RAF Wildenrath

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RAF Wildenrath was an RAF Airbase which opened on the 15th of January 1952. Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the Royal Air Force in Germany during the early 1950s. The other stations were at Geilenkirchen, opened on 24 May 1953, Brüggen, formed in 1 May 1953 and completed in July of that year and Laarbruch, opened on 15 October 1954.RAF Wildenrath, with RAF Bruggen and RAF Laarbruch were clustered fairly closely together and came under the auspices of NATO 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force.

RAF Wildenrath housed numbers 19 Squadron, which formed at Wildenrath in October 1976, and 92 Squadron which formed there in April 1977. Both units flew F-4 Phantom II's. A communications flight was provided by 60 Squadron. Initially with Hunting Percival Pembrokes which were replaced by Hawker Siddeley Andovers in the mid to late 1980's.

In the 1960's to 1970, Wildenrath was home to No's 14 and 17 Squadrons; the former flew BI(8) Canberras and was part of the 2nd ATAF tactical nuclear strike force. The locations of their quick-readiness dispersals can still be seen to the south of the old main gate. No. 17 Squadron flew the PR7 Canberra and the two squadrons' "in house" T4 training aircraft were combined into the so-called "T4 Flight" as a separate sub-unit, forming a useful additional resource for 2ATAF senior officers to use to maintain their flying hours!

At this time the CO of 2ATAF (Ex Battle of Britain pilot Sir Cristopher Foxley-Norris) had a Valetta aircraft as his personal transport, its lower fuselage and wings kept highly polished by the ground-crew of the RAF Germany Communication Flight (who later took the colour of ex-Singapore Javelin No. 60 Squadron). The aircraft was eventually declared un-airworthy due to many of its rivet-heads having being polished off! It can be seen today in the RAF Museum at Hendon, London. In addition to its other overt and covert functions, 60 Sqadron also acted as visiting aircraft flight for Wildenrath, hosting almost every type of RAF and NATO aircraft and Civilian "trooper" BAC-111s and Boing 747s.

The Pembrokes had a second, more covert, role of taking photographs of Russian and East German forces while flying along the Berlin air corridors.

[edit] WILDENRATH TODAY

Wildenrath is now much more reduced in size. It is now an amalgamation with Javelin Barracks/Elpmt Station, near to where RAF Brüggen used to be. The site is now predominantly military. It is a community housing estate for both the Joint Heaquarters for NATO and Javelin Barracks/Elmpt Station. The old runway still exists, however, much of it is overgrown. Unlike other former RAF airbases in Germany (such as Neiderrhein) it was not turned into a commercial airport. All but one of the bigger buildings are now knocked down. The station itself still has a NAAFI. but more reduced in size; in the same location as it always was. The cinema was knocked down in late 2005. The community has a youth club, hair dresses, Pub/Club/Bar venue, Library. Until 2006, a YWCA Shop and Cafe existed; but this is now being removed as the YWCA leave the forces community.