Turtmann

46°18'18"N 007°42'48"E

Runway: 08/26 - 2400meters/0000feet - concrete

Turtmann airfield (german: Flugplatz Turtmann, french: Base aérienne de Tourtemagne, ICAO: LSMJ) was a military airfield 75 kilometers south-southeast of Berne.
The airfield was first used in April 1929, by Fliegerkompanie 8. At the time it was an exercise airfield, with no permanent structures or units attached. That changed during World War II.

fter an exercise in February 1941 it was decided that a dedicated airfield in the area was desirable. In June the order was given for the immediate construction of a permanent airfield. On 31 July funds became available for the construction of 10 airfields as part of the first tranche of investments. The initial construction was completed by the end of November 1941. The 140x800m airfield was too small however, and was expanded the next year. The funds for tranche two were used for the construction of roads and hangars. In 1943 the runway and taxiways were hardened, making the airfield an all-weather airfield. The wooden constructions that had been used thusfar were replaced by concrete.

Many of the facilities that had been built during World War 2 were replaced in the 1950s. Hangars and ammunition bunkers were replaced with the first 'Kavernen', bunkers carved out in the mountains next to the airfield. To allow the use of Venom jet fighters the runway was lengthened; first to 1200m, then on to 1500m. The mountainside bunkers were completed in 1958. The lenghtening of the runway and taxiway was completed in 1965 when the northern taxiway was finished.


Turtmann airfield in 1956 (flplabt3.ch).

A new ammunition cavern was built between 1973. Plans for further expansion of the airfield met with stiff resistance from local civilians, however. From 1980 the airfield was gradually improved, but expansion did not take place anymore because of the local resistance. To prepare for the 1990 'Wiederholungskurs' (the Swiss Defense emergency reactivation exercise were dubbed 'Rehearsel Course') the airfield was renovated in 1989. 1000m of runway was completely rebuilt and QRA facilities were constructed.

On 11 July 2002 the announcement was made that Turtmann would be surplus to requirements after the March 2003 Wiederholungskurs. The airfield was to close, its assigned unit, Flugplatzabteilung 3 would disband. The F-5E Tiger squadron (Staffel 6) would relocate to Payerne, the F-5 sqn at Payerne (Staffel 13) would disband to keep the balance between German and Roman speaking Swiss in order.


Two F-5E Tiger-IIs overfly Turtmann airfield in 1997 (flplabt3.ch).


Perhaps one of the most obvious reasons why Turtmann had to close: its proximity to civilian life. Aircraft would taxi virtually through town, and it was not uncommon for traffic lights to turn red to allow fighters to cross the street! (cavok-aviation-photos.net)

By 2009 the runway had only been used as a dragrace strip. In the not too distant future it will be used as a provisional highway, until the completion of a new highway. Once completed parts of the runway will be broken up and replanted. Once the runway and the base have been removed the two sides of the village Turtmann can be reunited.


The closed airport in 2009 (Google Earth)