Furstenau/Handrup Airfield

[jvmasset]

Hello!

I found this photo of a bomb strike on Furstenau airfield on the excellent site of the 303rd BG.
Considering this mission was deemed a success, with the airfield "blanketed with bombs", your positioning of the airfield on GoogleEarth is quite consistent with the main impact group on the bombing photo.

I am once again baffled by the capability of the post-war Germany to make entire airfields utterly disappear to a degree I have never seen elsewhere in Europe...look at Rheine-Hopsten for example which was a very large airbase in 1945: you will be lucky if you find even a shadowy trace somewhere in a wheat field.
The modern airbase (just closed) has a lot smaller footprint than the 1945 one and bore no correspondence whatsoever with the old one.
If one wants to visit the repository of old German airbases of WWII, go to France: from Battle of Britain forward fields to recce Ar-234 airbases in 1944 everything is still there...

[John Manrho]

Hi,

not all German airbases are as bad as Hopsten, just search for Hesepe, Vörden or Achmer and you will see what I mean.

cheers,

John.

[schwarze-man]

John, you are right that many things survive-if you know where to look. I have personally flown the "circuit" at dozens of ex-Luftwaffe bases. Many places can be found, Gutersloh, I have lived in the original (single) airman's and the officer's accomodation, got drunk in Goering's room (with the bending-beam and used his "Honkatorium"!!!!), worked in the (original) hangars and, flown (myself) from the airfield. Hanover (Langenhaven)- you can still visit the original techsite and the control tower (all to the rear of the modern airport). If you get to use the southerly runway, you are on the same ground that was used to test FW190's and Ta152's!
Best wishes, SM