Rechlin-Lärz Airfield
Encyclopedia
Rechlin-Lärz Airfield is an airfield in the village of Rechlin
, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
, Germany
, which is certified for aviation equipment up to 14 tons weight. It is a former military airfield with a long history and has a concrete runway 2,080 m long, down from the original two.
The airport was the Third Reich era's Luftwaffe
main testing ground, or Erprobungsstelle for new aircraft designs, the heart of which was actually centred on two large turf areas some 4.5 km (2.5 mi) due north (at 53°20′48.11"N 12°44′23.25"E) of the 21st century era paved-runway airport facility. The core airfield of the Luftwaffe facility took the form of a typical pre-World War II aerodrome, with no clearly defined "runways", being bounded by a roughly hexagonal-layout perimeter road that still exists today, defining an area approximately 1,700 meters (5,700 ft) across within it of about 234.3 hectares, or 578.9 acres. The Rechlin data sheets on Luftwaffe and captured Allied
aircraft are considered by many aviation historians to be among the most reliable sources for aircraft performance data from the World War II
era. Its role was taken over after 1945 by the Bundeswehr
military aviation installation at Manching
, within West German
borders, since Rechlin was well inside the borders of East Germany for 45 years.
, the airfield was closed again and many of its installations dismantled. During the 1920s, the airfield was reopened as a civilian airbase, but it was soon used as a testing ground for the secret German air force experiments under the Treaty of Rapallo
. The site was probably chosen for its remote location in an almost uninhabited area.
Many of the Luftwaffe's new plane models were test flown at the main turf-fielded Rechlin facilities; KG 200
with its array of captured planes was a regular guest at the airfields. After several Allied bombing runs on the Rechlin and Roggenthin airfields in 1944, testing of late-war planes was shifted just southwards to Lärz. On April 10, 1945, a final bomber attack by the US Army Air Forces almost completely destroyed the airfields; what was left was blown up by the German garrison before Soviet troops arrived at Rechlin on May 2.
established a permanent presence at the airbase. An attack fighter squadron and later a helicopter squadron were stationed at Lärz; the airfield at Rechlin was used by the National People's Army
(NVA). Military usage of the airfields continued until 1993, when the last Russian air force units were moved home. The Rechlin airfield was reopened for civilian use in 1994.
, which divulged the Erprobungstelle facility very early in the war to the British
Rechlin
Rechlin is a municipality in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. The town's airport has a long history and was the Luftwaffe's main testing ground for new aircraft designs during the Third Reich....
, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a federal state in northern Germany. The capital city is Schwerin...
, Germany
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...
, which is certified for aviation equipment up to 14 tons weight. It is a former military airfield with a long history and has a concrete runway 2,080 m long, down from the original two.
The airport was the Third Reich era's 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....
main testing ground, or Erprobungsstelle for new aircraft designs, the heart of which was actually centred on two large turf areas some 4.5 km (2.5 mi) due north (at 53°20′48.11"N 12°44′23.25"E) of the 21st century era paved-runway airport facility. The core airfield of the Luftwaffe facility took the form of a typical pre-World War II aerodrome, with no clearly defined "runways", being bounded by a roughly hexagonal-layout perimeter road that still exists today, defining an area approximately 1,700 meters (5,700 ft) across within it of about 234.3 hectares, or 578.9 acres. The Rechlin data sheets on Luftwaffe and captured Allied
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...
aircraft are considered by many aviation historians to be among the most reliable sources for aircraft performance data from the 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...
era. Its role was taken over after 1945 by the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
military aviation installation at Manching
Ingolstadt Manching Airport
Ingolstadt Manching Airport is an airport in Ingolstadt/Manching, Germany .Cassidian, the defence and security subsidiary of EADS, has its headquarters here.The first flight of the Eurofighter prototype took place in Manching...
, within West German
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
borders, since Rechlin was well inside the borders of East Germany for 45 years.
The beginnings
Construction of the first airfield at Rechlin started in 1916; the airfield was officially opened on 29 August 1918. After the end of World War IWorld 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 closed again and many of its installations dismantled. During the 1920s, the airfield was reopened as a civilian airbase, but it was soon used as a testing ground for the secret German air force experiments under the Treaty of Rapallo
Treaty of Rapallo, 1922
The Treaty of Rapallo was an agreement signed at the Hotel Imperiale in the Italian town of Rapallo on 16 April, 1922 between Germany and Soviet Russia under which each renounced all territorial and financial claims against the other following the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and World War I.The two...
. The site was probably chosen for its remote location in an almost uninhabited area.
During the Third Reich
In 1935, the Rechlin airfield became the official testing ground of the newly formed Luftwaffe. The turf-surfaced site, bounded by a roughly hexagonal-layout ring road around its perimeter which still exists today, was designated Erprobungsstelle (E-Stelle) and was expanded by constructing two more airfields: a second, smaller turf-surfaced field just east of the main site in nearby Roggenthin and just south of the main site at Lärz, the latter of which became the modern 21st century airfield site. Construction work on the airfields and the accompanying barracks was partly carried out by forced labor from nearby concentration camp Ravensbrück.Many of the Luftwaffe's new plane models were test flown at the main turf-fielded Rechlin facilities; KG 200
KG 200
Kampfgeschwader 200 was a Luftwaffe unit during World War II. The unit was the Luftwaffe's special operations wing that carried out long-distance reconnaissance flights, tested new aircraft designs, and operated captured aircraft....
with its array of captured planes was a regular guest at the airfields. After several Allied bombing runs on the Rechlin and Roggenthin airfields in 1944, testing of late-war planes was shifted just southwards to Lärz. On April 10, 1945, a final bomber attack by the US Army Air Forces almost completely destroyed the airfields; what was left was blown up by the German garrison before Soviet troops arrived at Rechlin on May 2.
Post-war history
In 1946, the Soviet Air ForceSoviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
established a permanent presence at the airbase. An attack fighter squadron and later a helicopter squadron were stationed at Lärz; the airfield at Rechlin was used by the National People's Army
National People's Army
The National People’s Army were the armed forces of the German Democratic Republic .The NVA was established in 1956 and disestablished in 1990. There were frequent reports of East German advisors with Communist African countries during the Cold War...
(NVA). Military usage of the airfields continued until 1993, when the last Russian air force units were moved home. The Rechlin airfield was reopened for civilian use in 1994.
See also
Oslo ReportOslo report
The Oslo Report was one of the most spectacular leaks in the history of military intelligence. Written by German mathematician and physicist Hans Ferdinand Mayer on November 1 and 2, 1939 during a business trip to Oslo, Norway, it described several German weapons systems, current and future.Mayer...
, which divulged the Erprobungstelle facility very early in the war to the British