Updated 10 September 2024
Built – circa 1935
Type – Luftwaffe
Original name – Flugplatz Schleswig-Jagel
History – see link below
Home to:
B Flight 659 Air Observation Post Squadron RAF
arrived from Kiel-Holtenau 27 May 45 – moved to UK 4 Jul 45
More to follow
Source: 21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine to Mar 49
Part II
British
2710 Squadron R.A.F. Regiment ?? – 1946 (1)
297 Squadron R.A.F 1948 (4)
German
MFG 1 1958 – 1993 (2)
MFG 2 1958 – 1962 (3)
AG 51 – 1993 – Present?
(1) Disbanded at R.A.F. Schleswig Land May 1946
(2) Disbanded 1993
(3) Moved to Nordholz in 1962
(4) Part of this Squadron, using Hastings C Mark 1, took part in the Berlin Airlift delivering coal to the city. The Squadron was disbanded on 15th November 1950.
Small operational airfield to the north of Kiel and the Danish border. Came to prominence during the Berlin airlift but rapidly declined subsequently. Subordinate to RAF Sylt, closed in 1958 and facilities handed over to the German Navy (Air Arm) ( RN Fleet Air Arm equivalent).
Mr Peter Watson
At the end of the war, Schleswig-Jagel became home ground for a squadron of RAF Hawker Typhoon fighter-bombers, who moved to the airfield on 4th May 1945. From now on the RAF were owners of the airfield and it became known as RAF Schleswig Land.
No. 710 Squadron was formed at Valley on 19 December 1941, having been unnumbered from the previous April. On 1 February 1942 all RAF Regiment Squadrons had 2000 added to their numbers so it became 2710 Squadron moving to West Malling in 1942, converting to a Field Squadron in March 1943 and a Rifle Squadron in July 1944, before moving onto the continent in May 1945.
2710 Squadron disbanded at RAF Schleswigland in May 1946.
Between November 1947 and 12th June 1948 RAF Schleswigland served as the northern post in the Berlin Airbridge campaign conducted by the allies. Up to 32 four-engined heavy aircraft operated from the airfield during this period.
The Berlin Airbridge lasted for 462 days, being the largest humanitarian air transport task in history. When the operations began on June 26, 1948, probably nobody thought that by the end 2.3 million tons of supplies would have been transported into a Berlin that had been cut off by the Soviets. Finally the Russians gave up the blockade. On 12 May, the first trucks and freight trains rolled again into the city, on many of them was written: “Hurrah, we are still alive!”
In autumn 1948 the forces in Northern Germany were being reorganized, and a Norwegian brigade (482nd) from Harzen moved to Schleswig-Holstein. On 11th of April 1953 the Norwegian contingent held their closing parade on RAF Schleswigland Airfield after completing exercise VIKING II with the Danish Brigade.
The very last RAF units left RAF Schleswigland in 1958, when the airfield was handed over to the newly founded Marineflieger (MFG). Ironically, the last British aircraft to leave Schleswig-Jagel were the deHavilland Mosquitos – the former direct opponent of the last German aircraft operating at Schleswig-Jagel, the Heinkel He-219.
For further history of RAF Schleswigland click here
Information kindly supplied by Peter Pickering