RAF Gütersloh

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name = Royal Air Force Station Gütersloh


caption = Station crest
dates = June 1945 – 1993
country = Germany
allegiance = UK: British Armed Forces
branch = Royal Air Force
command_structure = RAF Second Tactical Air Force,
then Royal Air Force Germany,
finally No. 2 Group RAF
type = Flying station
role = Fighter attack and defence
size =
current_commander =
garrison = Gütersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
garrison_label = Based near
ceremonial_chief =
ceremonial_chief_label =
colonel_of_the_regiment =
colonel_of_the_regiment_label =
nickname = "Gütersloh", "Gut", "Gutters"
motto = "Vallis Vesperis"
colors =
colors_label = Royal Air Force Ensign
march = Royal Air Force March Past
mascot =
equipment = English Electric Lightning,
BAe Harrier,
Boeing Chinook,
Puma HC1
battles =
notable_commanders =
identification_symbol =
identification_symbol_label = Station crest
anniversaries =

Infobox Airport
name = RAF Gütersloh
nativename =
nativename-a =
nativename-r =


image-width =
caption =
IATA = GUT
ICAO = ETUO
type = Military
owner = Ministry of Defence
operator = formerly: Royal Air Force, now: British Army
city-served =
location = Gütersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
elevation-f = 236
elevation-m = 72
coordinates =
website =
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 09/27
r1-length-f = 7,388
r1-length-m = 2,252
r1-surface = Asphalt
r2-number =
r2-length-f =
r2-length-m =
r2-surface =
stat-year =
stat1-header =
stat1-data =
stat2-header =
stat2-data =
footnotes =

The former Royal Air Force Station Gütersloh, more commonly known as RAF Gütersloh, was a Royal Air Force Germany airbase, the nearest Royal Air Force air base to the East/West German border. It was constructed by the Germans prior to World War II. The base was captured by the Americans in April 1945 it was handed over to the RAF in June 1945 as Headquarters No. 2 Group RAF.

During its history as an RAF base, it was home to two squadrons of the English Electric Lightning F2/F2A - No. 92 Squadron RAF and No. 19 Squadron RAF from 1968 to 1976. It then became home to No. 3 Squadron RAF and No. 4 Squadron RAF flying successive variants of the BAe Harrier. After the Harriers left, the RAF continued to operate helicopters, No. 18 Squadron RAF with the Boeing Chinook and No. 230 Squadron RAF with the Puma HC1.

RAF units and aircraft

Gütersloh today

Following the RAF's withdrawal in 1993, the base became a British Army Garrison, called the Princess Royal Barracks, Gütersloh, a base for British Army helicopters, and Royal Logistic Corps Regiments.

It is now the home of:
* 1 LSR Royal Logistics Corps
* 2 LSR Royal Logistics Corps
* 6 Sup Regt Royal Logistics Corps [ [http://www.army.mod.uk/gutersloh/background/6_sup.htm 6 Supply Regt Royal Logistics Corps] ]
* 1 Regt AAC [ [http://www.army.mod.uk/gutersloh/background/1_aac.htm 1 Regt Army Air Corps] ]
* 1 Regt RMP Royal Military Police
* 262 Sig Sqn Royal Signals

It also houses HQ Gütersloh Garrison, [ [http://www.army.mod.uk/gutersloh/ British Army: Gütersloh Garrison] ] and HQ 102 Logistics Brigade.

References

External links

* [http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1236497 aerial photo of RAF Gütersloh]
* [http://www.spyflight.co.uk/fr10.htm Article on Gütersloh Hunters]
* [http://www.hive-bfg.co.uk/Gutersloh.htm British Forces Germany HIVE - Gütersloh]
* [http://www.servicepals.com/index.cfm//pcms/site.gallery.view_tag/tag/gutersloh Gallery of Gütersloh images]
* [http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Gutersloh Gutersloh - From ARRSEpedia] , The British Military Open Encyclopedia

ee also

*Royal Air Force station
*List of RAF stations
*List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
*List of aircraft of the RAF