View source for Erding Air Base

{{hatnote|"Etse" redirects here.  For the e-commerce Web site, see [[Etsy]].  For the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, see [[ETSI]].}}
{{more footnotes|date=February 2015}}
{{Infobox airport
| name                   = Erding Air Base
| ensign                 = [[File:Roundel of Germany – Type 1 – Border.svg|50px]]
| nativename             = {{lang|de|Fliegerhorst Erding}}
| image                  = <!--Erdingab-germany.jpg-->
| IATA                   = <!--none-->
| ICAO                   = ETSE
| type                   = Military
| owner                  = [[Bundeswehr]]
| operator               = [[German Air Force]]
| location               = [[Erding]], [[Germany]]
| built                  = 
| elevation-m            = 462
| elevation-f            = 1,515
| coordinates            = {{Coord|48|19|21|N|011|56|55|E|display=inline,title}}
| website                = 
| pushpin_map            = Germany
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_label          = '''ETSE'''
| pushpin_mapsize        = 250
| pushpin_map_caption    = Location of Erding Air Base
| metric-rwy             = y
| r1-number              = 08/26
| r1-length-m            = 2,521
| r1-length-f            = 8,271
| r1-surface             = [[Asphalt concrete|Asphalt]]
}}
[[File:F-86d-52-3900-440FIS.jpg|thumb|250px|North American F-86D-45-NA Sabre Serial 52-3900 of the 440th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Erding Air Base, 1956]]

'''Erding Air Base''' ([[German language|German]]: ''Fliegerhorst Erding'', [[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]]: '''ETSE''') is a German Air Force airfield near the town of [[Erding]], about {{convert|45|km|mi|sp=us}} northeast of central [[Munich]] in [[Bavaria]].  It is the home of the 5th Air Defense Missile Squadron and the 1st Air Force Maintenance Regiment.

The last public [[airshow]] at Erding was held during the  summer of 1986.

==History==
Prior to and during [[World War II]], Erding was a [[Luftwaffe]] pilot training airfield.<ref>[http://www.ww2.dk/Airfields%20-%20Germany%20%5B1937%20Borders%5D.pdf Henry L. deZeng IV: ''Luftwaffe Airfields 1935-45 Germany (1937 Borders)'', pp. 159–160.], Retrieved 24 May 2015</ref> It was seized by the [[United States Army]] in April 1945 and used by the [[United States Air Force]] during the early years of the [[Cold War]]. Erding was used as an Air Depot, Air Base and an Air Station.

USAF units stationed at Erding were:

* 85th Air Depot Wing, 1 Jun 1945
: Redesignated: European Air Depot, 1 Sep 1945
: Redesignated: Erding Air Depot, 5 Nov 1946
: Redesignated: 7200th Air Force Depot Wing, 1 Jul 1948
: Redesignated: 85th Air Depot Wing, 25 Jul 1949<ref>[http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/463/016.xml Document detail for IRISNUM=00463016]</ref> 85 ADW was transferred to [[Twelfth Air Force]] on 21 January 1951. On 10 July 1952, 85 ADW and its supporting units were reassigned from Twelfth Air Force to HEADQUARTERS, [[USAFE]]. 
: Redesignated: 7485th Air Depot Wing, 1 Dec 1953
: Redesignated: 7485th Support Wing (Training), 1 Apr 1956 – 15 May 1958<ref>[http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/462/807.xml Abstract, History of 7485th Support Wing Jan-Jun 1954]. Retrieved 10 September 2012</ref>
* [[440th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron]], 17 Feb 1956 – 1 Jan 1960
* [[52d Tactical Fighter Group]], 1 Apr 1971 – 31 Jul 1972

Originally developed as an Air Depot in the early postwar years, the mission of Erding Air Base (later Station) was to provide depot-level maintenance of USAFE and NATO fighters.  With the opening of [[Châteauroux-Centre "Marcel Dassault" Airport|Châteauroux-Déols Air Base]], [[France]] in 1953, Erding became a satellite depot.

The mission of Erding Air Base was changed in 1956 to training personnel for the newly reconstituted [[German Air Force]] (GAF). The base was turned over to the GAF on 1 April 1957. On 14 December 1957, control of Erding Air Base was returned to the GAF as a front line facility where it hosted various [[F-104 Starfighter]], [[Panavia Tornado]] and other fighter squadrons.

With the creation of [[NATO]] in response to [[Cold War]] tensions in Europe, USAFE wanted its major air bases in [[West Germany]] moved west of the [[Rhine River]] to provide greater air defense warning time.   The establishment of the new bases in the [[Rhineland-Palatinate]] diminished the USAF use of Erding.  It became an air defense facility in 1956 with the assignment of the [[F-86]]D equipped [[440th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron]], a detachment of the [[86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing]] at [[Ramstein Air Base|Landstuhl Air Base]] until the arrival of the [[Convair F-102 Delta Dagger]] in Europe and budget cutbacks in 1960 forced its closure.

In 1966 with France withdrawing from NATO it left a gap in the air defense network of Europe. [[Operation Creek Ale]] filled that gap by rotating [[F-102]] interceptors from various squadrons of the '''[[86th Air Division]]''' based at [[Ramstein Air Base]]. Squadrons from [[Soesterberg Air Base]], [[Zaragoza Air Base]], [[Hahn Air Base]], [[Bitburg Air Base]] and [[Ramstein Air Base]] rotated to Erding for air defense alert.

With the inactivation of the [[86th Air Division]] in 1970, the [[52d Tactical Fighter Group]] was formed at Erding in 1971 with some of the F-102s on a permanent basis. In 1972 the F-102s were withdrawn from Europe and the 52d TFG was inactivated.

Relegated to Air Station status, Erding hosted temporary duty units of North America-based USAF aircraft though the 1980s for short-term deployments as part of the annual [[Exercise Reforger]].<ref>Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. CD-ROM.</ref><ref>Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. {{ISBN|0-89201-092-4}}.; Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. {{ISBN|0-912799-12-9}}; [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to Present] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130025918/http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html |date=January 30, 2009 }}</ref>

From 2002 to 2013, the base was home to the GAF's {{ill|1st Air Force Maintenance Regiment|de}}. It is now the location of Weapon System Support Center 1.

==Erding Air Base Circuit==

{{Infobox motorsport venue
|Name           = Erding Air Base Circuit
|Location       = [[Erding]], [[Bavaria]]
|Time           = [[Central European Time|CET]] (UTC+1)<br/>[[Central European Summer Time|CEST]] ([[Daylight saving time|DST]])
|Image          = [[Image:Circuit Erding.svg|250px]]
|Image_caption  = Full Circuit (1980)
|Opened         = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1978|10|01}}
|Closed         = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1986|07|06}}
|Events         = [[Interserie]] (1984–1985)<br />[[Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft|DPM]] (1985)<br />[[German Formula Three Championship|German F3]] (1978, 1980–1986)
|Layout1        = Full Circuit (1981–1986)
|Length_km      = 2.540
|Length_mi      = 1.579
|Turns          = 9
|Record_time    = 0:52.830
|Record_driver  = {{flagicon|BRD}} [[Hans-Joachim Stuck]]
|Record_car     = [[Porsche 956|Porsche 956B]]
|Record_year    = [[Interserie|1985]]
|Record_class   = [[Group C]]
|Layout2        = Full Circuit (1979–1980)
|Length_km2     = 2.540
|Length_mi2     = 1.579
|Turns2         = 12
|Record_time2   = 1:01.800
|Record_driver2 = {{flagicon|SUI}} [[:de:Bruno Eichmann|Bruno Eichmann]]
|Record_car2    = [[Argo Racing Cars|Argo JM3]]
|Record_year2   = 1979
|Record_class2  = [[Formula Three|F3]]
|Layout3        = Full Circuit (1978)
|Length_km3     = 2.540
|Length_mi3     = 1.579
|Turns3         = 10
|Record_time3   = 
|Record_driver3 = 
|Record_car3    = 
|Record_year3   = 
|Record_class3  =
}}

From 1978 to 1986, the aerodrome hosted some car races, such as [[Interserie]], [[Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft|Deutschen Produktionswagen Meisterschaft]] and [[German Formula Three Championship]] championships.

===Lap records===

The fastest official race lap records at the Erding Air Base circuit are listed as:

{| class="wikitable"
!Category!!Time!!Driver!!Vehicle!!Event
|-
! colspan=5 | Full Circuit: 2.540&nbsp;km (1981–1986)<ref name='erding_msportmagazine'>{{cite web |title=Erding - Motorsport Magazine |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/circuits/erding/ |website=[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport Magazine]] |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[Group C]] || '''0:52.830'''<ref name='1985_erding_interserie'>{{cite web |title=Interserie Erding 1985 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Erding-1985-06-09-3380.html |date=9 June 1985 |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref> || [[Hans-Joachim Stuck]] || [[Porsche 956|Porsche 956B]] || [[Interserie|1985 Erding Interserie round]]
|-
| [[Formula Two]] || '''0:53.670'''<ref name='1985_erding_interserie' /> || [[Udo Wagenhäuser]] || [[Spirit 201|Spirit 201 BMW]] || [[Interserie|1985 Erding Interserie round]]
|-
| [[Formula Three]] || '''0:56.070'''<ref>{{cite web |title=1985 ADAC Flugplatz-Rennen Erding 7.Lauf Deutsche Rennwagen Meisterschaft F3 Ergebnis Rennen |url=https://www.formel3guide.com/images/ergebnisse/1985/1985-erding-r.pdf |date=9 June 1985 |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref> || [[Kris Nissen]] || [[Ralt#Formula Three cars|Ralt RT30]] || [[1985 German Formula Three Championship|1985 Erding German F3 round]]
|-
| [[Group B]] || '''0:59.210'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Erding [S/GT] 1982 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Erding-1982-07-04-16641.html |date=4 July 1982 |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref> || {{ill|Kurt König|de|Kurt König (Rennfahrer)}} || [[BMW M1#Motorsport|BMW M1]] || 1982 ADAC Flugplatzrennen Erding GT race
|-
| [[Group A#Touring car racing|Group A]] || '''1:04.790'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Deutsche Produktionswagen Meisterschaft 1985 » Erding Round 6 Results Results |url=https://www.touringcars.net/database/race.php?id=546 |date=9 June 1985 |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref> || [[Per-Gunnar Andersson (racing driver)|Peggen Andersson]] || [[Volvo 200 Series#240 in motorsport|Volvo 240 Turbo]] || [[1985 Deutschen Produktionswagen Meisterschaft|1985 Erding DPM round]] 
|-
! colspan=5 | Full Circuit: 2.540&nbsp;km (1979–1980)<ref name='erding_msportmagazine' /><ref>{{cite web |title=1979 ADAC-Flugplatzrennen Erding |url=https://www.formel3guide.com/1948-2023/saison-1971-1980/saison-1979/01-07-1979-erding.html |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[Formula Three]] || '''1:01.800'''<ref>{{cite web |title=1979 ADAC Flugplatz-Rennen Erding Ergebnis Rennen |url=https://www.formel3guide.com/images/ergebnisse/1979/1979-erding-r.pdf |date=1 July 1979 |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref> || {{ill|Bruno Eichmann|de}} || [[Argo Racing Cars|Argo JM3]] || 1979 ADAC Flugplatzrennen Erding Formula 3 race
|-
! colspan=5 | Full Circuit: 2.540&nbsp;km (1978)<ref name='erding_msportmagazine' /><ref>{{cite web |title=1978 ADAC-Flugplatzrennen Erding |url=https://www.formel3guide.com/1948-2023/saison-1971-1980/saison-1978/01-10-1978-erding.html |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
|}

==References==
<references />

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{{USAF Bases in Germany}}
{{DTM circuits}}

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[[Category:Installations of the United States Air Force in Germany]]
[[Category:Bases of the German Air Force]]
[[Category:Military airbases established in 1935]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Erding (district)]]
[[Category:1935 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:Erding (district)]]
[[Category:Airports in Bavaria]]