Prenzlau

53°18'57"N 013°52'45"E

Runway n/a - flying field - grass

Airfield Prenzlau (German: flugplatz Prenzlau, also known as Fliegerhorst Prenzlau) was an airfield 93kilometers (58Mi) north-northeast of Berlin, Germany.
It was one of the first airfields of the Nazi-Luftwaffe, who used the airfield in their attack on Poland. At varying times between November 1938 and October 1939, it was home to Stab./, 1./, 2./, 3./ and 4./Aufklärungsgruppe 121 flying Do17P reconnaissance aircraft. From November 1940 it became home to Pilot School (Flugzeugfuhrerschule) A/B 120. The school was renumbered to 12 in June 1943, and remained at Prenzlau until February 1945.
Between November 1944 and March 1945 IV./KG200 also called the base 'home' and finally, between 6 February and 25 April 1945 IV./JG3 "Udet" operated from the airfield with FW190A-8s.
Prenzlau was a major target for the Allied bomber fleets because of the airfield. Because of the airfields proximity to the city, Allied bombings caused great damage to Prenzlau, which was damaged for 85%. The city also lost its entire historic city centre.


A parade at Prenzlau in 1936 (photo supplied by Clive, via email)

After the war the airfield (or what remained of it) was converted back into farmland. The fields were later, after the formation of the German Democratic Republic, used by the Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) as an air defense training site. At a later time the field became home to a Soviet helicopter unit: 487 OVP, flying Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters. A few years before the Iron Curtain fell this unit was relocated to Templin/Groß Dolln, although their HQ was still at Prenzlau. The helicopter unit had been slated for an upgrade of its facilities, but the Reunification of Germany prevented this from happening.
After the reunification the Bundeswehr took over the barracks as the Ückermark-Kaserne. Around 1998 Dutchman Rob de Bie wrote on his site:
In June 1998 we visited this place on our way back from an air show in Poland. We were possibly the first Dutch aircraft spotters trying to find this airfield. Unfortunately there wasn't much left. Part of the barracks area was now transformed into a school. Much demolition, digging and reconstruction was taking place. We saw huge piles of concrete plates, remains of a former runway? The only vague proof we found was some PSP plating, very typical of a Soviet helicopter base.


Clickable panoramic view of Prenzlau, March 2002 (source)

Today the barracks area is still in use with the Bundeswehr. In 2007 the hangars and flying field were much the same as they were in 1998.