Aalborg Air Base was established along with Aalborg Airport in 1938, serving the first Danish domestic flight between Aalborg and Copenhagen. The air base was established following pressure from the
Aalborg Portland cement factory as local authorities were hesitant to invest in air traffic infrastructure. When
Germany invaded Denmark on 9 April 1940, the German
Luftwaffe launched one of the first airborne operations in history, in which
paratroopers captured the airport. Aalborg Airport was considered a crucial element in the ferrying of troops and equipment from Germany to
Norway as it acted as a refuelling base for Luftwaffe transport planes, especially
Junkers Ju 52/3m, during the
campaign. The Luftwaffe greatly expanded the airport - which they called
Fliegerhorst Aalborg West - from 140 to 2750 hectares of land. A well-known air battle took place over the airport on 13 August 1940, when a squadron of
Royal Air Force Bristol Blenheim bombers attacked the German aircraft based there. All eleven attacking aircraft were shot down by either German anti-aircraft fire or
Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter aircraft. On June 16, 1944,
Royal Air Force de Havilland Mosquitoes attacked the airfield. One of the RAF pilots, New Zealand
fighter ace Michael Herrick, was killed leading aircraft of
No. 305 Polish Bomber Squadron. His earlier service had included flying night fighters in the
Battle of Britain and two operational tours flying
Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks in the Pacific before returning to Britain to fly Mosquitoes against the Luftwaffe. After the war, an internment camp for Baltic German refugees was set up at the location. When the Royal Air Force arrived at the airport in 1945 most military and airport equipment had been destroyed. At this time the airport is by far the largest in Denmark. When the
Royal Danish Air Force was created in 1950, it took over the Fliegerhorst. == Based units ==