Planes on Autobahn

**wiltzei** · May 14th, 2010, 10:12

Wenn hinter Fliegen Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen hinterher.

**Lionheart** · May 14th, 2010, 10:16

Awesome....

In WWII, the Germans moved their Luftwaffe to forests to keep from losing their planes to Allied bombing and attacks. Their runways were roads, even dirt roads. They still practice use of roads and highways today for emergency practice, should airfields be taken out one day in a fast enemy attack.

I think its pretty smart. We should practice that here now and then in the States. Always be prepared.

Bill

**Bjoern** · May 14th, 2010, 10:49

Originally Posted by wiltzei

That's not the most impressive thing about that, the impressive thing is that those few soldiers are *conscripts*, say not really professionals at R&R!

Some German humour, someone could translate the following into English.

If flies fly behind flies, fly behind flies, fly behind flies,...

(Doesn't work, the translation totally ruins the pun. Could maybe be used as a tongue breaker instead.)

Originally Posted by Lionheart

They still practice use of roads and highways today for emergency practice, should airfields be taken out one day in a fast enemy attack.

Not anymore. At least I haven't heard of any of those exercises since the cold war ended.

And most of the designated parts of the Autobahn network which were to be used at emergency airfields (turnaround pads/flightline, a concrete division between directions instead of the standard bushes/grass) have all been turned into "standard" configuration by now. The middle strips went away with road surface overhauls and the flightlines have been turned into resting/parking places.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_strip
The german version of this article offers some links to the highway strips on Google Maps.
You can identifly them quite clearly because of the flightlines/turnaround pads.

**wiltzei** · May 14th, 2010, 10:52

Originally Posted by Bjoern

That's not the most impressive thing about that, the impressive thing is that those few soldiers are *conscripts*, say not really professionals at R&R!

I did actually first write "conscripts", but edited the message when I realized the ex-conscripts would be normal soldiers during war time. :salute:

tigisfat · May 14th, 2010, 10:57

I am awarding this post the rare and coveted 'Tigisfat Medal' of interwebs and gaming. Not only is it relevant to my interests, it's beyond awesome. I only wish I could see when the F-104 lost it.

**Bjoern** · May 14th, 2010, 13:26

Originally Posted by wiltzei

I did actually first write "conscripts", but edited the message when I realized the ex-conscripts would be normal soldiers during war time. :salute:

Nonetheless, they'd have less experience in their military jobs than their professionally, 24/7 serving comerades.

**Railrunner130** · May 15th, 2010, 16:20

Awesome footage of some true classic airplanes. Thanks for sharing.

**TeaSea** · May 15th, 2010, 16:29

Both the postwar German Autobahn, as well as the U.S. Interstate system were designed with this utilization in mind.

At Ramstein Airbase, the front gate 4 lane was regularly used as a runway for exercise purposes.

**stansdds** · May 15th, 2010, 17:03

Ever wonder about some of those long, straight, flat stretches of interstate highways in the U.S. There was a reason they were built that way.

**Wild Bill Kelso** · May 16th, 2010, 08:42

Originally Posted by TeaSea

At Ramstein Airbase, the front gate 4 lane was regularly used as a runway for exercise purposes.

As far as I know, the USAF used a stretch of the 1938 built Autobahn when Ramstein AB was put into service. Later on, the Autobahn was built some southward of the base area.

Some more cold-war detail:
The Autobahn between Berlin and Hamburg (nowadays A 24) had to be re-constructed in the beginning of the 1980's. This part was located in the GDR, but the FRG payed the bill for the reconstruction, as it was used for Transit traffic to West-Berlin. As part of this building project, the GDR authorities built at least 3 auxiliary runways and aprons on this strip. The West-German taxpayers weren't too amused about paying Red Army and GDR-NVA airport facilities... :d

Cheers,
Markus.

Ken Stallings · May 16th, 2010, 09:29

Originally Posted by stansdds

Ever wonder about some of those long, straight, flat stretches of interstate highways in the U.S. There was a reason they were built that way.

Yep, and in addition to their intended purpose for emergency defense options, they also serve as ideal emergency landing sites for disabled aircraft.

There is a reason that the term IFR is often bastardized to read "I Follow Roads!"

Ken

**Bjoern** · May 16th, 2010, 13:46

Originally Posted by Wild Bill Kelso

The West-German taxpayers weren't too amused about paying Red Army and GDR-NVA airport facilities... :d

Didn't they also pay for Interflug's three A310s?

**Railrunner130** · May 16th, 2010, 16:15

Slightly OT- I passed through Ramstein a few years ago. I hadn't been there in a while. For those that remember how Ramstein used to be- you wouldn't recognise it at all. The construction they've done there is massive.

**Wild Bill Kelso** · May 17th, 2010, 05:14

More details on those auxiliary strips here:
http://www.lostplaces.de/autobahn-no...aetze-nlp.html

To get full benefit of the remarkable research work this site provides, some basic knowledge on german language is recommended! :d

One of those Autobahn strips as it shows in 2000 (A24 near Netzeband):

**Bjoern** · May 17th, 2010, 06:03

Originally Posted by Wild Bill Kelso

http://www.lostplaces.de/autobahn-no...aetze-nlp.html

The video of the polish MiG-21s is hardcore. They only use HALF the width of a standard four lane Autobahn. Balls of steel! :isadizzy:

**wiltzei** · May 18th, 2010, 03:17

Nice medal =D.

Björn, that´s so true.

Here´s some MD-10 action!
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6CkSjE8xyYI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6CkSjE8xyYI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

**wiltzei** · September 3rd, 2010, 11:59

Hawker Hunters on Swiss Autobahn.

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jHwwAV12TIA?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jHwwAV12TIA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

***ian elliot*** · September 3rd, 2010, 23:00

If you want some Autobahn landing strips, this package has 3, tihs is one of my favorite scenery packages of all time, its a bit dated by todays standards and some may take exception to the clunky FS98 statics but i think its good fun, most of the airfields are around the Berlin area,
cheers ian

<CENTER>FS2004 (ACOF) - FS2004 Scenery </CENTER><CENTER>FS2004 East German Airfield Collection
</CENTER><CENTER>[ Download | View ] </CENTER>
Name: gdr_mil8.zip Size: 13,667,730 Date: 06-16-2006 Downloads: 1,863

FS2004 East German Airfield Collection. Part 1 north to 52 degree using Land Class. All included airfields are former air bases. The collection includes 30 airfields and airstrips including EDBU, EDBG, EDAV, ETNL, EDCE, ETNU, EDAX, EDOP. EDOV, EDAY, EDUT, EDBW, EDON, EDUZ, Sperenberg, Wittstock, Damgarten Mahlwinkel, Jueterbog, Brand-Briesen, Oranienburg. Includes two sets of files, one in 1989 and one in 2005. By M. Spengler.

***Navy Chief*** · September 4th, 2010, 03:48

Are any of those landing sites visible in any payware sceneries (or meshes)?

NC

**Bjoern** · September 5th, 2010, 08:15

Originally Posted by ian elliot

If you want some Autobahn landing strips, this package has 3, tihs is one of my favorite scenery packages of all time, its a bit dated by todays standards and some may take exception to the clunky FS98 statics but i think its good fun, most of the airfields are around the Berlin area,

I used to have all the packages installed in FS9, but there's nothing comparable for FSX so far. Guido Weiss did a few russian airbases on GDR soil for FSX (avaible from Flightsim), but they're mostly in the more southern reaches of the republic.

I've got Neubrandenburg and Gnoien in the works, but there's still a lot I want to do there, like replacing some default objects I've placed with custom ones converted from FS9 or writing up some AI flightplans.

The long-term goal is getting most LSK airbases and some GSSD ones back into FSX (in a 1990 state and with AI traffic), with some Autobahn and grass strips to boot. Once I'm done racking up an object library things might pick up pace-wise but so far I'm too distracted by other projects I'm working on. :|

Someday...

Originally Posted by Navy Chief

Are any of those landing sites visible in any payware sceneries (or meshes)?

I doubt it. UTX for example doesn't model Autobahn parking lots or asphalted lane separation strips (not even their green counterparts), which are the only indication of those sites IRL.

You could put them in with ADEX though. A flatten for the piece of Autobahn, concrete pads for parking at both ends of the runway and a few objects, like tanker trucks and a mobile control tower to boot and you're good to go.

**wiltzei** · September 12th, 2010, 23:12

***ian elliot*** · September 13th, 2010, 02:16

The Migs/Highway film is just amazing, thanks for shareing :salute:
cheers ian

**wiltzei** · October 31st, 2010, 10:32

From Roads to Runways.

<object width="960" height="745"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/CBMD4QTSyqM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&hd=1&a mp;color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/CBMD4QTSyqM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&hd=1&a mp;color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="960" height="745"></embed></object>

<object width="853" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/QnkNaF45BK0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&hd=1&a mp;color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/QnkNaF45BK0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&hd=1&a mp;color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="853" height="505"></embed></object>

Finnish Air Force Hornets. The second take-off is pretty interesting.

<object width="960" height="745"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/XNtFc0Z44m8?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&hd=1&a mp;color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/XNtFc0Z44m8?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&hd=1&a mp;color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="960" height="745"></embed></object>

**Bjoern** · October 31st, 2010, 12:59

Originally Posted by wiltzei

The second take-off is pretty interesting.

Taking off with the speed brake extended and veeery late gear retraction. Whack...

**Wing_Z** · October 31st, 2010, 13:07

You have to wonder ... since T/W > 1, I suppose once you get it up on its tail, you can just cruise up, nice and slow, and put away the draggy bits at your leisure.
Perhaps a contingency for RTO?

Thread: Planes on Autobahn

Thread Tools

Display

Planes on Autobahn

Great Thread

Members who have read this thread: 0

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions