Luftwaffe Jet Airfields

Facilities & Installations, Western Front

By the time the Luftwaffe began deploying the Messerschmitt Me 262 and Arado Ar 234 jets in mid-1944, it had relatively few bases for the aircraft, which optimally required hard-surface runways 1800 meters in length. The photographic evidence shows that runway lengthening began at selected mostly factory airfields as early as 1942 and continued through the end of the war. An analysis of aerial photography reveals more than 40 airfields where probable jet-related runway lengthening took place.

A study of Munich Riem Airfield from imagery from 25 April 1945 illustrates the hardships of constructing and maintaining jet-capable bases (Graphic). By that time, a new runway on the grass landing area of the former Munich civil airport was in use by Me 262s of Adolph Galland's Jagdverband 44 (JV 44) and a fighter-bomber unit, KG 51. One Me 262 was on the runway, two more were headed to the runway from the field's circular taxiway and at least four other possible Me 262s were in revetments. A review of earlier coverage revealed that work on the new runway had begun by 24 March when an east-west runway had been defined on the grass landing area. By 8 April, the turf surface was being removed, exposing a probable gravel base (Graphic). On 25 April the removed turf was stacked along the edges of the runway which has been resurfaced in some areas (Graphic). Bomb craters from a recent attack had been repaired.

map showing Luftwaffe Airfields with Runways Lengthened for Jet-Capable Operations

aerial photo of Me 262 Jets on New Runway at Munich Riem Airfield

aerial photo of New Runway Construction at Munich Riem Airfield April 1945

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runways at Lärz Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Lechfeld Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Leipheim Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Landsberg-Lech Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Schwäbisch Hall, Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Regensburg-Obertrabuling Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Neuberg Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Alt Lönnewitz Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Brandenburg-Briest Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Hopsten Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Achmer Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Marx Airfield,

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Hesepe Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Ahlhorn Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Lübeck-Blankensee Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Kaltenkirchen Airfield, Germany

Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Essen-Müllheim Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Parchim Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Zerbst Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Brandis Airfield, Germany

aerial photo of Luftwaffe Jet-Capable Runway at Burg-bei-Magdeburg Airfield, Germany

Production & Developmental Airfields

By 1943 the airfields supporting jet R&D and production were all undergoing runway improvement. At about the same time the Me 262 made its first jet-powered flight from the grass surface of the Rechlin test center in July 1942, new runways (1900 & 1700 meters) were built at nearby Lärz to accommodate the new aircraft (Graphic). The Lärz runways --one with signs of possible lengthening--were operational in October 1943.

The Messerschmitt airfields, which were concentrated in Bavaria, included Lechfeld, Leipheim, Schwäbisch Hall, Landsberg-Lech and Regensberg-Obertrabuling. At Lechfeld, the Messerschmitt test center, the first part of a new 2100-meter concrete runway was laid out in early May 1943; a second section was nearing completion in July 1944 (Graphic) and the runway was finished by November 1944. These dates coincide with the evaluation of the first Me 262 prototypes and the formation of the first Me 262 units at Lechfeld. The runways serving the Messerschmitt production facilities at Leipheim, Landsberg Lech and Schwäbisch Hall were also extended. Leiphein's runway was lengthened to about 1800 meters in two stages between July and probably November of 1944 (Graphic). A highway strip (not shown) using a 1900-meter stretch of the autobahn south of the Leipheim was probably operational by 2 June 1944, when a possible Me 262 was on the west end of the strip. A camouflaged parking/dispersal area near the highway strip could also be accessed from Leipheim.

At Landsberg-Lech, where bunkers for Me 262 production (WEINGUT II and DIANA II) were being constructed nearby, the runway had been extended to only about 1300 meters in January 1944; however, by November a graded 250-meter overrun had been added off the runway's west end. (Graphic). A timeline for the runway work at Schwäbisch Hall is unknown, but the runway had been lengthened to about 1900 meters and was used by NAG 6 (Graphic). Evidence that the Messerschmitt factory at Regensburg-Obertrabuling had been selected for Me 262-production could be seen on imagery from 1 September 1945, when the outline of a 2200-meter runway could be seen south of the factory's grass field (Graphic).

Notably, there were no runway improvements at two other Messerschmitt production facilities, Regensburg-Prüfening and Augsburg Gablingen, but new Me 262 production facility was planned at Neuberg, where a new 1300-meter concrete runway and a complex of buildings for a production line were constructed in early 1942. By 30 September of the same year, an approximately 700-meter extension was under construction and the finished section had been camouflaged (Graphic).

The Arado facility at Alt Lönnewitz (Falkenberg) was used to test, produce and train pilots for the Ar 234. By late 1944 the runway had been extended to about 2100 meters had taken place and an instrument landing system installed (Graphic). One of the runways supporting the Arado Headquarters at Brandenburg-Briest was extended to about 1800 meters by May 1944 (Graphic).
Operational Jet Airfields
Eventually, Me 262 and Ar 234 units (including KG 51, JG 7, KG (J), NAG 6 and KG 76) were forced to operate from all of the R&D and production airfields. However, the Luftwaffe did recognize the need for more jet-capable airfields and so in 1943 began a construction program that continued to the end of the war. Analysis of available imagery reveals runways at the following airfields were lengthened or entirely reworked to accommodate the new aircraft:

• Rheine-Bentlage: lengthened to1800m
• Hopsten: lengthened to 3000m
• Parchim: lengthened to 2500m
• Achmer: lengthened to 2000m
• Hesepe: lengthened to 1600m
• Marx: lengthened to 1700m
• Kaltenkirchen: lengthened 2000m
• Ahlhorn: lengthened to 1700m
• Lübeck: new runway, 2100m
• Zerbst: new runway, 1800-2900m
• Essen-Mullheim: new runways, 1600m
• Memmingen: lengthened to1600m
• Gibelstadt: new runway, 1600m
• Brandis: lengthened to 1800m
• Landau-Isar: new runway, 1700m
• Fürstenfeldbruck: new runway, 1800m
• Unterschlauersbach: lengthened, 1800m
• Burg-bei-Magdeburg - lengthened 1700m
• Linz-Horsching (Austria): lengthened to 2000m
• Prague Ruzyne (Czechoslovakia): lengthened to 1900m
• Saaz (Czechoslovakia): lengthened to 1900m
• Brieg (Poland): unused; lengthened to 2100m
• Liège-Bierstedt (Belgium): unused;new runway 1900m
• Karup (Denmark): unused; new runway, 2600m
• Ahlhorn: unused; lengthened to 1700m
• Wittmund: unused; lengthened to 2100/2900m
• Vechta: unused; new runway 2000m
• Bad Zwischenahn: unused; lengthened to 1700m
• Strassfeld: unused; new runway 2900m
• Altengrabow-Lübars: unused; new runway 1700m
• Altengrabow-Wutzow: unused;new runway 1700m
• Kedianiai North (Lithuania): unused; new runway 1800m

Airfields at Rheine-Bentlage, Hopsten , Achmer, Marx and Hesepe (Graphics) in northwest Germany were used extensively by KG 51 and KG 76 from late 1944 to April 1945 (Graphics). The runways at Rheine and Hopsten (1800- and up to 3000 meters) were lengthened by October 1943 and May 1944, respectively and work at Achmer (2000 meters) was taking place in August 1944. One runway at Hesepe was lengthened to 1700 meters. On 16 August 1944, four Me 262s were in a dispersal area at Rheine.
In March and April 1945 KG 76 also operated from Marx Airfield where one of three runways appeared to have been lengthened to about 1700 meters (Graphic). To the south of Marx, Me 262-equipped NAG 6 operated from Ahlhorn March and April 1945. One runway at Ahlhorn was extended to 1700-meters before 1945 (Graphic). At the end of the war KG 76 and KG 51 operated from a new approximately 2100-meter runway at Lübeck-Blankensee (Graphic), while KG 76 operated from Kaltenkirchen where the runway had been lengthened to 2000 meters (Graphic).

In 1943 three runways at Essen-Mülheim --a civil airport-- were lengthened, preparing it for military use (Graphic). Although the longest of these was only 1600 meters, the airfield was used by KG 51 between January and March 1945.

Four airfields in northeast Germany --Parchim, Zerbst, Brandis and Burg-bei-Magdeburg-- underwent improvements. JG 7 operated from Parchim (2500 meters) in February and April 1945; at least 11 Me 262s were in dispersal areas on 23 April (Graphic). JG 7 operated from Brandis (1800 meters) In April 1945 (Graphic). Runway construction at Zerbst (2900 meters) was still in progress on 8 April 1945, but an 1800-meter section was operational (Graphic). Nine possible Me 262s were present--six at the east end of the completed section, one possibly landing and two leaving the runway at the west end. Zerbst was used by elements of KG(J) 54 and NAG 6 in April 1945.

Burg-bei-Magdeburg (Graphic 21) was used by both Ar 234 (KG 76; conversion training August 1944 - March 1945) and Me 262 (NJG 11, JG 7, and NAG 6) units until operations were ended by a raid on 10 April 1945. Coverage of 25 April revealed the extent of the bomb damage, but also that both hard-surface runways had been lengthened to at least 1700 meters.

In the south, five airfields -- including Munich Riem-- supplemented jet-capable fields at the Messerschmitt facilities (Graphics). The runway at Memmingen was extended to approximately 1600 meters) early in 1944 and another at Gibelstadt was under construction about the same time; both fields were used by KG 51. A new runway at Landau-Isar appeared to be in an early stage of construction on 19 April 1945 two days after the field was reportedly visited by elements of KG 51. The relatively unimproved airfield at Unterschalusersbach, southwest of Nürnberg, was used by JG 7 between December 1944 and January 1945 (Graphic). Although no major work was undertaken, it does appear that the landing area was extended at the west side, increasing the landing run to about 1700 meters; evidence of use was a landing marker painted on the ground at the end of the extension.

In mid-1944, a new 1800-meter runway was under construction at Fürstenfeldbruck, a Luftwaffe pilot school west of Munich (Graphic). This suggests the school was marked for jet training, but at any rate, in March and April 1945 it was used by KG (J) (KG 54) elements converting to the Me 262; one of the aircraft was on the runway on 25 April.

KG 51 and JG 7 also operated from airfields in Austria and Czechoslovakia between April and May 1945. In Austria, the runway at Linz/Hörsching had been extended to about 2000 meters (Graphic 26) by September 1944 and by 1 April 1945 the surface of the extension appeared had been oiled Graphic). Analysis of recently available coverage of two Czech airfelds, Prague/Ruzyne and Saaz (Zatec), revealed runways at both had been lengthened (Graphics). The runway at Prague had clearly been lengthened to around 1900 meters. The runway at Saaz, at least 1700 meters in length, was reportedly built in 1944 specifically for jet operations. An in-line taxiway at the east of the runway may have been built to effectively extend the runway.

Other Airfields

Ten other airfields were being prepared for jets, but apparently did not see any use. In northwest Germany, one runway at Wittmund was extended to 2100 meters, with an additional 800-meters under construction in March 1945 (Graphic). A new 2000-meter runway was being prepared at Vechta (Graphic), while the runway at nearby Bad Zwischenahn was extended it to approximately 1750 meters between September 1944 and March 1945 (Graphic). Bad Zwischenahn was used by Me 163 rocket planes in the fall of 1944.

A new very long 2900-meter runway was planned at Strassfeld, in west central Germany. By 12 February 1945, the runway and taxiways were close to being operational (Graphic). Parking revetments could be seen in two short dispersal areas and along the taxiway. In the Berlin area, two entirely new runways at least 1700 meters in length were planned in the vicinity of Altengrabow, 95 km southwest of Berlin. One of these was at an existing airfield near the village of Lübars; the other, with no existing facilities, was located 11 km east-northeast, near the village of Wutzow (Graphic).

In the East, the runways at Brieg (Brzeg, Poland) and Warsaw Okecie had been extended. The one at Brieg was being lengthened to approximately 2100 meters in September 1944 (Graphic) while the one at Warsaw had been extended to 1900 meters (plus a 100-meter overrun) by July 1944 (Graphic). Brieg served mainly as a reconnaissance base, suggesting it was being readied for use by Ar 234 or Me 262 reconnaissance units. It appears the lengthening of the Okiecie runway took place in two phases; during the last phase, high-speed on-off ramps were added at northwest end of the runway. Perhaps most significantly, it also appears the Luftwaffe even planned to deploy jet aircraft further east to the former Soviet airfield at Kedainiai, Lithuania, where an 1800-meter runway was under construction in September 1944 (Graphic). A prewar Soviet runway (1000 meters) remained unfinished. Previous coverage of Kedainiai from 5 November 1943 showed work on the new runway had not yet started.

Elsewhere, coverage of Liege/Bierset Airfield, Belgium on 6 October 1944 revealed that a new approximately 1900-meter runway had been graded out on the existing landing area and to the northeast necessitating the removal of a few aircraft shelters (Graphic). In similar fashion, a very long approximately 2600-meter runway was constructed at Karup, Denmark. On 7 April 1945, two new parking/dispersal areas with aircraft shelters were being built (Graphic).