“Ready for takeoff?” I ask, though no planes are warming up nearby at Flugplatz Werneuchen. This airfield holds stories far beyond its current quiet demeanor. Flugplatz Werneuchen is a special landing place. It sits just east of Berlin in Brandenburg. Today, it is mainly used by ultralight aircraft.
Let’s journey back to the mid-1930s. The Reich Air Ministry acquired land near Werneuchen. Their goal was to build a pilot training facility. Construction boomed between 1936 and 1937. Around 3,000 workers helped to build Flugplatz Werneuchen. The Werneuchen fighter pilot school officially opened on November 27, 1937.
Originally, Flugplatz Werneuchen didn’t have a fixed runway. Instead, planes used a 1,300-meter grass strip. Seven large aircraft hangars were constructed using reinforced concrete. They looked like the cross-section of a wing from the inside. Besides hangars, there were officer’s messes, administration buildings, and schools. The Flugplatz Werneuchen became a hub for training pilots. It trained pilots from Germany and axis-friendly countries.
During World War II, various Luftwaffe units were stationed here. In preparation for the invasion of Poland, bomber units were moved to Flugplatz Werneuchen in August 1939. From 1943 onward, night fighter units were stationed here. Tests were conducted with the FuG 200 radar in 1943 at Flugplatz Werneuchen. This radar was for fighting ships.
In April 1945, the Red Army seized the airfield. The remaining German forces fled. Then Soviet forces stationed bomber squadrons here. They flew missions against targets near Berlin.
After the war, the Soviet Army continued to use Flugplatz Werneuchen. In 1951 and 1952, major construction occurred. A concrete runway was built measuring 2,500 by 80 meters. Later, in 1953, IL-28 jet bombers arrived. Even Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev landed here in 1957.
From March to October 1971, further expansions took place at Flugplatz Werneuchen. An underground storage for nuclear weapons was built. An underground fuel depot was added too. MiG-25 reconnaissance aircraft were stationed here from 1974.
After German reunification, the Soviets withdrew. In September 1993, the Flugplatz Werneuchen was handed over for civilian use.
Today, the airfield sees limited traffic. But, its history echoes through the landscape. In the past, illegal car races took place here. To prevent them, a dividing mound was created. In 2002, a Swiss aircraft, unaware of the mound, suffered an accident upon landing.
The Aeroclub “Melli Beese” and the Ultraleichtflugschule Rosemann are active here. Many private pilots use Flugplatz Werneuchen. It stands as a reminder of its long and varied past. From Nazi training grounds to Soviet nuclear base, it is now reborn. Flugplatz Werneuchen is a place for light aviation enthusiasts.