The "Bruggen-Wildenrath Retro tour '08''

[Triple Nickel]

On Sunday 240808 me and another ex-laarbruch spotter went back to Bruggen-Wildenrath to relive the good times.
Back in the eighties we did the same tours but then to operational airfields.

Here are some differences:

Then: Now:
-old bikes with 3 speed - Modern 21speed mountainbikes
-20-40 aircraft - 0 aircraft
-we were fit - we are trying to get fit
-used roads - we take dirt roads or any road to get us to destination
-a photocamera with film - a mobile phone with camera

Mode of transportation:


So wen started at the Bordercrossing in Reuver, were we soon cam to the dutch-german border and then we soon entered
''naturschutzgebied brachter wald''. Aftercrossing that area, wich is a former british army ammunition storage area, we came to our first stop: Javelin Barracks (former RAF Bruggen).

All photos are made with a mobile phone:

Airfield overvieuw:


The new fence:


After this stop we went on our way and decided to follwe the old railway track between Bruggen and Wildenrath:



This track goed trough a very nice area wich is similar to the ''meinweg-area'' in NL. But after some miles we could not
follow the track and searched or way to Wildenrath trough some woods were is seemed that more mountainbikers
went before us.

But we found our destination very soon:



We went to the former airfield and came to the conclusion that almost all that remembers RAF Wildenrath is gone...
Except for on shelter on the south site, and a big hangar on the nort site. The treshold 09 is still intact.

Here are some inages:


Treshold 09:

Old hangar:

Appraoch light 09:

Taxitrack between 19 and 92sqn:



We returned to our begin point with mixed feelings.....

But we both agreed there one big plus to all this misery: LAARBRUCH is still active with some
military aircraft once in a while!!!

Greetz, Ron

[heinz-w]

very interesting - thanks for this report - I liked reading it.

[Triple Nickel]

Thank you H-W,

I must say it was quite a ''sad'' experience to walk over a taxitrack wich is now dominated by high grass....

And walking towards the old ''spottersplace'' was also quite remarkable, what should be on the flightline this time??? Canberra Hunter???? Nope.... the flightline is now HQ for Siemens train test track!!!

Luckily we still have Laarbruch as an active airflield!

Greetz, Ron

[Rolf]

Very interesting tour, Ron. I remember the Phantoms directly behind the fence at Wildenrath. Very impressive for me as a young boy. Unfortunately they weren't that close at my homebase, Laarbruch. What a long time ago!