Clutch Airfields Name?

Why were the "clutch airfields" in West Germany so named?
They were all newly constructed in the early 1950s, right at the western-most bit of West Germany -- . Wildenrath, Geilenkirchen, Brüggen and Laarbruch.
Was it because they were a "clutch" (as in bunch) of new airfields, in a fairly tight group?
Anyone have any insights?

You're quite correct. Indeed, I have that very paper, as well as Bill Taylor's longer Royal Air Force Germany Since 1945 (2003). Both describe them, but do not provide an explanation for the name.
I have always presumed that the name was simply because they were a "clutch" -- as in a small tight group -- all built together in the rush of early 1950s airfield construction at the NATO integrated force's birth.
Looking for any confirmation or correction of that interpretation...

Let me add, that I am a serving RCAF officer, currently posted to a jammy NATO billet in Italy, and I am doing research on the history of NATO's tactical air forces for my PhD dissertation.

Cheers,

Paul Johnston

Youve answered your own question, its because they were in a clutch. Bruggen and Wildenrath were v close together.

As far as I'm aware, the name 'clutch' was adopted for ATC reasons.
With so many airfields grouped closely together (there were GAF airfields like Gielenkirchen and Norvenich in there too) all with 'fast jet' traffic it was thought safer to combine the approach control for all the airfields under one roof, so a control 'centre' was set up at ( I believe) Dussledorf to fulfil this function, it being called 'Dusseldorf Clutch ATC'.
When Farnborough civil traffic joining and leaving the airways system built up in the early '90s and traffic fo/from other local airifleds wishing to do the same also increased, we (Farnborough) were delegated responsibility by LondonTerminal Control Centre (LTCC) for handling/co-ordinating/streaming this traffic from/to Farnborough, Odiham, Dunsfold, Lasham, Blackbushe and Fairoaks .
I was ATC Ops Manager at Farnborough at the time and was responsible for implimenting this system which was originally called the Farnborough 'clutch' by LTCC Ops but has now been re-named rhe 'Farnborough Group'.

Clutch (or as we called it at Gutersloh crutch) was RAF manned until the late seventies.

And welcome to the site Paul.

Until 1968 Geilenkirchen was RAF. And until the NATO E3force moved in I dont think the airfield had much use.