Vliegbasis Eindhoven, 1952 - 1994
WERE DI (Weert U)
Review
ModelFan
Nederlandse versie
Authors: Dick Lohuis, Gijs Dragt
Publisher: Geromy
ISBN: 978-90-833122-0-0
Published: 2023
432 pages, hardcover, Dutch language
Price: 59,95 euro.
In my youth "many moons ago" I started as a spotter. Not yet in possession of a car, I had to rely on my father, who occasionally drove to Soesterberg to make spotting and photographing possible. Get your driver's license quickly and buy a car was my urge! This is where my first memories of Eindhoven Air Base are coming from. In my 2CV duckling (the car) to Eindhoven, among other airfields. It was good spotting in those days. The aircraft taxied adjacent to the public road and enthusiastically I was able to capture the Falcon Mystere 20 of the Philips flight service on my first visit. Later on, I was allowed to photograph the platform the activities, especially the F-27s. So much for my early memories of Eindhoven Air Base. I was quite curious, therefore, for this book about the airbase, but also the civilian part of it.
This publication by the publisher Geromy, in the series about Dutch air bases, brings you to the period from 1952 to 1994 and this is asking for a second part. That will undoubtedly happen. The book has 11 chapters, of which 6 have a clear relationship with the airbase and the airport.
- Van Welschap tot vliegbasis Eindhoven.
- Gebaseerde eenheden.
- Detacheringen en oefeningen.
- Squadron Exchanges.
- Open dagen en squadronjubilea.
- Visitors.
A great tome of 432 pages, so if you start reading you certainly won't be bored. It is a picture book in which the photos literally thunder by in terms of size and quantity. Short pieces of text are connecting all parts, just enough to make the book complete and interesting. Actually a very nice spotter's book. I already referred to my time as a spotter!
As an airport, Eindhoven or Welschap, the civil field, has been operational since 1932 and is named after the hamlet of Welschap in which it was located at the time, between Best and Veldhoven. Incidentally, the military part is still called Welschap, but popularly called Eindhoven Air Base. Of course, the civilian part of the airbase gets a lot of attention in the book, including the Fliegerhorst Eindhoven in the Second World War, but then it is all airbase.
Between the years 1952 and 1994 extensive attention is given to the units/squadrons that operated from Eindhoven. From the base flight, 314, 315, 316 to 334 squadron. The T-Birds, Streaks, F-5s and F-16s with the aircraft of 334 squadron, limited because 1994 is taken as the last year. Further, "the repulsion". Where did the aircraft (Thunderstreaks and Freedom Fighters) go, and the demo teams and solo demonstrators of the squadrons.
Secondments and Exercises, brings you to visitors and exercises at Eindhoven as well as the Eindhoven squadrons themselves. Lots of fun and interesting foreign photo material in this section. I myself was able to experience one of the Reforger (Return Forces To Germany) exercises at Eindhoven where the helicopters of the Americans were unloaded at the docks and assembled in Rotterdam flew to Eindhoven to be serviced and the Hercules aircraft flew on and off to ferry army vehicles, also unloaded in Rotterdam, to the training area in Germany.
Also the squadron exchanges, Open Days, and Squadron Jubilees are not forgotten and what about the "visitors" part. Everything neatly arranged by year.
The photo material is very varied, also in terms of layout. Very nice full-page color pictures are interspersed with half pages up to 8x12 format. Every and occasionally a real spotter photo if I may call them so irreverent. Excuse me for not counting them, but there really are a lot of them. The list of aviation enthusiasts consists of two pages and contains many well-known names.
Conclusion
The second book published, from what I hope will be a series about all military airfields in the Netherlands. A spotter's book full of beautiful pictures, many of which have never been published in this way before. Because of the set-up, you will not only be treated to photo material relating to the squadrons at the base, but you will also find a wealth of interesting foreign material.
The text is limited and superficial, but enough to make it informative. I have read and browsed through it several times now and every time I see something new. Modellers can also find nice and interesting photos in the book.
Unfortunately I just missed Volkel edition, that book is sold out, but I can't wait for Deelen (the next part at the time of writing, February 2024), but hope that Leeuwarden, Soesterberg, Gilze Rijen, Woensdrecht, Ypenburg, the MLD naval airstations and of course the missing years will also be published in time. All together, they would depict a wonderful piece of military aviation history. I did read Eindhoven Air Base with great pleasure and interest. I think I'll be browsing it a lot.
Thanks to Geromy for providing the review copy
