The
airfield in Schleswig/Jagel was founded in 1916 and has been in military use since. During the
Second World War, night fighters were based here, including the
Messerschmitt Me 262. After the end of World War II
British Air Force of Occupation took control of the field on 6 May 1945, which they called
Airfield B.164. In the summer of 1945
Hawker Typhoon Ibs of
No. 121 Wing RAF were based there. In February 1948 RAF Schleswigland became active again as a training field for transport- and glider-aircraft from other stations. RAF Schleswigland was chosen as an operating base for the
Berlin Airlift (RAF Codename Operation Plainfare) in the fall of 1948. On 11 November 1948 the first transport aircraft,
Handley Page Hastings C.1s of
No. 47 Squadron RAF arrived.
No. 297 Squadron followed later during the airlift. Civilian companies started using RAF Schleswigland to airlift fuel to Berlin, since Schleswigland was well equipped with underground fuel lines dating from German use during the war.
Lancashire Aircraft Corp. started flight on 24 November 1948 which specially converted
Handley Page Halifax/Haltons,
British American Air Services with
Handley Page Halton starting 25 January 1949,
Westminster Airways with Handley Page Halton starting 29 January 1949 and
Scottish Airlines effective 19 February 1949 with
Consolidated Liberator. On 6 October 1949 the last airlift flight operated out of RAF Schleswigland, marking the end of
Operation Plainfare. During the 1950s the 2.TTF was based at RAF Schleswigland with
de Havilland Mosquito TT.35 used for target towing. In 1955 King
Olav V of Norway visited RAF Schleswigland, since the
Royal Norwegian Air Force was using the airfield for training from time to time since the end of the Second World War. Other units: •
No. 26 Squadron RAF with the Spitfire XIV & XI during 1945 •
No. 56 Squadron RAF with the Typhoon IB during 1945 •
No. 175 Squadron RAF with the Typhoon IB during 1945 •
No. 181 Squadron RAF with the Typhoon IB during September 1945 •
No. 182 Squadron RAF with the Typhoon IB during September 1945 •
No. 184 Squadron RAF with the Typhoon IB during 1945 •
No. 245 Squadron RAF with the Typhoon IB during 1945 The
Royal Air Force closed RAF Schleswigland in April 1958 and turned the southern part of the field over to German control. In June 1958 the newly formed
German Navy based the
Marinefliegergeschwader 1, established on 12 March 1957 as Marinefliegergruppe 1 in
Kiel, in what was now known as Schleswig-Jagel. In October 1959, the northern part of the airfield was handed over from the Royal Air Force to the
German Navy. But it wasn't until November 1961 when the British left the last building at Schleswigland. (German text only) On the airfield it is a part of the major maneuver from June 12 to June 23, 2023, held under the leadership of the German Air Force
Air Defender 23 it is the greatest exercise of air forces since NATO was announced. ==Accidents and incidents==