Hessisch-Lichtenau

51°11'19"N 009°44'38"E

runway: 09/27 - 1000x30m - grass

Airfield Hessisch-Lichtenau is an airfield 20kilometers southeast of Kassel, Germany
The airfield was built between 1936 and 1938 as an auxiliary to Fliegerhorst Rothwesten. It was used as an outlying landing field under Luftgau-Kommando XII (Flughafen-Bereichskommando Fritzlar, from 30 March1941 Flughafen-Bereichskommando 4/XII). In September 1939 the airfield was used by 2 Group of Kampfgeschwader 4 "General Wever" (II./KG4, flying He111) to prepare for operations in Norway, the Low Countries, England, Egypt, Iraq and the Soviet Union.
Not much is known about the airfield during the war, but it was used by Flugzeugführerschule A/B 42 as a training field for gliders from September 1943 until January 1945.
The site was left abandoned after the Allies took over the airfield.


Unfortunately no pictures of the wartime airfield were found.

In 1951 a glider club (link in German) was founded at the former airfield. The club operates a small glider site on the south side of the former airfield. 
The north side of the airfield was turned into an German army barracks (Blücher-Kaserne) in November 1962. The German army has left the area, having closed its gates in November 2006. Attempts are being made to turn the former barracks into a commercial area.
The glider airfield continues to operate and is open to gliders, motorgliders and Ultralight aircraft. Light aircraft are only allowed to tow gliders.


Hessisch-Lichtenau in June 2010, with the glider site on the right, the barracks on the left, and top center the military training grounds.(source).