Hahn Air Base

Last updated
Hahn Air Base
United States Air Forces in Europe.svg
Located near Kirchberg, Germany
Hahn Air Base aerial barracks 1977.JPEG
Germany adm location map.svg
Airplane silhouette.svg
Hahn AB
Coordinates 49°56′54″N7°15′51″E / 49.94833°N 7.26417°E / 49.94833; 7.26417
TypeAir Force Base
Site information
Controlled by United States Air Force
Site history
Built1951
In use1952-1994
Garrison information
Garrison 50th Fighter Wing

Hahn Air Base was a United States Air Force installation near Lautzenhausen in Germany for over 40 years. [1] The major unit was the United States Air Force's 50th Tactical Fighter Wing during most of the years it was active. In the mid-1970s, Hahn Air Base, situated 1650 feet above sea level in the Hunsrück mountains of western Germany, was home for approximately 9000 American personnel including United States Air Force, Army, DOD civilians, and military dependent family members. [2]

Contents

HISTORY [3]

Groundwork for the construction of Hahn Air Base was begun in 1951, when approximately 1280 acres of land were acquired from the French occupation forces. Construction of the runway and airdrome facilities was performed by the French.

The 7356th Air Base Squadron was designated to complete the work on the base and prepare for the arrival of the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing from Clovis Air Force Base, New Mexico· When the airplanes and crews arrived at Hahn in August 1953, it marked the first mass flight of an entire tactical wing from the United States to continental Europe - a historic step in the history of the Air Force. In the mid-1950s, Major (later Lt. Col.) Chuck Yeager was assigned as squadron commander of one F-86F Sabre aircraft squadron at Hahn. [4]

In 1956, the wing was transferred to Toul-Rosieres Air Base, France, and the 7425th Air Base Group was left at Hahn to care for the facility. During the wing's absence, the base was used to support F-102 Delta Dagger's of the 496th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, elements of another fighter bomber wing, and a tactical missile wing.

During the three years in France, the 50th Wing converted to F-100D Super Sabre aircraft and, in 1959, returned to Hahn Air Base. The 7425th Group was redesignated the 50th Air Base Group.

In 1967, the wing's 10th and 81st Fighter Squadrons began converting to the F-4C and D aircraft. The conversion was completed in 1968. That same year saw the 496th Fighter Interceptor Squadron assigned to the 50th Wing, after spending 12 years at Hahn. In 1970, the 496th was converted to F-4E aircraft, and redesignated as a Tactical Fighter Squadron, but maintained their air defense mission.

In 1971, the 81st was reassigned to another base in Germany, leaving Hahn with only two fighter squadrons, the 10th and 496th until November 1976 when the 313th Tactical Fighter Squadron was added with F-4E Phantom II aircraft.

The 50th Tactical Fighter Wing was inactivated in 1991 after 35 years at Hahn. [5] In September 1993, Hahn Air Base was turned over to the German Government. The USAF kept a radio communications site until it was deactivated in 2012. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">50th Space Wing</span> Inactive United States Air Force wing

The 50th Wing is an inactive United States Air Force wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">527th Space Aggressor Squadron</span> U.S. Space Force aggressor squadron

The 527th Space Aggressor Squadron is a United States Space Force unit assigned to the Space Training and Readiness Command. The unit traces its lineage to the 312th Bombardment Squadron (Light) constituted in 1942. It presents realistic adversary threats to US and allied military forces to improve their training for space-associated operations. It is stationed at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado. Its present form dates from its activation as part of the United States Air Force in 2000. That year it was activated as part of the Space Warfare Centre, but it was then transferred to the 57th Adversary Tactics Group in 2006. With the formation of the Space Force in 2019, the squadron was part of the second wave of transfers and reorganizations which took place in mid-2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">51st Fighter Wing</span> US Air Force unit

The 51st Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The wing has been based entirely in the Far East during its entire existence, including its combat role as the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing during the Korean War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamilton Army Airfield</span> Closed U.S. Army/Air Force base in Marin County, California

Hamilton Field was a United States Air Force base, which was inactivated in 1973, decommissioned in 1974, and put into a caretaker status with the Air Force Reserves until 1976. It was transferred to the United States Army in 1983 and was designated an Army Airfield until its BRAC closure in 1988. It is located along the western shore of San Pablo Bay in the southern portion of Novato, in Marin County, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Air Force Base</span> Former US Air Force base in California

George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">35th Fighter Wing</span> Military unit

The 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The wing is part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF)'s Fifth Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seventeenth Expeditionary Air Force</span> Former numbered air force of the United States Air Force

The Seventeenth Expeditionary Air Force was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force located at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The command served the United States Air Forces in Europe during (1953–1996) and United States Air Forces Africa during 2008–2012. Upon reactivation on 1 October 2008, it became the air and space component of United States Africa Command. In this capacity, Seventeenth Air Force was referred to as U.S. Air Forces Africa (AFAFRICA). 17 AF was reformed in April 2012 to become the 17th Expeditionary Air Force, sharing a commander and headquarters with the Third Air Force. As of March 2022, the Third Air Force is USAFE-AFAFRICA's sole numbered air force, with the 17 EAF having been inactivated in July 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">81st Training Wing</span> Military unit

The 81st Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. The 81st Training Wing has the Air Force's largest Technical Training Group and trains more than 40,000 students annually. Training includes weather, basic electronics, communications electronic systems, communications computer systems, air traffic control, airfield management, command post, air weapons control, precision measurement, education and training, financial management and comptroller, information management, manpower and personnel, radar, ground radio, and network control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">86th Airlift Wing</span> US Air Force unit

The 86th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force wing, currently assigned to the Third Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. The 86th AW is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">146th Air Refueling Squadron</span> Unit of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard

The 146th Air Refueling Squadron is a unit of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard 's 171st Air Refueling Wing located at Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania. The 146th is equipped with the KC-135T Stratotanker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">81st Fighter Squadron</span> Inactive squadron of the US Air Force

The 81st Fighter Squadron is an inactive squadron of the United States Air Force. It was last assigned to Air Education and Training Command, stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia as a geographically separate unit of the 14th Operations Group, 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. The squadron last operated the A-29B Super Tucano aircraft, conducting close air support training for allied nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">496th Tactical Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 496th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe, 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, being stationed at Hahn Air Base, Germany. The squadron was inactivated on 15 May 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">10th Flight Test Squadron</span> Military unit

The 10th Flight Test Squadron is part of the 413th Flight Test Group of Air Force Materiel Command based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It performs acceptance testing on refurbished Rockwell B-1 Lancer, Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, Boeing E-3 Sentry, and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft before they are returned to their units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">526th Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 526th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 86th Operations Group, based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It was inactivated on 1 July 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">566th Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 566th Air Defense Group is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the 28th Air Division at Hamilton Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as the 566th Air Service Group, a support unit for a combat group at the end of World War II but never deployed before it was inactivated in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">81st Fighter-Bomber Group</span> Military unit

The 81st Fighter-Bomber Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 81st Fighter-Bomber Wing at RAF Bentwaters, England. It was inactivated on 8 February 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">50th Operations Group</span> Military unit

The 50th Operations Group was a subordinate unit of the 50th Space Wing, and assigned to Air Force Space Command from 1991-2019. The group, redesignated as Space Delta 8 on 24 Jul 2020 is stationed at Schriever Space Force Base, previously Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">36th Operations Group</span> Military unit

The 36th Operations Group is the operational component of the 36th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces. The group is stationed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">509th Tactical Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 509th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 10th Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Alconbury, England, where it was inactivated on 30 December 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">313th Tactical Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 313th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing and stationed at Hahn Air Base, Germany.

References

  1. ↑ "German mayor, commanders celebrate 50th SW heritage". Air Force Space Command.
  2. ↑ Hahn Air Force Base new personnel welcome pamphlet November 1974
  3. ↑ Hahn Air Force Base new personnel welcome pamphlet November 1974
  4. ↑ YEAGER – An Autobiography – General Chuck Yeager & Leo Janos, Bantam Books, July 1985
  5. ↑ "Linking a proud 50th heritage > Schriever Air Force Base > Features". www.schriever.af.mil.
  6. ↑ News Release No. 811-11: DOD Announces Return of Facilities in Germany, 22 Sep 2011 - DOD News Release 22 Sep 2012
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.