Frutigen

46°35'20"N 007°39'21"E

runway: 03/21 - 900x40m - tarmac

Frutigen airfield (german: Flugplatz Frutigen, ICAO: LSFR) was a military airfield 43 kilometers south-southeast of Berne.
The airfield opened on 28 April 1942 and the first two aircraft to land were two Bücker Jungmann trainers. The complex was part of the Swiss National Redoubt, the Swiss stronghold fortifications in the Alps. In May 1943 construction of an asphalt 900x40m runway began. Over the following years aircraft parkings and platforms were added. The first front line unit (Fliegerkompanie 4) was assigned in September 1943.

After the war it was soon found that the runway was too short for modern aircraft. Because of the mountainous terrain its approach was too difficult. As far as I could trace the airfield was used only once by a jet aircraft. A DH Vampire landed at and started from the airfield. From then on the airfield was only used by light aviation squadrons. Regular flying from the airfield ended in September 1984 by the Leichtfliegerkompanie 2 (Light Aviation Company 2).

During the avalanche winter of 1999 Frutigen was briefly pressed back into service. A mix of civilian and military helicopters used the airfield to rescue people from the mountains and connect to cut off communities. During the operation about 500 flights were made from the airfield.
Today the airfield is property of tthe community of Frutigen and private owners. It is used for industrial purposes and agriculture.


A Puma and an Alouette of the Swiss Air Force at the airfield in 1999 (festung-oberland.ch).

The remains of Frutigen airfield in 2009 (Google Earth)