List

55°01'07"N 008°25'54"E

Runway: n/a - water

Seefliegerhorst List was a seaplane air station on the northern end of the island of Sylt in South Schleswig in Germany. 
The air station was first set up during World War I with reconnaissance as their primary mission. List itself did not see much action, although reports stated the doors and windows were shaking during the battle of the Skagerrag in 1916. Many dead sailors later washed up on the shores near List. Near the end of the war, in 1918, List sailors took part in the large mutiny that shook the Kaiserliche Marine.
The control over the island was subsequently taken by the Army and a civilian 'Workers patrol'. An American destroyer sailed into List Harbour to verify all aircraft had been destroyed, and left soon after.  By November 1918 most millitary had left the island.

Because of the Versailles peace Treaty all Army personnel had to leave the island, and the installations were to be demolished or converted. In July 1932 List became the starting point of pilot Wolfgang von Gronaus flight around the world in a seaplane. Shortly after the Reichsmarine and Luftwaffe began rebuilding the facilities on Sylt, including List. List again became a Seefliegerhorst, and the village expanded considerably, which can be seen to this day. Its St. Jürgen (St George) church is one of very few garrisson churches built by the Nazis. It also received an updated harbour with a large crane, barracks and several hangars and workshops.

During the war the island of Sylt was a restricted military zone. all airbases, including Hörnum were bombed by Allied formations, but most bombs missed their target, instead falling in the dunes of the sea. At the end of the war the island was taken by British forces. The island came under command of 122Wing at RAF Jever. The RAF stationed a rescue motor launch at the former Seefliegeerhorst, which served as a security for pilots during their firing exercises from Sylt Airport. Additionally it served as a range control. For a ground station it enjoyed a lot of attention from RAF ground and aircrew, as many of Sylts beaches were nude beaches of the German FKK (of course they claim to this day it was because of the motor launch). The site was abandoned sometime after 1955, when the RAF handed over control of Jever and Sylt to the Germans. The whole area is a tourist destination now.


Seefliegerhorst List around 2008