Thanks for that PerfectPic Co.,
I was hoping that other Forum-users might join in and share their photos. I too visited a dissused (or rather destroyed) airfield in this area which was known as Fliegerhorst Venlo-Herongen. From, 1941 onwards Venlo-Herongen was home of the I.NJG1, the first Nightfighter-squadron with their all-black Bf110s. In January 1944 65 aircraft were stationed here, of which 37 belonged to I.NJG1. These included one Do217N, 4 He219H-O, two JU88R-2 and twenty Bf110G-4. Before the war ended even the rocket-fighter Me163 was stationed in Venlo-Herongen as well as the He111 bomber equiped with the V-1. On February 26th 1944 USAAF Marauders flew the first air-raid against Venlo-Herongen. The Nazis later gave the air base up and destroyed most of what was left before retreating.

Here’s a Google_earth-view of the site today. The runways can still be made-out. The ruins of hangars and barracks are on the German side of the former airfield; the runways are on the Dutch side. Today the site is known as the “Groote Heide” in Dutch which means large meadow. There are a number of sign-Posts everywhere describing the area to visitors.

The numbers Show where the following Pictures were taken. Though I was there all afternoon yesterday I spent most of the time on the airfield.

Picture 1. We are now looking down one of the main runways. The tarmac has long since gone but most of the space is still very open. You can tell why this area was chosen for use as an airbase.

Picture 2. Part of the site is being used by a local Gliding-Club. Their grass-Strip is next to one of the former runways.

Picture 3: We are now looking across the beginning of the main runway I came here on. It thrills me to think that years ago all-black Dornier 217s; Ju 88s; Bf 110s began their take-off run right here! Even the rocket-propelled Me163 took off on their few and futile missions from here.

Picture 4: Here’s one of the hangars now used by the Gliding-Club. The rear wall of one of the Nazi hangars is still standing behind it. The concrete floor is still the original floor of the German Hangar.

Picture 5: I have to admit this isn’t one of the pictures I took yesterday. This is one of the so-called Rundbogen-Halle (Semi-circle-Hangar) of which quite a few can still be seen, but this one here is far and away the best preserved. Built to shelter Night-Fighters that have Long since vanished, nature is taking over. Guided tours are being held here several times a month. The next one is in mid-November. I’m definatly back. The wooded area is full of destroyed barrack buildings. Part of the Officers’ Quarters are still untouched and still being used. One of the large surviving buildings is still being used as a School but most of the site is destroyed. Visitors that don’t know that this was a former airfield wouldn’t even recognize the area as one.

Peter

Fascinating post Peter – please let’s have some more!

I used to drive around Venlo when posted at RAF Laarbruch – just didn’t realise at the time this was on my doorstep.

Looking at the airfield site on Google maps there appears to be a number of bomb craters still existent – is that correct?

Thanks
Nick