RAF Ahlhorn

Royal Air Force Ahlhorn or more simply RAF Ahlhorn, is a former Royal Air Force station located 1 mi south east of the centre of Ahlhorn, Lower Saxony and 11 mi north of Vechta, Lower Saxony, Germany.

Originally, it was a German airbase for Zeppelins. The Royal Air Force (RAF) disestablished the station and it was closed down in the autumn of 1958 and was transferred to the Bundeswehr. It was a private airport before being converted to a solar park in 2011.

First World War
Built during the First World War in the summer of 1915 for Zeppelins four large hangars were built. In two pairs, the hangars measured 240 m in length, 60 m in width and 35 m in height. The hangars were named "Albrecht" and "Aladin" (northern pair), and "Alrun" and "Alix" (southern pair). On 5 January 1918 Ahlhorn hangars explosion that destroyed the LZ 87 (L 47), LZ 94 (L 46), LZ 97 (L 51), LZ 105 (L 58), and SL 20. Fifteen killed, 134 injured.

Second World War and beyond
During the Second World War the airfield was used as an Advanced Landing Ground before becoming a permanent RAF station.

Units:
 * No. 418 Air Stores Park between 5 and 7 May 1945
 * No. 8 Section of No. 422 Aviation Fuel and Ammunition Park from 29 June 1945
 * No. 6014 Servicing Echelon between 26 September 1957 and 15 September 1958 supporting 14 Squadron
 * No. 6193 Servicing Echelon between 30 April and 8 June 1945 supporting 193 Squadron
 * No. 6197 Servicing Echelon between 5 May and 8 June 1945 supporting 197 Squadron
 * No. 6263 Servicing Echelon between 30 April and June 1945 supporting 263 Squadron
 * No. 6266 Servicing Echelon between 4 and 6 June 1945 supporting 266 Squadron
 * No. 6302 (Polish) Servicing Echelon between 16 September 1945 and 16 October 1946 supporting 302 Squadron
 * No. 6308 (Polish) Servicing Echelon between 16 September 1945 and 7 October 1946 supporting 308 Squadron
 * Ahlhorn Station Flight used Prentice T.1, Canberra T.4, Vampire T.11 & Chipmunk T.10
 * 2nd Tactical Air Force Tactical Development Unit between 18 February and 19 October 1953
 * No. 131 (Polish) (Fighter) Wing RAF between 12 September 1945 and 15 October 1946
 * No. 146 Wing RAF between 30 April and 6 June 1945

Current use
Jagdgeschwader 73 was formed at Ahlhorn and Oldenburg on 1 April 1959. Jagdgeschwader 71 of the German Air Force were to take residence from June 1959 with 50 Canadair Sabres, Germany's first operational jet fighter unit. They remained at Ahlhorn until 1961.

Solarpark Ahlhorn
From 2005 the Aircraft Maintenance Service GmbH provided services on widebody aircraft but the company went bankrupt in 2009. A number of solar panels were installed on most of the airfield converting it into Solarpark Ahlhorn. Opening in 2011 the solar panels provide, 17.5 MW. There is only one airstrip in use.