RCAF Station Zweibrücken Zweibrücken Air Base |
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Located near Zweibrücken, Germany | |
38th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron RF-4C photo of Zweibrücken Air Base, photographed on September 18, 1979.
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Coordinates | 49°12′34.80″N 7°24′2.22″E / 49.2096667°N 7.4006167°ECoordinates: 49°12′34.80″N 7°24′2.22″E / 49.2096667°N 7.4006167°E |
Type | Air Force Base |
Site information | |
Controlled by |
Royal Canadian Air Force (1953–1969) United States Air Force (1969–1991) |
Site history | |
Built | 1950 |
In use | 1953–1991 |
Zweibrücken Air Base was a NATO air base in West Germany (ICAO: EDAM). It was located 35 miles SSW of Kaiserslautern and 2 miles mi SE of Zweibrücken. It was assigned to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) during its operational lifetime.
The military facility was closed in 1991 after the Cold War ended, the site now serving as the civilian Zweibrücken Airport.
Construction of the base was initiated by French Army engineers and German contractors in 1950 on a section of the former Siegfried Line. The crumpled remains of many of the bunkers of the old line are still in evidence. It was designed by French engineers and completed by German contractors in late 1952. Construction was funded from USAF sources; however, the RCAF assumed control of the Zweibrücken base on January 6, 1953.
RCAF Station Zweibrücken, also known as 3 Wing or 3 (F) Wing was one of four RCAF wings, consisting of three fighter squadrons each, established in Europe at the beginning of the Cold War. These four wings were part of the RCAF's No. 1 Air Division, which was formed as part of Canada's air defence commitment to NATO during the Cold War. Other bases were located in Marville, France; Grostenquin, France; and Baden-Soellingen, West Germany.
Three squadrons flying F-86 Sabres were located at Zweibrücken: 413, 427, and 434. The three squadrons arrived at Zweibrücken in March 1953. No. 413 Squadron was replaced in 1957 by 440 Squadron flying the new CF-100 all-weather interceptor.