Gatow Aviation Museum

As promised I’ve decided to write about a recent excursion to Gatow aviation museum otherwise known as ‘Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr’.

The airfield was constructed between 1934-35 for use by the Luftwaffe for the expressed purpose as a staff and technical training college, much like our RAF Cranwell, presumably owing to its close proximity to Berlin. Flying operations for the Luftwaffe ceased in October 1944 owing to fuel shortages. Towards the end of April 1945, during the allied advance, Gatow was in fact taken over by the Red Army but under the division agreement between the allies, Gatow was given over to Britain and in turn the Royal Air Force.

The first Royal Air Force aircraft to land at Gatow was an Avro Anson (PW698) on 2nd July 1945 at precisely 11:55. One pilot in particular flew into Gatow, Errol Barrow, who would later become the first ever Prime Minister of Barbados. Errol would in fact fly with, as navigator, Sir Sholto Douglas who was a distinguished First World War pilot and veteran of the Royal Flying Corps.    

In 1948 Gatow was brought up to speed with the construction of a 1800m long concrete runway which proved incredibly fortuitous when in 1948 it played a crucial role in the Berlin Airlift. To start with 150 DC-3s and 40 Avro Yorks were used to fly supplies into Gatow, by July the RAF were flying 995 tons of supplies per days into Gatow. Alongside the RAF, the USAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF and the SAAF all took part in keeping the people of Berlin fed.

Strangely RAF Gatow has the unique honour of being the only known operational base to be home to flying boats, which stationed themselves on the nearby Wannsee lake. Post-Berlin airlift in a civilian capacity Gatow played host to several official visits by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Gatow closed as an operational airfield for the RAF on 7th September 1994 being handed back to the Luftwaffe, 50 years since they’d last held it. Air operations ceased in 1995.

Right let’s talk aircraft, according to online sources there are 155 airframes with their inventory however on my visit I didn’t see that many. So let’s look at some of the key aircraft.     

RF-84F ‘Thunderflash’

In service between 1958-66, the Thunderflash, was designated as a reconnaissance aircraft for the Luftwaffe. 102 aircraft were operated over its service life with the Luftwaffe they would eventually be replaced by the RF104G ‘Starfighter’. The aircraft on display is EB-344 and served with Aufklärungsgeschwader 52.

SU-22M-4 ‘Fitter K’

In service between 1984-90 with the Luftwaffe, the Fitter (it’s NATO designation) was designated as a Fighter-Bomber for the East German Air Force. This particular aircraft is 613 and assigned to Jagdbomber-geschwader 77 at Laage.

MIG-23BN ‘Flogger H’

The Flogger, being a iconic soviet aircraft, is a rarity even more so when you find one of just twenty-two that were used by the East German Airforce. Operated between 1979-90 this aircraft, 710, was assigned to Jagdbomber-geschwader 31 stationed at Cottbus-Drewitz.

Hunter F.6A

Introduced into service in 1954 with the Royal Air Force, until 1980, it was designed as a Fighter-Bomber platform. This aircraft XG152 started its operational life on 26th October 1956 with 19 Squadron Royal Air Force. Despite the fact the museum display this Hunter in 4 Sqn markings there is no evidence that this airframe ever served with that squadron. The aircraft was acquired by the museum in 1993 from RAF Gütersloh where it was serving with 229 OCU.

Mirage IIIE

Operated by the Armee de L’Air, otherwise known as the French Air Force, between 1964 and 1995. It was designated as a bomber however it was capable of low-level strikes and as a tactical nuclear delivery system. The aircraft, 587 13-QL, served with Escadron de Chasse 1/13 Artois stationed at Colmar-Meyenheim in eastern France.

Canberra B.Mk.2

A good old fashioned British favourite, the Canberra was in service with the Luftwaffe between 1966-93. Just three Canberras were delivered to Germany initially as target-towing aircraft operated by Amt Für Militärisches Geowesen (Bundeswehr Geographic Office). However they did transition into performing cartography, navigational and reconnaissance duties. This particular aircraft flew surveillance missions along the inner German border during the prominent years of the Cold War. It actually landed at Gatow in 1993 and marked the very last flight of a German Canberra.

IL-28 ‘Beagle’

A really rare aircraft to see in Europe, the Beagle was the world’s first example of a jet bomber and produced in great numbers by the Soviet Union. Produced from 1947 onwards the type saw service in 1959 with the East German Army simply as a target display towing a great big airbag at a range of 2000 meters. The aircraft on display here, 208, was built in 1954 and served between 1964-82.

C-47

The C-47 played an instrumental part in the liberation of Europe and on its conclusion played a pivotal role in the survival of the German people. C-47s were heavily used during the Berlin Airlift by many nations. Cut a long story short, only certain nations could operate within the corridor that lead into Berlin. Australian pilots had to use British designated aircraft to fly those routes. In recognition of the Australian efforts the RAF played a trick on their advisories by painting this C-47 as an RAF aircraft, flew it into Gatow and then repainted it in Australian colours. This aircraft was originally built in Oaklahom, USA in around 1944, it remains in its RAF designation ZD215 to this day.

	Full list of aircraft on display
Manufacturer	Aircraft Type	Unit
Republic	RF-84F ‘Thunderflash’	Aufklärungsgeschwader 52
Fiat / Dornier	G.91 ‘Gina’	Waffenschule der Luftwaffe 50
FIAT / Dornier	G.91 R/3 ‘Gina’
OKB Suchoj	SU-22M-4 ‘Fitter K’	Jagdbomber-geschwader 77
Suchoj	SU-22 M4 ‘Fitter K’	Naval Pilot Squadron 28 ‘Red 798’
Suchoj	SU-20 ‘Fitter C’	Egyptian Air Force
Suchoj	SU-22 UM3K ‘Fitter G’	77th Fighter-Bomber Wing / 28th Naval Aviation Wing
OKB Mikojan Gurewitsch	MIG-23BN ‘Flogger’	Jagdbomber-Geschwader 31
OKB Mikojan Gurewitsch	MIG-23ML ‘Flogger’	Jagdfliegergeschwader 9
Mikojan Gurewitsch	MIG-23UB -Flogger C’	Fighter-Bomber Wing 37
OKB Mikojan Gurewitsch	MIG-15BIS ‘Fagot’	Fighter-Bomber regiment 30 ‘Ostrava’
Mikoyan-Gurevich	MIG-15 ‘Fagot’
OKB Mikojan Gurewitsch	MIG-21UM ‘Mongol B’	Jagdfliegergeschwader 8
Hawker Siddeley	Hunter F.6A
Hawker Siddeley	Hawker ‘Sea Hawk’ Mk.4
Dassault	Mirage IIIE	Escadron de Chasse 1/13
Dassult	Super Mystère B.2
North American	F-86K ‘Sabre’
North American	OV-10B ‘Bronco’
Canadair	CL-13B ‘Sabre’ Mk.6	Waffenschule 10
Canadair	CL-13A ‘Sabre’ Mk.5
Lockheed	T-33A	Flugzeugführerschule B
Lockheed	F-104G ‘Starfighter’
Aero Vodochody (CSSR)	L-29 ‘Maya’	Jagdfliegerausbildungs-geschwader 25
Aero Vodochody	L-39V
Antanow	AN-26 T ‘Curl’	Transport Squadron 24
Hunting Percival	P.66 ‘Pembroke’ C.Mk.54	Flugzeugführerschule
Nord	2501 ‘Noratlas’
Société Nationale Industrielle Aérospatiale	C-160 ‘Transall’
English Electric	Canberra B.Mk.2
English Electric	Lightning F.2A	92 Sqn
Konstruktionsbüro Michail	MIL MI-8T ‘Hip C’
Konstruktionsbüro Michail	MIL MI-8S ‘HIP C’
Konstruktionsbüro Michail	MIL MI-4 ‘Hound’	Hubschrauber-geschwader 31
Panavia	200 Tornado ECR
Casa	C-2.111B (Heinkel HE111)	Spanish Air Force
Fairey	Gannet	German Navy
Focke-Wulf	FW 190 F-8/U1	Luftwaffe
Fieseler	FI-103 (V-1)
Messerschmitt	ME-163 B	2nd Group / Fighter Wing 400
Messerschmitt	BF 108
Schulgleiter	SG-38 Glider	Replica pre-WW2 example
DeHavilland	DHC-1 Chipmunk
Albatros	Farman III	Replica
Halberstadt	CL.IV	Oldest German commercial aircraft
Iljuschin	IL-28 ‘Beagle’	East German Air Force
Bréguet	1150 ‘Atlantic’	Marinefliegergeschwader 3
Douglas Aircraft Company	C-47

As you can see there is a grand total of 48 out of the purported 155 airframes. Nevertheless a great array of unusual aircraft for a British avgeek to photograph. Gatow really is a superb museum and one that certainly should be on the radar to visit. I really want to know what were in the other 5 hangers now!