page_title: Schleswig Air Base
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Schleswig Air Base / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Aerial view of Schleswig Air Base
context_page_description: Schleswig Air Base is an airbase of the German Air Force, home to Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 "Immelmann" flying reconnaissance variants of the Panavia Tornado. It was formerly known from c.1945-1958 as RAF Schleswigland in Royal Air Force use.
context_section_description: 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 1 November 1948 the first transport aircraft, Handley Page Hastings C.1s of No. 47 Squadron RAF arrived, which started flights to Berlin on 11 November. No. 53 and No. 297 Squadron followed later during the airlift. Civilian companies started using RAF Schleswigland to airlift fuel to Berlin, since Schleswigland was well equipped which 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. 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)
caption: Aerial view of the airfield
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