page_title: RAF Wildenrath
section_title: RAF service
hierarchical_section_title: RAF Wildenrath / RAF service
caption_attribution_description: English: A British SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1 aircraft of No. 2 Squadron RAF parked on the flight line during "Tactical Air Meet '78" at RAF Wildenrath, Federal Republic of Germany, on 15 May 1978.
context_page_description: Royal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. It opened on 15 January 1952, and was followed by RAF Geilenkirchen on 24 May 1953, RAF Brüggen in July 1953 and RAF Laarbruch that opened on 15 October 1954. RAF Wildenrath, RAF Brüggen and RAF Laarbruch were close to each other and came under the auspices of NATO's Second Allied Tactical Air Force.
context_section_description: In 1953, the Station Commander was Group Captain JE "Johnnie" Johnson – a top-scoring British "Ace" fighter pilot of the Second World War. There were two Canadair Sabre F.4 squadrons (Nos 67 and 71 Squadrons RAF), and a Sabre conversion flight. Also on site were 724 Signals Unit (Fighter control radar) 402 Air Stores Park, a unit of the RAF Regiment and an Army detachment that maintained land lines (AFS).
  On 15 Jan 1956 88 Sqdn reformed with B(I).8 Canberras at Wildenrath and was renumbered 14 Sqdn on 17 Dec 1962. (Reference 88 Sqdn history)
  From the late 1950s to 1970, Wildenrath was home to 14 Squadron and 17 Squadron; the former flew B(I).8 Canberras, and was part of the 2nd ATAF tactical nuclear strike force. The locations of their quick-readiness dispersals can still be seen to the south of the former main gate. No. 17 Squadron flew the PR.7 Canberra, and the two squadrons' "in house" T.4 training aircraft were combined into the so-called "T4 Flight" as a separate sub-unit, forming a useful additional resource for 2ATAF senior officers to use to maintain their flying hours. In the early 1960s, 88 Squadron Canberras were also based at Wildenrath. The base was also used for 'CasEvac' (emergency casualty evacuations) usually to the UK. In November 1956 the RAF operated a three day airlift to fly over 100 tons of humanitarian relief supplies from Wildenrath to Vienna for the Red Cross to distribute in Hungary during the Hungarian uprising, before the revolt was ended with Soviet military intervention.
  In 1960, the Station Commander was Group Captain "Bats" Barthold and 17 Squadron was commanded by Wing Commander Dugald "Buster" Lumsden, who accepted the squadron's colours presented by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Dermot Boyle. At this time, the commanding officer of 2ATAF (former Battle of Britain fighter pilot, Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris) had a Vickers Valetta aircraft as his personal transport, its lower fuselage and wings kept highly polished by the ground-crew of the RAF Germany Communication Flight. The aircraft was eventually declared un-airworthy due to many of its rivet-heads having been polished off. It can be seen today in the RAF Museum at Hendon, London. The RAFG Communications Flight later in 1969 adopted the identity of 60 Squadron, which had disbanded as a Gloster Javelin squadron at RAF Tengah in Singapore the previous year.
  In the 1970s, Wildenrath served as the initial home of the RAF "Harrier Force" which included Numbers 3, 4 and 20 Squadrons as well as 21(AS) Signal Regiment. In 1974-5 the Wildenrath station commander was Group Captain Patrick "Paddy" Hine, who later rose to Air Chief Marshal and Joint Commander of all British forces during the Gulf War.
  1976-77 saw Wildenrath's role within RAF Germany change as it became home to the command's air defence squadrons with 19 Squadron and 92 Squadron moving in from RAF Gutersloh, having converted from the English Electric Lightning to the F-4 Phantom and taking advantage of the Phantom's longer range. 3 and 4 squadrons went the other way, moving to Gutersloh, while 20 Squadron stood down from the Harrier, reforming at RAF Bruggen with the SEPECAT Jaguar.
  While nominally a communication and light transport squadron, 60 Squadron also had a secondary, covert, role. Initially using the Hunting Percival Pembrokes and later the Hawker Siddeley Andover from the mid-to-late 1980s, they were employed to take photographs of Soviet and East German armed forces while flying along the Berlin air corridors. It also operated DH Devon and DH Heron aircraft. In addition to its other overt and covert functions, 60 Squadron also acted as visiting aircraft flight for Wildenrath, hosting almost every type of RAF and NATO aircraft and civilian "trooper" BAC-111s and Boeing 737s.
  Wildenrath was also home to an Army Air Corps flight operating light helicopters and fixed wing aircraft such as the Westland Scout and De Havilland Beaver. The flight had its own hangar facilities on the base and various flight designations throughout its tenancy. Known initially as 12 Ind
caption: Visiting SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1 of No. 2 Squadron RAF parked on the flight line during "Tactical Air Meet '78" at RAF Wildenrath, on 15 May 1978
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