Söllingen: Air Base

Canadian Forces Base Söllingen, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport, Baden Söllingen

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!

Coordinates	N484646 E0080451 (WGS84) Google Maps
Elevation	405 ft
Location indicator	EDAL (1990) / EDSB (2000)

Germany during the Cold War Map

The history of the Cold War airfields: Söllingen

General

Söllingen Air Base has been built in the early 1950s as part of a plan to construct or expand 3 military airfields in the Rhein Plain by the French occupation forces. Initially, the French planned the expansion of the Baden-Baden Oos airfield. But this formed massive resistance in the city of Baden-Baden, because the status as a health resort was at risk. Finally, by the end of 1951 it was decided to build the airfield near Söllingen.

The field was then taken over by the Canadian forces, which were stationed here with various types of aircraft of the Royal Canadian Air Force and later of the Canadian Armed Forces, among others, CF-104 Starfighter and CF-18.

At the beginning of the 1990s, the Canadians left the airfield, which was later transformed into the regional airport of Karlsruhe / Baden-Baden.

During the Cold War

In the 1950s

Situation

Söllingen Air Base on a map from 1959

In the 1960s

Situation

Söllingen Air Base on a map from 1963

In the 1970s

Situation

Söllingen 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

CFB Söllingen Air Base, Germany, on a US satellite image 1977

CFB Söllingen on a US satellite image from 03 July 1977

Source: U.S. Geological Survey

In the 1980s and early 1990s

Runways

Data for the year 1990:

03/21: 2477 m x 46 m Asphalt

Radio beacons

Data for the year 1990:

NDB: 440 "SLN", at field
TACAN: CH105 "SLN", at field

Units

1990: 409 Sq, 421 Sq, 439 Sq (CF-18A/B)

Images

Exercise CHECKERED FLAG '82

Source: DoD, Scene Camera Operator: TSGT Jose Lopez Jr.

Quarters during exercise CHECKERED FLAG 1982 at Söllingen Air Base

Quarters for enlisted personnel

Shower facilities during exercise CHECKERED FLAG 1982 at CFB Söllingen

Shower facilities for male enlisted personnel

An exercise 1985

Canadian military policeman Söllingen Air Base 1985

A Canadian military policeman stands guard in a sandbagged bunker during an exercise in 1985 - Source: DoD, Scene Camera Operator SSGT Fernando Serna

Tactical Air Meet 1988

Pictures from Tactical Air Meet 88 (TAM-88), a biennial Central European live firing exercise. TAM-88 has been held at Canadian Forces Base Baden-Söllingen. Source: DoD, Scene Camera Operator: MSGT Bill Thompson.