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Flugplatz Hemiksem

51°08'59"N 004°21'54"E

Runway: N/A

Flugplatz Hemiksem (Dutch: vliegveld Hemiksem), was a decoy (fake) airfield near Hemiksem, south of Antwerp in the province of Antwerp, Belgium.

It was built by the Luftwaffe during World War II.

Although decoy airfields (intended to distract allied air attacks away from their intended targets) are not normally a subject on this list, I've chosen to add this particular one.

Reasons are twofold:

Firstly, it is often claimed to have been a real airfield.

Secondly, it (according to Nikko Yaginuma from Belgium) this installation looked so much like the real thing it even fooled a Luftwaffe Dornier crew based at Deurne.

As the 'landing ground' was totally unsuitable to actually land on, they completely wrecked their aircraft, but still managed to walk away.

The only surviving 'building' is a small concrete bunker.

No image available.

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Oostmalle

51°15'52"N 004°45'19"E

Runway 05L/23R - 2950x45meter - concrete (799meter between markers usable)

Runway 05L/23R - 2430x22meter - concrete (not in use)

Air base Oostmalle-Zoersel (Dutch: vliegbasis Oostmalle-Zoersel, ICAO EBZR) is a reserve NATO airbase in the province of Antwerp (Dutch: Antwerpen) in Belgium.

It is currently categorised as a reserve air base of the Belgian Defence Forces - Air Component

Despite its millitary owner, the air base is also home of a flying club, who have been flying from it for over 30 years.

The NATO reserve status means the air base is a 'bare base' facility: it has one runway, a total of 12 dispersals (6 on each end), and no hangars, logistics or even ATC.

Because the airbase is military domain, it is formally closed to the public, although it is permitted to visit the area around the aeroclub during opening hours.

The airbase, like many of it's kind was built in the 1950-1955 timeframe.

The air base may have a reserve status, but the Belgian Armed forces may use the air base with any aircraft they operate, including Hercules transport aircraft.

reserve NATO air base Oostmalle (source).

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Hoevenen

51°18'16"N 004°23'19"E

Hoevenen airfield, the runway lies between the white markers (indicated by red arrows).

Runway: 15/33 - 585meters - Grass

Airfield Hoevenen (Dutch: vliegveld Hoevenen, ICAO: EBHN), is a general aviation airfield along the A12 motorway just north of Antwerp, Belgium.

The airfield is located just outside the Antwerp CTR, allowing parajumping and operations with ultralight aircraft.

It has a grass runway, some hangars and a clubhouse.

The airfield was discribed by somebody at Google Sites as:

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Weelde

51°23'47"N 004°58'01"E

Runway 07/25 - 2,980x45m/9,776feet - Asphalt

Runway 05L/23R - 2430x22meter - concrete (not in use)

Weelde Air Base (Dutch: vliegbasis Weelde, ICAO EBWE) is a reserve NATO airbase in the province of Antwerp, Belgium

Although built as a reserve airfield Weelde was initially used as an operational field, because the runway at nearby Kleine Brogel suffered from construction flaws

During the 1950s and early 1960 it was regularly used for exercises.

From 1963 onwards it was used less frequent, as the introduction of the F-104 meant more support facilities were needed than Weelde could offer.

In 1984 however the base was used for a longer period when Belgian Air Force Mirage III fighters used the air base for several weeks on a deployment exercise.

From then on exercises are held regularly by several units, ranging from fighters to transport squadrons.

In the late 1980s Weelde was designated to become a POMS (Prepositioned Organisational Material Sets) site, but before the site was fully constructed the Cold War ended.

The intended POMS site plan was abandoned, and the facilities that were already construed were used to stock surplus Mirage and F-16 fighters and their support equipment.

A total of 75 aircraft were eventually stored, pending their sale.

During the 1990s the air base was occasionally used for exercises.

Since 1998 it became the site of a biannual exercise involving all flying sections of the armed forces: Jets, helicopters and transportaircraft.

The Belgian Air Component also uses the field for the Belgian Air Cadets.

Finally the air field is home to the Kempische Aero Club

reserve NATO air Base Weelde in 2009 (Google Maps)

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Balen/Keiheuvel

51°10'51"N 005°13'14"E

Runway: 07/25 - 1000meters/3,280feet - Grass

Airfield Balen/Keiheuvel (Dutch: vliegveld Balen/Keiheuvel, ICAO: EBKH), is a public general avaition airfield in the municipality of Balen-Keiheuvel, in the province of Limburg, Belgium.

The airfield was founded in 1956 and is the home base of the Royal Aeroclub Keiheuvel, with both motorised and glider aircraft.

As with most recreational airields in Belgium flying into this airfield is strictly PPR (Prior Permission Required).

Thanks to Bjorn Claes from Belgium for correcting me on the location of the airfield!

Balen-Keiheuvel as seen on Google Maps.

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Beerse

51°19'06"N004°47'53"E

Runway: 11/29 - 810x18meters - asphalt

Airfield Beerse (Dutch: vliegveld Beerse) was an airfield 33 kilometers east of Antwerp in the province of Antwerp, Belgium.

It is not known when exactly, but it was built somewhere in the 1960s and used primarily by the Metallo Chimique company as a private airfield.

Older pilots from Africa may remember this airfield, because for some time it was used for basic flight training of African pilots.

The airfield was closed in the 1980s, when it was discovered that it was being used to smuggle security bonds from Belgium to Switzerland.

The former airfield was acquired by the Flemish government in 2004.

In 2006 it was sold to a nature preservation organisation.

They announced in early August 2009 the runway was to be broken up in an attempt to restore nature.

Work had commenced on 13 August 2009.

On 23 August 2009 a Belgian pilot forum announced the full runway had been broken up and no longer usable as an emergency landing field.

The terrain is now open to the public.

A wooden white 'X' to the right of the Beerse 11 treshold indicated the field was closed in 2007 (also visible in Google Earth).

Beerse airfield in 2008, two years before it was broken up.

Thanks to Bart Vermeulen for pointing out this airfield!

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Oud Turnhout

51°18'59"N 005°00'59"E

Runway: 05/23 - 810x18meters/2006x60feet - asphalt

Runway: 10/28 - 450x30meters/1478x100feet - grass

Airfield Oud Turnhout (Dutch: vliegveld Oud Turnhout, ICAO EBOT), 40 kilometers east of Antwerp in the province of Antwerp, Belgium.

It is not known when the airfield was built, but as late as 1999 it was an active civilian airfield, mainly open for skydivers.

By that time the grass runway was no longer usable however.

Pilatus PC-6 at Oud Turnhout in the 1990s (M Bogers via Panoramio.

The airfield was closed after noise complaints from neighbouring villas.

In 2007 the airfield was bought from the Sebrechts family by Dutch real estate investor Peter Heeren.

After repeated rumours about a golf course he announced in a 2007 interview with a local paper he intends to use the 50 hectare plot as a private domain.

The terrain is now fenced off as a private property.

Oud Turnhout in 2007, 8 years after it closed.

Thanks to Bart Vermeulen for pointing out this airfield!

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If you have any information about airfields (listed and unlisted) in the province of Antwerp, email RonaldV.

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