Frankfurt/M: Rhein/Main Air Base, Airport
For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!
| Coordinates | N500213 E0083350 (WGS84) Google Maps |
| Federal state | Hessen (Hesse) |
| Location indicator | DDFR (195x, civ), DBRM (195x, mil), EDDF (civ), EDAF (mil) |
Germany during the Cold War Map
The history of the Cold War airfields: Frankfurt/M
Contents
Page 1: From the beginnings to the 1960s
Page 2: From the 1970s until today ← you are here
Page 3: Frankfurt Rhein-Main Air Base
In the 1970s
Situation
Rhein/Main Air Base on a map of the US Department of Defense from 1972 - (ONC E-2 (1972), Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin /PCL MC/)
Overview
Frankfurt/M Rhein/Main Airport and Air Base on a US satellite image from 03 July 1977
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Enlargement: Air Base
Enlargement: Beginning of the runways in the east
Enlargement: Terminals and Gateway Gardens housing area
Enlargement: Western end
Units
1971: 322nd TAW: 55th AAS (C-118A, C-131A), 7406th SS (C-130B-II); 7407th CSW: 7407th SS (RB-57F)
1975: 435th TAW; 601st TCW: 7th SOS (C-130E-I), 7405th OS (C-130E)
In the 1980s and early 1990s
Overview
Map from 1984 - The runway 18, which will be put into operation a few months later, is not yet shown here.
Units
1980: 435th TAW; 7575th OG: 7th SOS (MC-130E), 7405th SS (C-130E)
1985: 435th TAW; 7575th OG: 7405th OS (C-130E)
1990: 435th TAW: 37th TAS (C-130E), 55th AAS (C-9A); 7575th OG: 7405th OS (C-130E); 39th SOW: 7th SOS (MC-130E)
Additional information
EDAC: USAFE Flight Service Center, EDAE: USAFE Notam and AIS Center
Images
Air Base
Autobahn exit (1988) - Source: /National Archives/
Main Gate (1980) "United States Air Force - Rhein-Main Air Base - Gateway To Europe" - Photographer: MSGT Don Sutherland, Source: /National Archives/
Main Gate (1985) - Photographer: TSGT Patrick H. Nugent, Source: /National Archives/
Looking over the gate into direction west - Photographer: MSGT Patrick H. Nugent, Source: /National Archives/
Northeastern part of the base - Photographer: TSGT Patrick H. Nugent, Source: /National Archives/
Aerial view of the Consolidated Open Mess (1983) - Photographer: TSGT Rod Prouty, Source: /National Archives/
Looking over the base into direction northeast (1993). - Source: /National Archives/
Aerial picture from 1988 - Photographer: MSGT Patrick H. Nugent, Source: /National Archives/
Aircraft
A MC-130E Hercules, assigned to the 7th Special Operations Squadron, equipped with Fulton surface-to-air recovery system, on the runway (1983) - Photographer: Varner, Source: /National Archives/
Special Air Mission (1983) - Photographer: MASTER Sergeant Don Sutherland, Source: /National Archives/
A C-9A Nightingale of 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing and a German Air Force C-160 Transall (1986)
A C2A Sherpa prepares to take base personnel for an orientation flight (1986) - Photographer: SSGT Fernando Serna, Source: /National Archives/
C130E Hercules aircraft of the 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron (1989) - Photographer: SSGT F. Lee Corkran, Source: /National Archives/
A line of C130E Hercules aircraft of the 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron takes off for Italy (1989) - The planes will be air dropping soldiers on an Army training and evaluation program (ARTEP) mission. Photographer: SSGT Perry Heimer, Source: /National Archives/
Construction of underground shelters in 1988
Prefabricated sections of the bunker are pulled into place - Photographer: AMN Kimberly Green, Source: /National Archives/
The bunker is made of prefabricated sections - Photographer: AMN Kimberly Green, Source: /National Archives/
A nearly completed shelter with a Atlas 102 wheeled ecavator - Photographer: SGT John E. Lasky, Source: /National Archives/
Underground shelter under construction - Photographer: SGT John E. Lasky, Source: /National Archives/
Shelter under construction (28 September 1988) - Photographer: SGT John E. Lasky, Source: /National Archives/
Overview of entryways to the underground shelter - Photographer: SGT John E. Lasky, Source: /National Archives/
Others
Deicing of a C-23A Sherpa (1988) - Photographer: SGT John E. Lasky, Source: /National Archives/
A firefighter from the 435th Combat Support Group points a water canon on a P-15 fire engine - during a 2nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron C9 Nightingale egress training exercise (1984) Photographer: SSGT Fernando Serna, Source: /National Archives/
Mobile command post (1985) - Photographer: SGT Glenda K. Pellum, Source: /National Archives/
An M60A1 main battle tank in an experimental NATO camouflage paint scheme (1985) - Source: /National Archives/
Airlift memorial
Scaffolding surrounds the Berlin Airlift Memorial while under construction (01 April 1985) - Source: /National Archives/
A C47 Skytrain aircraft passes the Berlin Airlift Memorial. The aircraft will be restored and put on display at the memorial (28 March 1986) - Photographer: MSGT Patrick H. Nugent, Source: /National Archives/
Members of the 435th Organizational Maintenance Squadron and the 435th Field Maintenance Squadron paint a C47 Skytrain aircraft (01 April 1987) - Photographer: MSGT Patrick H. Nugent, Source: /National Archives/
Ceremonies on the 40th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift (23 June 1988) - Photographer: SGT Paul Tubridy, Source: /National Archives/
From the mid 1990s
In the 1990s
Images
A C141 from the 62nd Airlift Wing, McChord AFB (1995) - Photographer: A1C Lee E. Rogers, Source: /National Archives/
Planes for operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia-Herzegovina (1995) - Photographer: SRA Ken Bergmann, Source: /National Archives/
A C-17A Globemaster III of 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB (1995) - Photographer: SRA Ken Bergmann, Source: /National Archives/
Two J-STARS planes (1996) - Photographer: SGT Larry Aaron, Source: /National Archives/
Planes for the humanitarian mission in Central Africa (1996) - Photographer: TSGT Billy W. Johnson, Source: /National Archives/
C-5 Galaxy and Follow-Me car (1996) - Photographer: SRA Sean Worrel, Source: /National Archives/
A C-5 Galaxy in front of the Base Operations and the control tower - Photographer: A1C Betty M. Leonard, Source: /National Archives/
The 469th Air Base Group's Contingency Lodging building on RheinMain Air Base (1989) - There are 4 contingency lodging buildings on RheinMain Air Base, with a total of three hundred twentyfive rooms and one thousand eleven hundred and two bed spaces. Photographer: Tsgt G.M. Kobashigawa, Source: /National Archives/
In the 2000s
Images
Aircraft C-17A Globemaster III during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (2002) - Photographer: SSGT Ricky A. Bloom, Source: /National Archives/
Today
Use
International airport.
Approach and airport charts
The development of Frankfurt Rhein Main Airport / Air Base over the years can also be seen from historical maps. Here is a collection of approach and airport maps from the 1950s and 1960s:
Approach maps + aerodrome maps Frankfurt Rhein/Main
Approach maps + aerodrome maps Frankfurt Rhein/Main
Sources
Bibliography
- Ries, Karl; Dierich, Wolfgang: "Fliegerhorste und Einsatzhäfen der Luftwaffe" Motorbuch Verlag Stuttgart, 1993 - Alliierte Planskizze
Airfields in the vicinity
- 025°/9km Frankfurt/M: Rebstock Airport
- 355°/11km Eschborn: Airfield (Frankfurt-Eschborn, Camp Eschborn Army Heliport)
- 023°/17km Frankfurt/M: Bonames Airfield (Maurice Rose Army Airfield AAF, Alter Flugplatz)
- 275°/17km Wiesbaden: Air Base, Army Airfield (Erbenheim)
- 175°/20km Darmstadt: Army Airfield AAF (Griesheim, August-Euler-Flugplatz)
Categories
Military Airfields GermanyMilitary Airfields in former West GermanyAir Bases of the United States Air Force (USAF) in GermanyRecommended
Image credits are shown on the respective target page, click on the preview to open it.
Contents
Page 1: From the beginnings to the 1960s
Page 2: From the 1970s until today ← you are here
Page 3: Frankfurt Rhein-Main Air Base
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