The history of the Bavarian landing field in Oberschleissheim starts on April’s First 1912, when the first pilots of the „Bavarial Royal Army“ were placed there as re-enforcements of a military unit that was placed on the area earlier that year.
At the same time the „Bavarian Air Force“ was established and after a year the field takes its official name : „Military Air Station of Schleissheim“.
In 1914, three squadrons of the Bavarian Air Force were established and moved on the western front (end of July 1914). In 1917 the 304b Squadron was moved to the Palestine, and at the same time the airport was expanded.
In 1921 Bayerischer Luft-Lloyd, the first german civil aviation company lifts off from Schleissheim to Constance (besides, at the time any German military aviation was forbidden by the Versaille Agreement)
On the October of 1923, the first international airline „Transeuropa-Union“ establishes its headquarters in Schleissheim.
Since the foundation of the Deutsche Lufthansa in 1926 and till 1929, Schleissheim serves as the technical base of the company.
Since 1927 and under the coverance of flying clubs, more and more ex-servicemen clandestinely were trained as pilots. At the same time the buildings were covertly expanded in „civilian“ architectural style. In 1935, Luftwaffe is unveiled, and Schleissheim takes the title of „Military Air Base“ and serves as training centre, offering a variety of specialisations.
In 1942 Schleissheim was bombarded for the first time in WWII and in 1945 was overtaken by the Americans and reconstructed - rebuild. The main runway was enlarged to 1600 m., infrastructure works were made for the airport and it came into partial operation under the american superintendence and administration. Part of the installation was used as storehouse by the Allies.
In 1953 the first air club after the War was established by americal officers and an english mechanic. It was the Lone Star Flying Club, an exclusive club for americans or Allies.
In 1956 the gliding club Luftsportclub Ikarus (established in 1954) was transfered to Schleissheim. In 1958, under american direction a new beton-made control tower was constructed.
In 1966 training on helicopters started by american military personell.
In 1971 the 5th Interception Division (code name „Minotaur“) control center, wich was build back in 1943, was demolished and in its place took a park (wich was designed like an English park) was created.
In 1972 Schleissheim became the helicopter base for the Olympic Games of Munich.
In 1973 the airport came under German command again.
In 1983 the Verein zur Erhaltung der historischen Flugwerft Oberschleißheim e.V. (Association for the perseverance of historical sheds for airplanes at Oberschleissheim) was founded.
In 1992 and after the complete reconstraction and maintenance of the buildings, under the surveillance of the Deutsches Museum, the airport facilities were open again for the public. In 1995 Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty stop broadcasting, and with them the last american facilities in the airport area are closing.
Since the mid 90’s many successful aviation events were put up in Schleissheim and likewise in 2003 the exhibition „100 years Deutsches Museum, 100 years aviation“ was hosted there.
AVNews - Bayerische-Flugzeug-Historiker e.V.
AVNews - Bayerische-Flugzeug-Historiker e.V.
