Last november, out of sheer boredom, I began building a website on my home webserver (see the link in my signature) about abandoned and lesser known airfields in Europe, much like the one by Paul Freeman in the US. In the past 3 months I’ve made good progress (if I may say so myself) reaching 180 until this afternoon.
I’m getting a bit worried though. I knew in advance there would be a lot of airfields in Germany (I’m currently counting close to 500), and I know there’s at least that amount in the UK. I’m fine with that idea, and I know it took Paul a decade to get where he is now, so I have plenty of time. But today I realised: I have not even begun to look in other large European countries, like France, Spain, Italy, Poland and the former Soviet states.
Can anyone give me an educated guess on what is still ahead of me?
By: scotavia - 11th March 2012 at 13:07
GFR , the Brandis IL2 listed as a replica here…
http://www.16va.be/gate_guardians.html
By: scotavia - 11th March 2012 at 13:07
GFR , the Brandis IL2 listed as a replica here…
http://www.16va.be/gate_guardians.html
By: Lyffe - 11th March 2012 at 10:35
Ronald
For the UK try this website – http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/ – not saying it’s complete by any means but it’s a darned good place to start. Also http://www.controltowers.co.uk/ .
By: Lyffe - 11th March 2012 at 10:35
Ronald
For the UK try this website – http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/ – not saying it’s complete by any means but it’s a darned good place to start. Also http://www.controltowers.co.uk/ .
By: GFR - 11th March 2012 at 06:07
Ronald,
You have an excellent web site that has obvioulsly taken a lot of effort to collate. What has happened to the abandoned Sturmovik that is shown in the fourth photo at Brandis in 2008?
http://www.ronaldv.nl/abandoned/airfields/GE/Saxony/leipzig.html
Regards,
Geoff
By: GFR - 11th March 2012 at 06:07
Ronald,
You have an excellent web site that has obvioulsly taken a lot of effort to collate. What has happened to the abandoned Sturmovik that is shown in the fourth photo at Brandis in 2008?
http://www.ronaldv.nl/abandoned/airfields/GE/Saxony/leipzig.html
Regards,
Geoff
By: RonaldV - 19th August 2011 at 21:44
Several months have passed, and I am now nearing 500 airfields. Not too bad, if I may say so may self. 😀 I am running into trouble occasionally: Europe has sooo many languages, it is sometimes pretty hard to find the information you’re looking for. And to add to the confusion some airfields were built by the Austrians in Czechoslavakia, taken over after Münich by the Germans, conquered by the Americans, handed over to the Russians, and now property of the Czech Republic. Or built by the Royal Air Force in France, conquered and used by the Germans, liberated and used by the Americans, handed over after the war to the French, who may have given it back to Americans until they kicked them out in 1967.
I now have a similar one: The Foggia Airfield Complex was first set up by the Italians, then the Germans began using it too until they were driven out by the British and Americans. The following photo was sent to me by the son of an American bombardeer that flew from the complex, and he would like to know which airfield it is. He sent me several actually, but this is one I’m having trouble with. A little background info: The bombardeer was a member of the 301st BG/32nd BS flying out of Lucera. This happens to be one of the airfields I have been unable to locate, so it would be perfect if there was a match. In the large version there are B-17s on the ‘black’ taxitrack parkings, and B-24s on the ‘white’ ones, so it would make a match there too. He has sent me photos of other fields too however, and Lesina is not the only airfield I have not located yet.
There is even a possibility that the airfield is not part of the Foggia Airfield complex, but at another location (even outside Europe). If so, I’d like to know which one. Your help would be greatly appreciated. 🙂
By: RonaldV - 18th February 2011 at 22:10
Progress update: the site has now officially passed 200 airfields! 😀
By: RonaldV - 13th February 2011 at 20:03
I was bored today, so I opted to take a small country, and add all their airfields (safe for the international airport). I think I have Malta complete now. 🙂
By: RonaldV - 8th February 2011 at 23:22
When you do get to East Europe and the Baltic state have a look at AiX/Overseas Airfields/Airfields of Europe …on about 3 pages back you’ll find downloadable KMZ (Google Earth ) files for the Baltic States ,Poland,Czech, Slovak and some Russian fields that I placed there .
Thanks, I will certainly do that!
By: RonaldV - 8th February 2011 at 23:19
If you ever come to the point in covering Estonia: During our holiday (2010) I visited the once very, very secret Raadi Airbase north of Tartu and took some pictures there. Some runway pics and some of the old revetments. Also the Control tower.
PM me your email and I can mail them to you if you like.
Tillerman.
That would be great, thank you. PM is on i’s way 🙂
By: daveg4otu - 7th February 2011 at 19:16
When you do get to East Europe and the Baltic state have a look at AiX/Overseas Airfields/Airfields of Europe …on about 3 pages back you’ll find downloadable KMZ (Google Earth ) files for the Baltic States ,Poland,Czech, Slovak and some Russian fields that I placed there .
By: Tillerman - 7th February 2011 at 17:28
If you ever come to the point in covering Estonia: During our holiday (2010) I visited the once very, very secret Raadi Airbase north of Tartu and took some pictures there. Some runway pics and some of the old revetments. Also the Control tower.
PM me your email and I can mail them to you if you like.
Tillerman.
By: RonaldV - 6th February 2011 at 20:25
Thank you all for the complliments, they’re a great motivator! 🙂
By: Chris D - 6th February 2011 at 20:12
Very interesting site and not over technical, I look forward to watching the progress of this site growing.
Well done
Chris Davies
By: Atcham Tower - 6th February 2011 at 19:45
That will grow into a very interesting site, Ronald, keep going with it!
By: RonaldV - 6th February 2011 at 19:19
Re France – you need to have a look at the Anciens Aerodromes website , altho’ right now the site seems to be having problems.
http://www.anciens-aerodromes.org/
Ah, thanks, that will be a helpful one. 🙂
No – just locations where at some time during the last 200 years or so, intrepid and often foolhardy aviators have leapt fearlessly into the air!…in other words …Aerodromes both land and water,airfields, airstrips, private strips, helipads, heliports, balloon sites and airship sites.
With the exclusion of helipads and balloon sites (there are simply too many) that is about my list of interest. I might add them at a later time, but for now I think I have my hands full with the ‘restricted’ list I’m working on already. 🙂
By: daveg4otu - 6th February 2011 at 19:11
Re France – you need to have a look at the Anciens Aerodromes website , altho’ right now the site seems to be having problems.
http://www.anciens-aerodromes.org/
Aeronautical, does that include radar and air defense missile sites?
No – just locations where at some time during the last 200 years or so, intrepid and often foolhardy aviators have leapt fearlessly into the air!…in other words …Aerodromes both land and water,airfields, airstrips, private strips, helipads, heliports, balloon sites and airship sites.
By: RonaldV - 6th February 2011 at 18:57
How soon is your list for France coming onto your website?
I plan to begin on France by March. I know I will not have Germany complete by then, but my aim is not completeness yet. I just want to make an enjoyable site.
Are you looking for any specific area? At the moment I just have some airfields along the Belgian border in my sights.
By: avion ancien - 6th February 2011 at 18:52
How soon is your list for France coming onto your website?
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February 6, 2011 at 4:48 pm