Meiningen: Airfield / Heliport

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!
CoordinatesN503413 E0102656 (WGS84) Google Maps
Former East Germany (GDR)District of Suhl
Federal stateThüringen (Thuringia)
Map with location of Meiningen Airfield / Heliport
Germany during the Cold War Map
The history of the Cold War airfields: Meiningen

Location of airfield

The airfield was located ca. 2 km east of Meiningen, at the Rohrer Berg hill.

During the 1920s/1930s

Use

Opened during the 1920s as civil airport

Business owner / Administrator

Stadtvorstand Meiningen, Drahtanschrift: Magistrat Meiningen

Transport companies / Airlines

Nordbayerische Verkehrsflug G. m. b. H., Nürnberg, flight dispatch Meiningen, Verkehrslandeplatz; cable address: Verkehrsflug Meiningen

Situation

Map with Meiningen airfield, Germany.
On this map from 1929, the location of Meiningen airfield, Germany, is marked

Overview

Meiningen airfield, Germany
Meiningen airfield
Aerial photo of Meiningen airfield from the 1920s
The aerial photo from the 1920s has a view approximately to the west.

Airfield characteristics at daytime

The movement area is located about 2.5 km east of the town of Meininge on the road to Suhl. White landing sign is always deployed. Windsock set up at the northeastern field corner. Field boundaries partly marked by fences.

Airfield characteristics at night

No night lighting is provided.

Runways, taxiways, aprons

Good sod on loamy limestone soil.

Runways

Shortest rolling length 400 m in direction southeast-northwest.

Telephone

Operator, administrator, fire call: Meiningen 5,
Airline, police station, ambulance station: Meiningen 546,
Doctors: Meiningen 451 and 521,
Cab call: Meiningen 285.

Fuel equipment

Dapolin tank system for 2000 k. About 140 l petrol and 160 l benzene in cans always in stock.

First aid in the case of accidents

Will be provided by police station. First aid kit available. Nearest doctor in Meiningen (2.5 km away).

Customs, post office, passport

Auxiliary postal office at the police station available.

Accommodation of passengers

In town.

Connections

No shuttle service. Taxi cabs on call at any time.

Timetable

Summer 1928

The timetable for summer of 1928 shows the following scheduled flights:
(Days: 1=Monday ... 7=Sunday)
304: Rudolstadt/Saalfeld - Weimar - Erfurt (Nord) - Meiningen - Schweinfurt/Bad Kissingen - Fürth (Atzenhof)
  • Nordbayerische Verkehrsflug G. m. b. H.:
    123456– | Rudolstadt/Saalfeld 07:20 - 07:40 Weimar 07:50 - 08:00 Erfurt 08:15 - 09:00 Meiningen 09:20 - 09:55 Schweinfurt/Bad Kissingen 10:10 - 10:55 Fürth
    Flights to Weimar on demand only
  • Nordbayerische Verkehrsflug G. m. b. H.:
    123456– | Fürth 07:25 - 08:10 Schweinfurt/Bad Kissingen 08:25 - 09:00 Meiningen 09:15 - 10:00 Erfurt 10:15 - 10:25 Weimar 10:35 - 10:55 Rudolstadt/Saalfeld
    Flights to Weimar on demand only
Departures and arrivals by time
DaysTimeDep/ArrRouteOperatorAircraft typeto/from
123456–09:00Arr304Nordbayerische Verkehrsflug G. m. b. H.Fürth - Schweinfurt/Bad Kissingen
123456–09:00Arr304Nordbayerische Verkehrsflug G. m. b. H.Rudolstadt/Saalfeld - Weimar - Erfurt
123456–09:15Dep304Nordbayerische Verkehrsflug G. m. b. H.Erfurt - Weimar - Rudolstadt/Saalfeld
123456–09:20Dep304Nordbayerische Verkehrsflug G. m. b. H.Schweinfurt/Bad Kissingen - Fürth

During World War II

Situation

Meiningen Airfield / Heliport, Germany, on a map 1944
Meiningen Airfield in World War II on a US map from 1944
Source: McMaster University Library Digital Archive, License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 CC BY-NC 2.5 CA

Overview

Meiningen airfield in World War II 1945
The airfield on 16 March 1945 - No airplanes can be seen on this section.
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
The airfield in April 1945
The airfield on 09 April 1945 - The place was probably occupied by US units shortly before.
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Runway at Meiningen
Now a runway is marked
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Vehicle convoy
Convoy of vehicles at the western border of the field
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Southwestern end of the runway
Southwestern end of the runway
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Vehicles
Vehicles
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Vehicles and aircraft at Meiningen, Germany
Vehicles and aircraft
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Northeastern end of runway, Meiningen airfield, Germany
Northeastern end of runway
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Buildings
Buildings in the north
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0

During the Cold War

Use

Base for Helicopter Squadron 16 (Hubschrauberstaffel 16. HS-16) of fomer East German border troops.
Helicopter of the East German Border Troops at Meiningen (not to scale)
Mil Mi-1 / PZL SM-1 HAREHelicopter Mil Mi-1 / PZL SM-1 HARE
Mil Mi-4 HOUNDHelicopter Mil Mi-4 HOUND
Mil Mi-8 HIPHelicopter Mil Mi-8 HIP
Mil Mi-2 HOPLITEHelicopter Mil Mi-2 HOPLITE
(Sources: Aicraft silhouettes: AirVectors / GVG, Public Domain)

In the 1960s

Overview

Meiningen Airfield, Germany, on a US satellite image 1967
Meiningen Airfield on a US satellite image from 06 June 1967
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Meiningen: Buildings
Enlargement - The buildings are located in a fenced area
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

In the 1980s and early 1990s

Runways

Dimensions: 600m x 400m

Radio beacons

There was a non-directional radio beacon with the ident WS at the field, which transmitted on medium waves. The ident is made of the first and the last letter of the radio call sign WÜSTENFUCHS (deset fox).
  • : 367,0 "WS", at field

Radio communication

The call sign of the airfield was WÜSTENFUCHS.

Telephone

Sondernetz/Stabsnetz S1: via 7444-88

Today

Use

The airfield is closed.

Overview

Old airfield Meiningen
Old airfield, about 2017
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Buildings
Enlargement
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0

Images

The following pictures were taken in october 2008, courtesy of SK. Many thanks!
Gate and buildings.
Gate and buildings.
Traffic light, antenna
Tower building? Traffic light and antenna
Northwestern building
Northwestern building
Obstacle light
Obstacle light on the roof of the building
Looking across the airfield. This picture was created out of three pictures, with the help of AutoStich (www.autostitch.net).
Landing ground

Links

Bibliography

  • Grenzdörfer, Joachim; Seifert, Karl-Dieter: "Geschichte der ostdeutschen Verkehrsflughäfen" Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Bonn, 1997 - Description of the time between 1927 and 1938, maps, aerial picture

Recommended

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