Reichenbach military airfield
| Reichenbach airfield | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Characteristics | |
| ICAO code | LSGR |
| Coordinates | |
| Height above MSL | 723 m (2372 ft ) |
| Transport links | |
| Distance from the city center | 0.5 km southwest of Reichenbach im Kandertal |
| Basic data | |
| operator | Reichenbach Airport Cooperative |
| Start-and runway | |
| 04/22 | 900 m × 40 m asphalt |
The Reichenbach military airfield ( ICAO code LSGR ) was a military airfield in Reichenbach in the Kandertal in the Swiss canton of Bern . The former Reduit airfield belonged to the Swiss Air Force until 1997 and has been operated civilly since then.
history
When the army withdrew into the Reduit, various airfields were located outside the Reduit's defensive limits. Reduit airfields had to be built as a replacement under great time pressure and effort: in the Bernese Oberland the airfields Saanen , St. Stephan , Zweisimmen , Reichenbach, Frutigen , Interlaken and Meiringen and in Valais Turtmann , Raron , Ulrichen and Münster .
In the spring of 1943 construction began (mostly by hand), and in the same year the airfield just before the military airfield in Frutigen went into operation. The airfield had a 900 meter long asphalt runway, a wooden hangar, eight U-43 aircraft shelters, five light bunkers (bunkers for close-range defense) and seven splinter defenses.
The command system A 1980 is located in Kien (a simply expanded tunnel, which at times served as a command post for Aviation Division 2, with a "watchtower" above) and several large underground storage facilities for aviator ammunition, etc.
After the active service, the place became a light air base (Pilatus Porter and helicopter). Since August 1963, the flight group Reichenbach has used the field for civil flight operations (civil shared use). The Swiss Aviation School held courses. The Flugwaffe's pilot school was last hosted in 1994 with Super Puma and Alouette helicopters. The military airfield was retired in 1997 as part of Army 95 .
Flying companies 5 and 8 were stationed in Reichenbach.
The Reichenbach airfield cooperative has been the owner of the civilian airfield since 2002. In 2004 the new hangar was inaugurated as a replacement for the wooden hangar that burned down with four aircraft in 2001.
literature
- Hans Rudolf Schneider: 70 years of the St. Stephan Réduit airfield. Brochure for the airfield festival on August 25, 2012 with a brief description of the Bernese Oberland Réduit airfields . Publisher: Hunterverein Obersimmental with HS publications, Frutigen 2012.
Web links
- Official website of Reichenbach airfield
- Hunter Association Obersimmental
- Hermann Keist: Decommissioned military airfields
Individual evidence
- ^ Hermann Keist: Decommissioned military airfields
- ^ Hans Rudolf Schneider: 70 years of the St. Stephan Réduit airfield. 2012
- ^ HS publications: publishing house for publications on Swiss fortifications, bunkers and fortresses, Frutigen