Good morning and a good start into the new year for all of you.
I am Heinz from Germany living near Aachen in Germany and not far
from the former RAF Station Geilenkirchen, in the jargon Geilers.
I´m 56 years old and in my body is no blood but cerosene.
My interest is deepest in the RAF, its aircrafts and airfields especially Geilenkirchen at most,
Wildenrath and Laarbruch.
I visited your very good and interesting site very often as a guest. But now I like to share my
knowledge if there is interest.
My most favourite theme is RAF Geilenkirchen.
Two of dark points are some white Vulcans stayed there in the early 1960´s.
No informations tell us why and exactly when- Kuba crisis?, Berlin Wall not - at that time
Javelins of 41 Sqn were temporarely based at Geilers. Or the Canberra era when one or two
Canberras were permanent loaded with nuclear weapons under control of the US, also based there
at that time.
I am grateful about any informations and photos from Geilers at any time.
The Cuban crisis would be a reason for the Vulcan deployment but I suspect it was practiced at most RAF bases at home and abroad on a regular basis. I still think the Vulcan looks best in the white anti-flash finish.
Your post also prompted me to check if I had been past Geilenkirchen as I'm sure I went past an active airfield at some point on my tour of Northern Europe around Easter 1968. I was 12 then and it was a school organised holiday and it was very hot indeed! I think the airfield was somewhere between Sankt Goarshausen and Trier, which is too far south to be Geilenkirchen. Fond memories of that trip. I had my first hangover in Germany after buying a bottle of wine for one Mark and drinking the whole bottle on the coach!
No Amount Of Evidence Will Ever Persuade An Idiot (probably not Mark Twain)
Peter ~ We drove past five years later than you and the serving Americans with us said that it was going to be or was the main AWAC's centre for Europe.
My recollection was that it would be a part of our airspace shield protection from the Eastern Block ?
I had believed at the time we had our own AWAC's ~ could some one point to facts or the appropriate thread.
I do recall seeing a book listed on one of the military web sites about the RAF's last days at the airfield around the 1960's ?
Later during the same trip we were discussing it with the military based in Wiesbaden and they told us that every thing from from the first to last of our jet aircraft had been based their during its RAF existence ~ had a quick look through my old records but can't find any thing on the airfield yet.
Thanks for your replies so far.
The visit of the Vulcans to RAF Geilers was strange as it was
basically a fighter station and RAF Wildenrath would have been the first choose.
Vulcans were a usual visitor to Wildenrath. Remembering the airshows there
end of the 1960´s til mid 70´s.
A QRA start of four Vulcans was always impressive and the only chance to find in Germany.
The white Vulcans were mystic and yes in my opinion the finest, too.
Geilers was closed in 1968.
I am still wondering that there are no comments or written memories about
the former 92 Sqn Lightning era which took three years with the most modern jet of the RAF.
at that time.
For all of you of interest perhaps:
The first Red Arrows display on the continent was at Geilers!
As a young boy I was an eye-witness by pure chance and did not know
why a Gnat was flying so low - very very low at that time - still possible.
I saw the pilot´s head very clear turning to me when the Gnat performed a curve.
The display was not during an open day held but a rehearsal for the
Paris Aviation exhebition.
This may be one link ~ always surprised me that as a cold war front line station we never heard of it unless you happen to drive past it and then ask questions.
This may be one link ~ always surprised me that as a cold war front line station we never heard of it unless you happen to drive past it and then ask questions.
I might be unusual on here as I don't necessarily have a direct interest in airfields or aeronautics, but I am interested in the old sites. I grew up in Beeston, Cheshire where there is a WW2 fuel store. It was research into the site and the area in general that drew me here. So far a couple of guys have been in touch and helped me out. It's been great. Thankyou
Anyway, i'm 38, from Leyland Lancashire, a civil servant, interested in photography, drums, and the history of Beeston in Cheshire.
We use cookies to improve our website and your experience when using it. Cookies used for the essential operation of this site have already been set. By continuing to use this site you are agreeing to this. To find out more about the cookies we use and how to delete them, see our privacy policy.
