| Wunstorf Air Base RAF Wunstorf Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) B-116  | |||||||||
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 Aerial picture prior to 2010's expansion | |||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||
| Owner | Federal Defence Forces of Germany | ||||||||
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| Location | |||||||||
  Wunstorf Air Base Shown within Lower Saxony, Germany | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 52°27′17″N009°25′44″E / 52.45472°N 9.42889°E /52.45472; 9.42889 | ||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||
| Built | 1936 (1936) | ||||||||
| In use | 1936–present | ||||||||
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| Garrison | |||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: ETNW | ||||||||
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Wunstorf Air Base is aGerman Air Force military airfield (air base), located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south-southwest ofNeustadt am Rübenberge and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north-northwest ofWunstorf inLower Saxony,Germany. Wunstorf Air Base is the home toAir Transport Wing 62 (Lufttransportgeschwader 62), a unit operating all GermanAirbus A400M Atlas.
The airfield was opened in 1936 for the GermanLuftwaffe reconstituted by theNational Socialist government in 1935. During theSecond World War, it was seized by theBritish Army on 7 April 1945, in a fierce battle by elements of the5th Parachute Brigade,6th Airborne Division. During the battle, in which the 13th Battalion was also engaged, the7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion lost six killed, and 21 wounded, most from the initial ambush of the four leading trucks of B Company. The airfield was captured with 19Bf 109s, fourFw 190s, twoJu 88s, twoJu 52s and much other valuable equipment.
After the battle, the base was taken over by theRoyal Air Force (RAF), including Canadian (RCAF) Wing 126 of the British2nd Tactical Air Force, and designated asAdvanced Landing GroundB-116 Wunstorf.
The airfield features heavily in the book13 - Lucky For Some, which is about the history of the13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion. There are many then and now photographs as well as maps and diagrams of battles that took place in the region.
It was later designatedRAF Wunstorf and used byRoyal Air Force Germany. RAF units assigned were:
Much of the 1951 novelAir Bridge byHammond Innes is set in RAF Wunstorf at the time of theBerlin Airlift. The novel contains descriptions of how the airfield, rapidly expanded for the Airlift, looked at that time.
The then-RAF Wunstorf also featured in the 1957 film "High Flight". Also in 1957, the airfield returned to the control of theGerman Air Force and became aNATO air base.
The airfield participated inAir Defender 23, the largest exercise of air forces in the history of NATO, held 12–23 June 2023 under the leadership of the German Air Force.[9]
German Air Force first stationedNord Noratlas which by 1971 were replaced byTransall C-160D; those were disbanded from the localAir Transport Wing 62 (LTG 62) in July 2015, now focussing on accepting and integrating Airbus A400MAtlas. Flight training for decades was executed usingDornier Do 28.
As preparation for 40 Airbus A400MAtlas to be stationed at Wunstorf Air Base, the airbase underwent major expansion. Runway 08/26 (45 metres or 148 feet wide) was lengthened from 1,877 to 2,499 metres (6,158 to 8,199 ft) mainly to the east. Parking positions were expanded, one maintenance hangar was erected, another one is under construction.[when?] A building to house the flight simulator has been added.
 Full Circuit (1982–1998) | |
| Location | Wunstorf,Lower Saxony |
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| Opened | 30 August 1964; 61 years ago (1964-08-30) |
| Closed | 2 August 1998; 27 years ago (1998-08-02) |
| Major events | STW (1994, 1996–1998) German F3 (1974–1979, 1981–1986, 1988–1994, 1997–1998) DTM (1984–1988, 1990–1993) Interserie (1977–1979, 1985–1990) DRM (1981–1982, 1985) |
| Full Circuit (1982–1998) | |
| Length | 5.047 km (3.136 mi) |
| Turns | 13 |
| Race lap record | 1:30.750 ( Kris Nissen,Porsche 962C,1988,Group C) |
| Full Circuit (1981) | |
| Length | 5.047 km (3.136 mi) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:43.580 ( Manfred Winkelhock,Ford Capri III Turbo,1981,Group 5) |
| Full Circuit (1978–1980) | |
| Length | 3.348 km (2.080 mi) |
| Turns | 13 |
| Race lap record | 1:17.500 (Jochen Dauer,Chevron B43,1978,F3) |
| Full Circuit (1976–1977) | |
| Length | 3.849 km (2.392 mi) |
| Turns | 16 |
| Race lap record | 1:25.300 (Helmut Bross,Lola T294,1977,Group 5) |
| Full Circuit (1975) | |
| Length | 3.500 km (2.175 mi) |
| Turns | 13 |
| Full Circuit (1965–1974) | |
| Length | 5.099 km (3.168 mi) |
| Turns | 17 |
| Race lap record | 1:49.000 (Kurt Ahrens Jr.,Porsche 908, 1969,Group 6) |
| Full Circuit (1964) | |
| Length | 3.799 km (2.361 mi) |
Between 1964 and 1998, a temporary motor racing circuit was laid out on the Wunstorf airbase. Races at the circuit were included in theGerman Touring Car Championship between 1984 and 1993,[10] one of several temporary airfield tracks on the DTM calendar at the time. The series eventually began to move towards permanent racing facilities and the final DTM race at Wunstorf took place in 1993. TheSuper Tourenwagen Cup raced at the venue in 1994 and from 1996 to 1998.
In 1977, the Wunstorf circuit was first used for a round of theInterseriesports car racing championship. Wunstorf hosted the Interserie between 1977 and 1979, and again between 1985 and 1990.
Besides the big-name national championships, Wunstorf hosted a series of annual club racing meetings until 1999, when motor racing on the airbase premises was finally halted due to the cost of preparation and administration for the events.
The fastest official race lap records at the Wunstorf Air Base Circuit are listed as:
Media related toWunstorf Air Base at Wikimedia Commons
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