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| RAF Celle | |
|---|---|
| Name | RAF Celle |
| Location | Celle, Lower Saxony, Germany |
| Coordinates | 52.646, 10.077 |
| Type | Royal Air Force station / British Army airfield |
| Used | 1945–1994 (RAF), 1994–present (German Army Aviation Corps) |
| Occupants | Royal Air Force, British Army of the Rhine, German Army Aviation Corps |
RAF Celle RAF Celle was a Royal Air Force station located near Celle in Lower Saxony, Germany, established in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War and later transferred to British Army control before returning to German use. The airfield played a significant role in occupation duties, air transport, tactical support for Allied forces, and Cold War deterrence in coordination with NATO and British military commands. Over decades the site hosted multiple squadrons, diverse aircraft types, and served as a focal point for Anglo-German aviation cooperation, later evolving into a civilian and preservation hub.
The site began as a Luftwaffe installation tied to Operation Barbarossa, later seized during the Western Allied invasion of Germany and repurposed under British Army of the Rhine administration. During early occupation years the station supported Berlin Airlift-era logistics and Cold War reorganization overseen by Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and British Forces Germany. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s the base hosted rotating units from Royal Air Force, contributing to NATO deployments during crises such as the Berlin Crisis of 1961 and tensions surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1977 control shifted to Army Air Corps (United Kingdom) elements under the umbrella of British Army of the Rhine, reflecting doctrinal changes in British aviation strategy. The 1990s post-Cold War drawdown, influenced by the Options for Change defence review, led to phased withdrawal of RAF assets and eventual transfer to the Bundeswehr and German civil authorities.
Celle accommodated a succession of RAF squadrons including temporary detachments from No. 18 Squadron RAF and units associated with No. 38 Group RAF and No. 46 Group RAF for transport and airborne support. Army aviation units operating at the station included elements of 1 Regiment Army Air Corps and squadrons deploying Westland Wessex and Westland Lynx helicopters for reconnaissance, liaison, and tactical supply under orders from I (British) Corps. The airfield supported parachute training coordinated with British Parachute Regiment elements and airborne exercises tied to Exercise Reforger and other NATO maneuvers. Logistics and maintenance units from Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and RAF Regiment detachments provided ground support, force protection, and technical servicing. Liaison with Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm detachments occurred periodically for joint training and amphibious support simulations.
The airfield featured runways and taxiways upgraded during reconstruction projects overseen by Royal Engineers. Primary runway materials were reinforced concrete and asphalt to support tactical transports like Handley Page Hastings and jet types such as the Gloster Meteor. Hangars included blister and Bellman types supplemented by permanent steel-framed structures dating from Allied modernization efforts funded under NATO infrastructure programs administered via NATO Infrastructure Committee. On-site facilities comprised control towers influenced by Military Air Traffic Control standards, fuel storage conforming to NATO fuel handling protocols, and ammunition storage areas regulated by Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units. Billeting and administrative blocks were adapted from preexisting Wehrmacht barracks renovated under directives from British Army of the Rhine headquarters.
Aircraft operating from the station ranged from piston transports and early jets to rotary-wing platforms. Notable fixed-wing types included the Douglas Dakota, Vickers Valetta, Handley Page Hastings, and jet trainers such as the Gloster Meteor and light transports used by No. 2 Squadron RAF attachments. Helicopter operations featured Westland Wessex, Westland Lynx, and later Bölkow Bo 105 platforms under Army Air Corps and Bundeswehr service. Ground equipment encompassed GMC CCKW-type logistics vehicles in early years, specialized recovery vehicles from Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and radar/communications suites supplied by contractors working with Royal Signals elements.
The station formed part of the British contribution to NATO's northern flank, integrated into contingency plans managed by Allied Command Europe and supporting force projection for Northern Army Group. Its proximity to Cold War flashpoints made it a staging base for tactical airlift in crises such as the Berlin Blockade aftermath and exercises designed to reinforce NATO deterrence posture. Coordination occurred with multinational formations including units from Bundeswehr, United States Army Europe, and other NATO members during combined operations and logistics interoperability trials under standards emerging from Treaty of Brussels-era cooperation and subsequent NATO protocols.
Following military drawdown, parts of the airfield were repurposed for civilian aviation, industrial use, and heritage preservation initiatives led by local authorities in Lower Saxony and civic organizations in Celle (district). The site hosts aviation museums and restoration groups showcasing rotary and fixed-wing types linked to the station’s history, collaborating with institutions such as Deutsches Museum-affiliated curators and private collectors. Redevelopment projects integrated former military buildings into commercial and cultural uses, guided by regulations from Bundesdenkmalamt-style heritage bodies and municipal planning authorities.
Over its operational life the airfield experienced a number of incidents typical of sustained military aviation activity, including non-fatal runway excursions, forced landings involving types such as the Douglas Dakota and Westland Wessex, and ground handling accidents investigated by Air Accidents Investigation Branch-equivalent military inquiry panels. Notable events prompted procedural changes in maintenance regimes overseen by Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and safety reviews coordinated with Royal Air Force operational standards and NATO airworthiness guidance.
Category:Former Royal Air Force stations in Germany Category:Airports in Lower Saxony