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The last Transall remains in Altenstadt

2021-11-25T07:11:40.416Z


In August, on a farewell flight over Germany, the Transall C-160 said goodbye to all the locations where it had been in use for many years - including over the Franz-Josef-Strauss barracks in Altenstadt. The last machine landed in Altenstadt on Tuesday afternoon, where it will take its well-deserved retirement as a training device.


In August, on a farewell flight over Germany, the Transall C-160 said goodbye to all the locations where it had been in use for many years - including over the Franz-Josef-Strauss barracks in Altenstadt.

The last machine landed in Altenstadt on Tuesday afternoon, where it will take its well-deserved retirement as a training device.

Altenstadt

- “It's just terrific.

A piece of the Bundeswehr's own tradition is returning to the headquarters of the airborne troops, ”is how the new commander of the airborne and air transport school, Lieutenant Colonel Martin Holle, can still be elicited.

That's all there is to it, because he is eagerly following the approach of the Transall C-160 to Altenstadt.

Numerous spectators from the area of ​​the barracks at the fence to the airfield have gathered with him.

Everyone wants to follow the unique event when the last Transall C-160 touches down on the new runway to retire in Altenstadt.

Cell phones are pulled out, the lenses of the cameras and film cameras pointed towards the west.

Transall was present on many missions

René Säuberlich is the first to see the small cones of light on the horizon. The soldier should document the one-time landing with his camera. He also knows that the aircraft can first complete one last overflight over the recently created runway before it touches down on the second approach with its 33.5 tonnes weight.

The overflight at slow speed, accompanied by the sonorous hum of the two engines, is impressive.

This awakens memories for many soldiers.

What has not been experienced with this bird, which has mastered gravel roads in Africa as well as large airports in the USA: Air transport of relief supplies to the furthest corners of the earth, transport of the wounded from crisis areas and then the countless jumps with the parachute.

Of course, also tests for new jump and drop systems, where the soldiers sometimes worked at the limit.

Technology is removed from the Transall

All history, the bird has had its day.

Unfortunately, say some old hands.

One of them is Max Knierer, who was a technician on this machine in Penzing near Landsberg for over 43 years.

It is crystal clear that Knierer came to Altenstadt for this last performance.

He knows every screw and has checked every cable connection.

“The sound of this machine can't leave you indifferent,” says the technician.

This is music to his ears.

Knierer will actually continue to take care of this Transall with the identification 50 + 86.

As he explains, all of the technology is removed from the machine.

Since the ramp for training cannot be opened without the unit, he installs a new construction.

So far he has pimped up eight machines in this way.

+

They brought the last Transall C-160 to Altenstadt for delivery: (from left) Lieutenant Colonel Siggi Beck, Captain Frank Müller, Sergeant Michael Jörg and Sergeant Erich Gerbl (not in the photo).

On the right, Lieutenant Colonel Martin Holle, who was allowed to receive this gem.

© Hans-Helmut Herold

Last information from the tower to the crew: 110 degrees, 11 knots.

Refers to the wind.

Ideal conditions.

The machine floats in, as if on a string, diagonally downwards.

The clock shows exactly 1:44 p.m. when the pilot touches down the C-160 shortly after the first few meters of the runway.

Braking with feeling, only the engines get louder.

One immediately recognizes the experience of thousands of hours of flight.

Speaking of flight hours: the 50 + 86, which has been in use at the military technical office in Manching up to now, has 12,000 under its belt.

The airfield fire brigade greeted the Transall

This is followed by the wet greeting by the airfield fire brigade.

Two nozzles from the fire engines form a water tunnel through which the machine rolls onto the berth.

Reception of the crew, last souvenir photos are taken before the sticker of the "last mission".

Then one final start of the motors to roll backwards to the park position.

Over 1600 pressure distribution plates were laid out in the previous days in order to bring the 33 tons safely to the berth.

Engines off, that's it.

2.47 p.m. for the logbook.

Lieutenant Colonel Siggi Beck, who flew the Transall to Altenstadt with Captain Frank Müller, has 13,000 flight hours on this type of aircraft alone.

He swears by this machine, which did not let him down on his last US tour in September and October.

On that day he hands it over to Lieutenant Colonel Martin Holle, the commander of the airborne and air transport school.

Handshake, symbolic handing over of keys, out of the mouse: more than 50 years of aviation and success stories are finally over.

FROM HANS-HELMUT HEROLD

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-11-25

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