Celle Air Base

In 1910 flight trials were undertaken on the Scheuener Heide, a heath north of the river Aller. These trials were carried out not on official but on private initiative by a person named Schlüter. Using an advertisement in the local paper, the population of Celle was invited to watch the spectacle.[3] However, aviation around Celle did not assume any serious forms until the Imperial Navy decided to choose the location for the construction of an airfield in order to enable intermediate stops for flights between Wilhelmshaven and Kiel. The airfield was opened on 3 October 1918 and used extensively until the end of the World War I in November of the same year when news, spread by pilots, of the sailors' revolt and the beginning of the German Revolution reached Celle. This in turn led to revolt within the city of Celle itself on 7 November 1918.[3]

After World War I the airfield was initially abandoned even though some flights took place in the 1920s. The site became more important once the Celle-Wietzenbruch flying school began to use the area as an external landing site in the mid-1930s.[2] Today, part of this former airfield is incorporated into the civilian airfield Celle-Arloh and used for recreational purposes.[3]

Parade formation of the flying school in 1935 with Junkers Ju-52, Focke-Wulf Fw-44 and Heinkel He-72.

The airfield in 1935.

The subsurface of the airfield is mixed with bitumen in 1937.

The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 prohibited the German Reich to have her own air force. To get around this prohibition, the Nazi Party founded the Deutscher Luftsportverband (DLV or "German Air Sports Association") in 1933 as a disguise to accelerate the building of an air force. Therefore, throughout Germany possible locations for air bases were sought. One of these locations was close to the Celle district of Wietzenbruch.[6] According to official information the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule GmbH (German General Aviation School Ltd.) would become the airport holder. Ernst Sagebiel a leading architect in air base design was put in charge of the building works.[3][6]

After exhaustive construction works, during which the boggy terrain was drained by creating several ditches, the flying school entered service in 1934.[2] Due to the boggy terrain the airfield had to be mixed with bitumen a few years later to prevent airplanes sinking in. This made the ground elastic and resulted in the pilots calling the airfield rubber meadow (Gummiwiese).[6]

On 9 March 1935 Hermann Göring officially announced the existence of a German Air Force[7] and the DLV was not needed any longer. The Luftwaffe was officially declared as being the occupant of the air base and its employees revealed themselves as being members of the armed forces by openly wearing uniforms.[2]

In the course of time, the type of aircraft stationed at Celle became larger and larger and crews were trained on almost all current military aircraft.[2] The extent of the training activities necessitated the construction of external landing strips at Hustedt and Scheuen. The training in blind flight, the precursor of instrument flight, even had to be moved to Wesendorf.[6]

At the beginning of World War II the training school was relocated to Leipzig and Celle Air Base was used by varying units, none of which were stationed there for any long period of time.[6]

Although some production facilities for the Junkers Ju 88 were placed in Hangar V, Celle Air Base played only a secondary role during World War II.[6] This, together with skilful camouflaging of the hangars, prevented the air base from becoming a serious target for Allied tactical or strategic bombing.[6] Contemporary witnesses reported an American fighter plane attacking Hangar V in 1944 until the anti-aircraft fire forced the pilot to abandon his aircraft.[2][6]

Without having suffered any serious damage the air base was surrendered by a German NCO to the British Army on 11 April 1945.[6] A few days previously, members of the last German unit stationed at Celle Air Base, Flying School A/B 6, had destroyed all remaining aircraft and left the base. Furthermore, a last Allied attack on the airfield on 9 April 1945 had not caused any serious damage to the airfield.[1][6]

Douglas C-54 Skymaster preparing for the flight to Berlin in 1949

Airlift Memorial at the road leading to the air base

Aerial photograph of RAF Station Celle during the Berlin Airlift

After having been taken over by British forces, it came under the control of the Royal Air Force Germany and was renamed RAF Station Celle.[3]

Under British occupation metal plates were laid on the entire airfield in order to enable the landing of larger aircraft.[6] The airfield retained its secondary role and was mainly used for liaison flights to the United Kingdom. After some flight movements in 1945 and 1946, no flights were recorded in 1947 and the hangars were instead used as storage facilities for furniture and tanks.[2][6]

With the beginning of the Berlin Airlift in 1948 this, however, changed radically. The Western allies, the United States, the United Kingdom and France, were looking for additional air bases that could be utilised for the airlift. Strategically, Celle offered favourable conditions for supply flights being located at the end of the middle air corridor to Berlin and having the shortest distance to Berlin. Unlike other air bases, Celle was not completely handed over to the United States Air Force (USAF) but remained under the control of the Royal Air Force (RAF) even though the aircraft using the airfield were American.[2]

After RAF Fassberg and RAF Wunstorf Celle became the third airfield in the region to serve in the airlift. USAF 317th Troop Carrier Group equipped with Douglas C-54 Skymaster were stationed on the air base at the end of 1948 and transported mostly coal to Berlin. In order to cope with the enormous traffic the airfield was extended, receiving an unusually long (about 300 metres) rail siding and, for the first time, a runway with an asphalt surface.[2][3][8]

At the beginning of the airlift a total of 600 tons of freight were transported into the besieged city which increased to 1000 tons of coal and food each day in the spring of 1949. The American forces were assisted by 5,000 German workers in this undertaking. In order to house them, north of the barracks a huge housing area consisting of Nissen huts was built.[9]

At the same time, Celle residents began to complain about the so-called "Veronikas″, German women attracted to the well paid soldiers. A public appeal by the city of Celle denounced the "women and girls who cause offence and outrage" amongst the population.[10] The public outrage and repeated appeals for morality by local politicians in the local press[11] became well known throughout Germany. Even a Stuttgart-based newspaper published an article about "Celle - an outraged city" on 14 February 1949.

Next to the road leading to Celle Air Base, a monument in memory of the support given by Celle to the Berlin Airlift was erected by the city of Celle in 1988.[12][13]

Following the end of the Berlin Airlift in 1949, the airfield was again used exclusively by British Forces. Over the years several squadrons were stationed at Royal Air Force Station Celle which since 1950 were equipped with jet engined fighters, the Vampire and Venom.[2][3]

A number of ground-based units were also present:

• No. 51 Squadron RAF Regiment
• 226 Signal Squadron, Royal Corps of Signals

The infrastructure for a renewed airlift, however, was kept in place and was constantly improved until German reunification. The runway was extended in the 1960s and an instrument landing system (ILS) for runway 26 was installed.[15] At the end of the 1980s, shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, the rail siding received an extensive lighting system.[2]

Nord Noratlas and Dornier Do-27 in front of Hangar II

A Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. The aircraft flew men and material of the Drohnen-Lehr-und-Versuchsgruppe into the USA.

An Alouette II hovering in front of Hangar I. These type of helicopter together with the Bölkow Bo-105 PAH symbolised the Celle Air Base for three decades

Headline of the newspaper "Hannoversche Presse" on 30 November 1957

One year after the foundation of the Bundeswehr the British forces handed over the airfield to the German Army on 29 November 1957.[16] After Niedermendig and parallel to Fritzlar Celle was one of the first garrisons of the German Army Aviation Corps, at the time the youngest branch of the German armed forces, that stationed various units and aircraft at Celle Air Base throughout the following years.[2][6]

Peculiarly, from 1959 until 1967 two transport wings of the German Air Force were also stationed at Celle.[17] Thus Celle became a mixed base used by Army and Air Force – unique in the Bundeswehr until the 1990s. However, already in 1960 Lufttransportgeschwader 62 (Air Transport Wing 62) was relocated to Cologne Bonn Airport. Seven years later Lufttransportgeschwader 63 (Air Transport Wing 63) moved to its new base in Hohn, Schleswig-Holstein where it is still stationed.[2][3]

Due to the tense situation during the building of the Berlin Wall a small unit of the National Guard of the United States was stationed at Celle Air Base in 1961 in case of a second Berlin Airlift.

Following the move of its transport wings, the German Air Force did not station any flying units at Celle Air Base. However, air traffic control (ATC) was provided by a mixed Army/Air Force unit until the 1990s.[2] Apart from the stationary ATC unit, a mobile ATC unit existed in Celle which was equipped with a mobile tower, radar and other equipment to provide air traffic control services for specially allocated places, for example, on German motorways designed as emergency landing strips during the Cold War.[2][18]

From 1959 until 1966, a US Air Force unit equipped with two MSQ-1A radars was stationed at Celle Air Base. This unit's tasks were to link into missiles of the type TM-61C (MGM-1 Matador) and guide them towards their target. For complete air coverage, especially eastwards, the unit at Celle was not necessary. In order to save costs this unit was disbanded in 1966.[19]

Between 1963 and 1981 Celle was home to a test squadron for unmanned aerial vehicles and helicopters. This unit experimented with helicopters and other weapon systems intended for acquisition by the Bundeswehr. One example of successful testing and bringing into service is the Bölkow Bo-150 in the version as anti-tank helicopter.[2]

The unit being stationed the longest at Celle was the Heeresfliegerstaffel 7 (Army Aviation Squadron 7). It was relocated from Rheine to Celle in 1971. In 1968 it had become a battalion but three years later, on its move to Celle, it was redesignated again as a squadron. The unit was equipped with the Alouette II liaison and reconnaissance helicopter and was disbanded in 1994.[2]

At the beginning of the 1970s the strength of the German Army Aviation Corps considerably increased when more manpower and material was allocated to it. In Celle Heeresfliegerregiment 10 (Army Aviation Regiment 10) equipped with Bell UH-1D was the first of these larger units, which would become the new standard.[2]

In 1979 a second regiment, Heeresfliegerregiment 16 (Army Aviation Regiment 16), equipped with anti-tank helicopters was founded at Celle. Since the air base was too small to house two regiments, Heeresfliegerregiment 10 subsequently relocated to Faßberg Air Base in 1981. Its coat of arms still shows the stylised Celle Castle.[2]

After the end of the Cold War Celle Air Base's ability for instrument flights was removed and the emergency landing strips on the motorways were abandoned.[15] Following the removal of ILS as well as approach radar and the corresponding reduction within the ATC unit, the German Air Force finally left the base. Several smaller units were disbanded or relocated and only the Heeresfliegerregiment 16 remained as a flying unit at Celle.[2][3]

Within the framework of the restructuring of the German Army and in preparation of the introduction of the new helicopter types NH-90 and Tiger in 2002 and 2003, Heeresfliegerregiment 16 was disbanded and parts of the Heeresfliegerwaffenschule (German Army Aviation School), originally located at Bückeburg Air Base, were moved to Celle.[2] At the same time the Heeresfliegerverbindungs- und Aufklärungsstaffel 100 (Army Aviation Liaison and Reconnaissance Squadron 100) and the Heeresfliegerinstandsetzungsstaffel 100 (Army Aviation Maintenance Squadron 100) were founded.[1]

With the commencement of training flights, Celle Air Base regained instrument flight ability and Bell UH-1D helicopters were again stationed on the air base.[4]

Since having been taken over by the German Army Aviation Corps, hardly any new buildings were erected on the air base. Some had to be pulled down due to their dilapidated state or due to environmental issues: a kitchen and dining room from the time of the Berlin Airlift (the so-called Berlin Küche), the cinema, swimming pool and a petrol depot. Others have been and are being renovated and rebuilt, altering their function completely.

In October 2011 the German Federal Ministry of Defence announced a reorganisation/reduction of the German Armed Forces. As a result, Army Aviation Training Centre C will be closed and Army Aviation Liaison and Reconnaissance Squadron 100, Army Aviation Maintenance Squadron 100 and Army Aviation Squadron 109 will be disbanded. The Medical Services Squadron will be expanded into a regional medical centre. A battalion of aspirant non-commissioned officers will be based at Celle, and a centre for airborne operations will be established. However, the number of military personnel stationed at Celle Air Base will be significantly reduced from 1080 to 400.[20]

Disaster relief

Fire engines of the Bundeswehr, the Bundesgrenzschutz and volunteers at the town Eschede

In accordance with the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany statutory tasks within the borders of Germany are exclusively reserved for the German police. Only in case of an officially declared civil state of emergency is the German Army is permitted to act within the borders of Germany. Up until now there have been seven cases in which soldiers of Celle Air Base participated in such internal missions.

During the North Sea flood of 1962 evacuation and supply flights particularly in Hamburg and its surrounding areas were performed using the Sikorsky H-34 of the Heeresfliegertransportstaffel 823 (Army Aviation Transport Squadron 823).[21][22][23]

In 1975 during the catastrophic wildfire on the Lüneburg Heath the Heeresfliegerregiment 10 used its Bell UH-1D helicopters with "Smokeys", water-filled containers hung under the helicopters, for fighting the conflagration. The ground forces of the air base, particularly the airfield fire fighters, also came to the assistance of the emergency services.[22][24]

In the winter of 1978/1979 severe weather conditions resulted in a disastrous blizzard affecting the whole of northern Germany. Air traffic control at Celle Air Base in particular distinguished itself by providing around the clock radar assistance for the numerous rescue missions flown.[25]

During the huge flooding of the river Oder in 1997 and the river Elbe in 2002 and 2006 several soldiers and equipment from Celle Air Base assisted in securing the dikes although at the air base itself normal business continued.

During the Eschede train disaster on 3 June 1998 Celle Air Base was given the task of coordinating the German Army's massive rescue and salvage operation by land and air. Two of the wrecked railway carriages, parts of the rails and all relevant bogies were stored in an empty hangar at Celle Air Base until the investigation into the cause of the accident was completed.[26]

HFlgAusbZentr C

Celle Air Base is mainly used as a training airfield for prospective helicopter pilots and therefore part of the German Army Aviation School whose headquarters is in Bückeburg. The training by Army Aviation Training Centre C (Heeresfliegerausbildungszentrum C) is performed on Bell UH-1D and Bölkow Bo-105 and contains the following tasks:[1]

• training of prospective pilots in simulated emergency situations such as engine failure, autorotation, failure of rear rotor and failure of hydraulic or other systems
• retraining of pilots who had piloted only other helicopter systems
• training of prospective flight instructors
• special helicopter courses
• training of own pilots
• disaster relief

Following the reorganisation/reduction of the German Armed Forces this unit will be disbanded.

AGeoBw

The Geo-Information Service Unit Celle (Geoinformationsberatungsstelle Celle) functions predominantly as the local Met Office of Celle Air Base. The unit is responsible for weather information which is passed on to air traffic control, and weather forecasts for pilots. The unit is permanently on duty even when the airfield itself is closed. Around the clock weather observations are fed into a worldwide data system.[1][32]

HFlPlFw Celle

Celle Air Base Fire Services (Heeresflugplatzfeuerwehr Celle) is given the task of fire fighting, rescuing and technical assistance on the air base. Celle Air Base Fire Services are on 24 hours stand-by even at times when the airfield is officially closed. In case of aviation accidents or emergency situations Celle Air Base Fire Services are responsible for coordinating and instigating the initial actions on the airfield and its immediate surroundings.[1]

When the helicopter training site Scheuen is used for pilot training, a small contingent of fire fighters from Celle Air Base are temporarily stationed there.

SanStff Celle-Wietzenbruch

Medical Services Squadron Celle-Wietzenbruch (Sanitätsstaffel Celle-Wietzenbruch) consisting of general practitioners and dentists supported by two flight surgeons, are responsible for the medical care of all soldiers stationed at Celle Air Base.[1]

In case of aviation accidents or emergency situations the flight surgeons together with the fire services are responsible for the rescue of and attendance to victims.

BwDLZ Hannover

German law stipulates a separation between military tasks and civil administration within the armed forces. The garrisons are administrated by a civilian force which is responsible for the facilities by ensuring technical standards, the general maintenance of the area and its buildings, and putting the base at the disposal of the military. The administrative force (Standortservice) is stationed at the garrison and is subordinate to the German Armed Forces Administrative Service Centre Hanover (Bundeswehrdienstleistungszentrum Hannover).[1]

Evangelische Militärseelsorge

Katholische Militärseelsorge

For spiritual welfare an ecumenical chapel is available which is used alternately by a Protestant minister and a catholic priest with services being held monthly.[1] The official residence of the military chaplains (Militärseelsorger) is Hanover. They are part of the "psychosocial network of help" in cases of flight accidents and other incidents causing possible psychological trauma to the personnel involved. The network consists of flight surgeons, chaplains and members of the other social services of the German armed forces. The network attends to people affected by stressful situations related to flight incidents, their relatives as well as the rescue teams.[33]

Facilities for other religious denominations are not available.

StOÄ Celle

The garrison commander (Standortältester Celle) is the official representative of the garrison of Celle towards the city and district of Celle as well as the local press. He functions as the contact person for the civil authorities particularly in cases where assistance from the armed forces is required and for disaster relief. The garrison commander supervises all units and barracks of the German Army at Celle Air Base and its immediate surroundings. He coordinates affairs of common interest, for example the use of military exercise areas and shooting ranges.

LKdo Nds

This is a small unit consisting of only one NCO (Feldwebel für Reservistenangelegenheiten). His responsibility is the liaison between the army and the army's reservists living in the districts Celle and Soltau-Fallingbostel, particularly the organisation of information and training events for former army personnel and to support them during reserve exercises. He keeps in close contact with the Association of Reservists of the German Armed Forces (Verband der Reservisten der Deutschen Bundeswehr).[1]

The NCO for Reservist Liaisons is subordinate to Military Command Lower Saxony (Landeskommando Niedersachen).[1]

VdRBw

The Association of Reservists of the German Armed Forces (Verband der Reservisten der Deutschen Bundeswehr) is supported and financed by the state of Germany and attends to all matters concerning reservists on behalf of the German federal parliament. The association's office on the air base is responsible for the district of Celle.[1] It works in close contact with the NCO for Reservist Liaisons and offers regular events for its members and publishes a biannual newsletter.

KfAusbZentr Celle

Regardless of their previous driving qualifications members of the German armed forces need an additional driver's licence before being allowed to use a military vehicle. The Driving Instruction Centre (Kraftfahrausbildungszentrum Celle) provided training for vehicles of the classes B and BCE as well as training for driving instructors.[1]

On 31 December 2010 the Driving Instruction Centre Celle was disbanded. Its task will be taken over by other training centres.

HFlgVerbAufklStff 100

Army Aviation Liaison and Reconnaissance Squadron 100 (Heeresfliegerverbindungs- und Aufklärungsstaffel 100) performed liaison flights mainly throughout north and east Germany and took part in national and international exercises. Its tasks were:[1]

• liaison flights between units of Airmobile Brigade 1 (Luftbewegliche Brigade 1) and other units of the German Army
• VIP-flights of military personnel and politicians
• performing own exercises and taking part in exercises of other units
• rescue and reconnaissance flights
• training of own pilots
• disaster relief

Following the reorganisation/reduction of the German Armed Forces this unit was disbanded.

HFlgInstStff 100

Army Aviation Maintenance Squadron 100 (Heeresfliegerinstandsetzungsstaffel 100) was a specialised unit for maintenance of the Bölkow Bo-105. The squadron was unique within the German armed forces in that it was responsible for the entire fleet of this type of helicopter. Costly maintenance work, overhauls and repairs which units equipped with the Bölkow Bo-105 were not capable of carrying out, due to lack of either equipment or knowledge, were flown to Celle where the necessary repairs were performed. Afterwards the aircraft was returned to their home base.[1]

Following the reorganisation/reduction of the German Armed Forces this unit was disbanded in 2013.

HFlgStff 109

Army Aviation Squadron 109 (Heeresfliegerstaffel 109) was the basic military training unit for volunteers. Additionally, the squadron provided specialist military courses for soldiers destined for missions abroad.[1]

Soldiers of NCO rank intended to be used for guard duty received their theoretical and practical training in order to qualify as guard commander at Army Aviation Squadron 109.[1]

Following the reorganisation/reduction of the German Armed Forces this unit was disbanded in 2013.

Until the 1980s, members of the aristocracy, particularly of British provenience, as well as other persons of the public life[34] used the possibility to land on a military airfield where journalists and photographers have no access. The most famous of these were the "Queen Mum" Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1965,[35] Queen Elizabeth II in 1967[36] and 1984,[37] Prince Charles and Diana in 1987[38] as well as Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1965.[39]

Today Celle is only occasionally used by members of the British Royal Family for visits to the British troops stationed in Celle and Bergen[40] or for cultivating the traditional relationship between the House of Windsor and Celle originating in Sophia Dorothea of Celle.[41]

Due to the massive reduction of British forces in Germany and their redeployment out of Germany the importance of Celle for such visits has been decreasing since the 1990s. On average there are about three visits of this kind per year. Heads of states have not landed at Celle Air Base since 1984.