Kudelstaart

52°14'13"N 004°44'56"E

Runway - N/A - water

In January 1937 the National Aviation School announced plans to set up a civilian use waterplane center at the Westeinderplassen near Kudelstaart.
The next year the School built a large black shed with doors that open over the entire front to base a Taylorcraft Cub with floats. Plans even existed for two sheds, housing a total of four aircraft. By the end of 1938 permission was granted for test flights from the location, which took place the next summer. Permission to fly was granted by the municipality of Aalsmeer on 8 August 1939, but because of the mobilisation flying waterplanes became prohibited only 2 weeks later.

Because of the mobilisation three Fokker C-VIII W waterplanes of 4Flight (Dutch: 4e Groep Vliegtuigen, or 4GVT) from MVK De Mok arrived in September. When the unit moved from 'neutrality-stance' to 'war-stance' they were joined by 5GVT on 24 November 1939. The aircraft were dispersed and camouflaged around the lake, but when it froze over the aircraft were temporarily recalled to base. They returned in April 1940, and were declared operational on 7 May 1940. In addition the Kudelstaart unit got two brand new Fokker T-VIII W aircraft.
When war broke out on 10 May 1940 Fokker delivered another T-VIII, followed by another two on 11 May. But it was not until the 13th that they got their first assignment: a reconnaissance flight to Lake IJsselmeer. Later that day the unit received orders to fly "abroad" (meaning: to France). On the 14th, at 2am the three slow C-VIII W aircraft departed, but one got damaged beyond repair on takeoff. A few hours later the faster T-VIII Ws took off, one by one, and to avoid detection they all flew to their destination alone.


Very small image of a MLD Fokker on the ramp at Marinesteunpunt Kudelstaart


Fokker C-XI W on-board reconnaissance aircraft W-14 at the Westeinderplassen in 1939-1940, its letter W had not yet been applied
(Photo: collection Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie)

The Marine Luchtvaartdienst still operated from the Westeinderplassen in the 1950s. At least one aircraft, a Sea Otter SAR aircraft crash landed at the lake in 1952. The marina that housed the Marinesteunpunt is still in use today. The black shed that was erected by the National Aviation School existed until 2001, when it was demolished. There are no signs that reminds us of the presence of the Marinesteunpunt.


Supermarine Sea Otter ASR.1 'L-6' of the Marine Luchtvaartdienst crashed at the Westeinderplassen on 24 April 1952.


The restaurant of the Marinesteunpunt (stelling-amsterdam.nl).

Thanks to René Ros of Stelling-Amsterdam.nl and MilitairZeeburg.nl for setting me straight on some information.