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Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base was established in 1935, and was the pride of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Field Marshal Herman Goering is said to have taken a deep personal interest in establishing an air force traning base for the German Air Force and modeled Fürstenfeldbruck on Randolph Field, Texas.

The RAF and USAAF understood that Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base was being used extensively as a training base, and believed it to be of little strategic importance. Consequently it escaped bombing until the later stages of the war, and then it was attacked severely.

Allied reprisal bombing began to desolate many German cities in 1944 and in October the Luftwaffe leaders rushed work to extend Fursty's runways long enough for fighter aircraft takeoffs. Thousand of slave laborers are said to have "expedited" this project and as the war neared its final critical stages the Luftwaffe was able to mount fighters from the Base. That, however, provoked the Allies to make the only serious bombing raid on the field.

Fifty direct hits were made on the field the afternoon of April 9, 1945 when 338 B-17's of the 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force, unleashed 867 tons of bombs on the runways, hangers, repair shops, and other facilities.

Fürstenfeldbruck was occupied by American forces in late April 1946, and at first was the home of an engineering batallion.

10th Tactical Reconnaissance Group/Wing

In April 1947 the United States Army Air Force stationed the l0th Tactical Reconnaissance Group at Fürstenfeldbruck, flying RB-26 and RF-80 aircraft.

During January 1952 the 117th Tactical Fighter Wing, 157th TRS from Toul-Rosieres Air Base, France, deployed RF-80s to Fürstenfeldbruck . Toul AB in 1952 was not ready for aircraft as the base consisted of a sea of mud, and the new jet runway was breaking up and could not support safe flying. The Wing commander of the 117th deemed it uninhabitable and it's flying squadrons of the wing were dispersed to West Germany.

In July 1952 the 117th TFW was absorbed by the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. However, the flying conditions at Toul were still unacceptable and the aircraft remained at Fürstenfeldbruck until 9 May 1953 when the 10 TRW was moved to Spangdahlem AB in Germany as part of a USAFE reorganization.

36th Fighter-Bomber Wing

F-80B 49-1007 of the 36th Fighter Wing, Fürstenfeldbruck AB - 1950. This aircraft was part of the USAFE "Skyblazer" aerial demonstration team.

On 13 August 1948 the 36th Fighter Wing was assigned to Fürstenfeldbruck. the 36th was the first USAF all-jet unit in Europe, flying 16 F-80A/Bs.

In May 1949, HQ USAFE authorized the 36th Fighter Group to form the "Skyblazers" aerial demo team to perform at European and Mediterranean area air shows. The new USAFE Skyblazers team from Fürstenfeldbruck AB made its first-ever performance in October 1949 at RAF Gütersloh in the British zone of then-occupied Germany.

On 20 January 1950, the 36th FW was redesignated as a Fighter-Bomber Wing (FBW) and began flying Republic F-84E Thunderjets that fall.

The 36th FBW remained at Fürstenfeldbruck until 1952 when it was reassigned to Bitburg Air Base, west of the Rhine.

After the departure of the 36th, various units temporary used Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, until it was turned over to the postwar German Air Force in October 1957.

German Air Force Use

Since 1957, Fürstenfeldbruck FFG has been the home of the German Air Force Officer Training School. Various aircraft operated from the base until 1997 when all fying was halted.

Today, Fürstenfeldbruck hosts the following units:

First Air Force division
Officer school of the Air Force,
Aeromedical Institut of the Air Force,
School for military geophysics

References

Endicott, Judy G., USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Office of Air Force History

Maurer Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, Office of Air Force History, 1983

Ravenstein, Charles A., Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977, Office of Air Force History, 1984

External Links

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-'''Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base''' was established in [[1935]],  and was the pride of the Luftwaffe during [[World War II]] and was more than once been called the "world's finest air base".  It was occupied by American forces in late [[April]] [[1946]], and at first was the home of an engineering batallion.
+'''Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base''' was established in [[1935]],  and was the pride of the [[Luftwaffe]] during [[World War II]].  Field Marshal Herman Goering is said to have taken a deep personal interest in establishing an air force traning base for the German Air Force and modeled Fürstenfeldbruck on Randolph Field, Texas.
+The RAF and USAAF understood that Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base was being used extensively as a training base, and believed it to be of little strategic importance. Consequently it escaped bombing until  the later stages of the war, and then it was attacked severely.
+Allied reprisal bombing began to desolate many German cities in 1944 and in October the Luftwaffe leaders rushed work to extend Fursty's runways long enough for fighter aircraft takeoffs. Thousand of slave laborers are said to have "expedited" this project and as the war neared its final critical stages the Luftwaffe was able to mount fighters from the Base. That, however, provoked the Allies to make the only serious bombing raid on the field.
+Fifty direct hits were made on the field the afternoon of April 9, 1945 when 338 B-17's of the 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force, unleashed 867 tons of bombs on the runways, hangers, repair shops, and other facilities.
+Fürstenfeldbruck was occupied by American forces in late [[April]] [[1946]], and at first was the home of an engineering batallion.
 === 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Group/Wing ===