomlinson) The Astra cinema was knocked down in late 2005. Wg Cdr R W F Sampson (OC, No 145 Wing), 8 whole: Number Of Items/reels/tapes 1. RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Keen half-marathon runner and Formula One motor racing fan, Squadron Leader Rick Fryer, from Eccles, Lancashire, is the new Royal Air Force station commander at RAF Mildenhall. A Harrier had ended up there a few years earlier and his cash register was already ringing up the latest invoice for compensation. 2001, less than ten years after the RAF left the airbase. Royal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, that operated from 1952 to 1992. Military Airfield Directory - Airfields of the Cold War, Paul Freeman's Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields. A J M McKeon, xx Feb 1953 It initially had a 1830 meter long runway, which was later lenghtened by 610 meters. WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, that operated from 1952 to 1992. Alpha Dispersal was the site used for the Bloodhound launchers, and Echo Dispersal housed the fuel and lubricants storage section. Gp Capt Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. 1952Gp Capt | Schleswigland | Sundern | WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, that operated from 1952 to 1992. Wildenrath was th RAF Wildenrath opened on 15 January 1952, and was followed by RAF Geilenkirchen on 24 May 1953, RAF Brggen in July 1953, and RAF Laarbruch that opened on 15 October 1954. WebEach ADR Squadron had an effective and close affiliation with its war-time station in Germany as follows: at RAF Gutersloh supporting the Harrier force, 60 (later 48 Fd Sqn when that came under command of the Regiment); 51 Fd Sqn at RAF Laarbruch; 52 Fd Sqn at Bruggen and 53 Fd Sqn at RAF Wildenrath. Giving up on the medics, we decided it was time for the bar and he offered me a lift home. [1] He went to become Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of RAF Strike Command in 1994[1] and then Commander-in-Chief of RAF Logistics Command in 1996. Also on site were 724 Signals Unit (Fighter control radar) 402 Air Stores Park, a unit of the RAF Regiment and an Army detachment that maintained land lines (AFS). Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford, Allison entered the Royal Air Force College Cranwell as a flight cadet in 1961. J B Burns, xx May Fuhlsbuttel | Gatow | They flew with the type until 1991. Of the technical site, virtually all but one of the bigger buildings are now knocked down. They were briefed hurriedly, and were the last to be allocated an aircraft, which was live armed.