Venlo Airfield

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Peter Ocker
dudu29ff@aol.com
colored pics of german gliders
Sat Aug 3 00:16:28 2002
195.93.66.12

Dear friends,
i am searching for colored pics of german gliders till 1945 like Grunau Baby, Weihe and Habicht. Can anybody help me ?
Also, I am searching a good quality copy of pilot's manual for the Weihe glider (printed before 1945), as I'm the owner of the famous Weihe D-0700, which I am regularly flying and from time to time is on exhibition of the Flugwerft Schleissheim of the Deutsches Museum.
Thanks for your replys.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Marcel Hogenhuis
marcel.hogenhuis@planet.nl
coloured photo's gliders in WW-2
Mon Aug 5 09:48:11 2002
195.241.242.7

Hello Peter,

I own a Grunau Baby IIb myself (Venlo) and perhaps we will meet somewhere with the Vintage Gliding Club or an oldtimer meeting somewhere else? Not a coincidence but I do some research about the history of Venlo airfield in WW-2, thus continueing the efforts of a good friend and colleague mr. van der Steen. He donated his collection to me and it does contain original colour dia's from Venlo airfield in WW-2, including Grunau Baby and Kranich pictures. No Weihe but the other contributors to your message refer to some beautiful books.

Good luck, Marcel Hogenhuis
Study Group Venlo Airfield in WW-2

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Klaus Bohnen
1223-778@onlinehome.de
Starting Research Project
Thu Sep 12 18:16:25 2002
195.145.160.169

Right now I plan to start a research Project in my Area, NW- Part of Germany, near the border to the Netherlands. Its an old Airfield know as Tor 9, near the City of Venlo. This airfield was the Base for Nightfighter and single engined Fighters. From what I know now is that this area now is used by the Bundeswehr. I inspected today an old hangar from this time which is outside this "official area". I need bad an overview in form of an old airphoto to get the details a bit clearer I maybe will find. Can anybody help?

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Alex Martin
What units?
Thu Sep 12 19:31:27 2002
64.7.166.23

Hi,

Can you tell me which units used this airfield? NJG 1 ?

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Klaus Bohnen
RE: Research at Venlo- Herongen Tor 9
Fri Sep 13 04:25:12 2002
80.142.185.114

I am at the very first beginning of this Research, but I like to share with you what I got so far.
Following NightFighter Squadron were stationed at "Tor 9"
NJG1
NJG2 ( parts of NJG2 were redesignated to NJG3 also stationed at Tor 9.)
NJG7
KG 3 Blitz

Used planes in Venlo so far:
JU 88 C
bf 110
HE 219
maybe Do17Z
HE 11

It's a bit confusing and needs a lot of work to find out what was going on there at Tor 9. The units were redesignated, NJG´s became KG´s and so on. A lot of work is waiting for me.... that for sure.

Right now I try to get some photos from this area. As what it is today. I know that the runway is still there, also some old Taxiways and Hangars. I try to find an agreement with the Platzkommandant of the German Army there and maybe......I find those old parts of Aircrafts that people are telling about...

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Hans Nauta
Try to contact...
Fri Sep 13 07:47:08 2002
213.75.1.50

Hi Klaus,

Try to contact Marcel Hogenhuis. He has done a lot of research in Venlo airfield, The Netherlands. He's a frequent visitor of this Board so I guess he will come along this message.

Regards,
Hans Nauta

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Klaus Bohnen
RE
Fri Sep 13 17:00:21 2002
80.142.161.67

Thank you Hans for this information. I hope I can get a hold on him

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Alex Martin
NJG 1 site
Sat Sep 14 07:06:49 2002
205.188.208.171

Hi,

This site is by researchers of NJG 1 who have contact with families of German airmen and are even planning a book.

http://www.njg1.webb.be/

I hope they can help you.
Good luck,
Alex

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Klaus Bohnen
RE:
Sat Sep 14 09:30:46 2002
80.142.163.211

Thx Alex

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Juergen
j.haus@gmx.de
Venlo a/f
Fri Sep 13 17:02:48 2002
80.133.89.64

Hello Klaus,

Tor 9 is just one of the ten or twelve entrances of Venlo a/f. A huge stone posted there reminds of the former existence.
The units which served there were I./NJG 1 (Bf 110/He 219), a Gruppe of JG 3 (Bf 109), a Luftbeobachtungsstaffel (air observation unit, Ju 88) and a rocket fighter unit (Me 163).
V-1 have also been launched, and there was also a glider training.
Do you keep the two paperbacks "Vliegveld Venlo"? They are perhaps still available at Venlo and they contain lots of infos and (aerial) photos. Nevertheless Mr. Hogenhuis is the most capable person on this topic.
Do you have infos on Bönninghardt a/f ? I am trying to make a book about the history of this a/f.

Regards, J. Haus

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Marcel Hogenhuis
Bönninghardt
Tue Sep 17 13:30:16 2002
195.241.243.195

Hallo Jürgen,

Thank you for your kind but wildly exaggerated words about my knowledge. We in Venlo do our best but I am pretty confident about the value of our 15 years of effort. I have contacted mr. Klaus Bohnen and I will patiently wait for his reply.
When will you be able to guide our small group in the Bönninghardt area? We are very curious to see one of the former landing grounds of I.NJG 1...

Best wishes, Marcel

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Marcel Hogenhuis
research project
Mon Sep 16 15:09:47 2002
195.241.192.113

Hello Klaus,

In order to increase your enthousiasm and interest in the former Luftwaffe airfield Venlo, please contact me off line at marcel.hogenhuis@planet.nl
I have started somewhere 15 years ago to research this rather unknown history with a good friend and since 1988 our team has expanded up to 6 people. More important, our archive about this airfield has expanded too.

Hope to hear from you, best wishes, Marcel Hogenhuis
Study Group Venlo Airfield in WW-2

[Richard T Eger]

From within a thread on 12 O'Clock High!:

Marcel Hogenhuis
info@hogenhuis.info
Troha war experiences
Wed Jun 2, 2004 10:48
217.122.92.115

Hello Kevin,

May I introduce myself briefly? My name is Marcel Hogenhuis, co founder of a study group in my place Venlo, researching the history of Venlo airfield in WW-2. This was a former Dutch emergency landing ground, after May 1940 enlarged by the Germans to a Luftwaffe nightfighter base for the I.NJG 1. In March 1945 the 9th USAAF used this airfield some months for operations against Germany.

Well, it might be that between May 1940 (German invasion of Holland) and November 1940 (Luftwaffe starts reconstruction works) this small airfield was occasionally used by some Luftwaffe units. One such report reads this:
In May 1940 the III.JG 3 had been in Venlo for a short time. (Source: an German contact had this from a certain mr. Troha)

As I am assuming that this mr.Troha was likely to be Egon Troha, you might perhaps be able to confirm that Troha and/or III.JG 3 or parts of this Gruppe had been in Venlo?

Any help would be MUCH appreciated because the period May 1940 till November 1940 is rather obscure to our study group.

Many thanks in advance and best wishes!

Marcel Hogenhuis - Study Group Venlo Airfield in WW-2
Venlo