Air Traffic Control

Historical Detail


Lahr Airfield - Before the RCAF

Year Event
1913 Opening of an airfield for Zeppelin
1928 Designated as International Zeppelin airfield. Later used as military airfield.
1945 French military occupation at Lahr.
1946 Lahr becomes base for 1. Airforce Division, 1. CATAC (Commandement Aérien Tactique). Headquarters for the Commandement General of the French Airforce in Germany.
1952 Base for NATO Fighter aircraft.
1967 France leaves NATO. French troops withdrawn. Replaced by Canadian Starfighter Squadrons formally based at Marville, France. Headquarters and Garrison town for the Canadian NATO troops.


The French military had been in control of the airfield at Lahr since the end of the war in 1945. By 1951, it was eveident that the French military required additional space to conduct their activities. Work commenced, in January 1952, on clearing 75 hectares of forest and 204 hectares of agricultural land belonging to Hugsweir to make way for Lahr's runway extension.

It is safe to assume that the French Air Force (FAF) had many different types of jet aircraft operating from Lahr between 1956 and 1967. We do know that they obtained 60 F-86K Sabres in 1956 and these were stationed at Lahr. What is not well known is the fact that the French also operated a Squadron (EE) 1/520 of Nike missiles at Lahr between 1 July 1959 and 1 July 1960 when the squadron was moved to Mengen.



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  1. French Air Force N-2501 Nordatlas at Lahr - May 1958.
    Courtesy Plillippe Marin.

  2. French Air Force Dassault MD-454 Mystere at Lahr - May 1958.
    Courtesy Phillippe Marin.



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Updated: April 11, 2005