Airfield De Kooy

This airfield was used by the Dutch Wapen der Militaire Luchtvaart (Royal Army Air Forces) in May 1940. The Dutch occupation force also used this airfield.
Dutch airmen Hoekstra and Hartsinck managed to escape (without approval) to France from this airfield after the Dutch surrender. Hoekstra returend to Holland, while Hartsinck managed to reach England.

De Kooy Airport, officially known as Maritiem Vliegkamp De Kooy, is a military and civil airport located south of Den Helder. It was established in 1918 as a base for the Naval Aviation Service (MLD) and served as a location for fighter aircraft, fighter-bombers and reconnaissance aircraft of the navy. Training for naval pilots also took place here. During World War II, the airfield was used by the German occupiers and severely damaged by Allied bombing, leading to its closure in 1944. After the war, the airfield was restored and equipped with a concrete runway in 1960.

Today, De Kooy is home to the 860 Squadron of the Defence Helicopter Command, which operates NH90 maritime combat helicopters. These helicopters support naval vessels and the Coast Guard. De Kooy also serves as a civil airport under the name Den Helder Airport, which has been working with the Ministry of Defence since the 1980s. The airport plays a crucial role in transporting personnel and cargo by helicopter to offshore oil and gas platforms in the North Sea. The facilities are shared between military and civilian users, including the runway, air traffic control and fire brigade.

With its combined military and civilian functions, De Kooy Air Base is an important hub for maritime air operations and offshore logistics in the Netherlands.

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Source

• Text: Kaj Metz + RJArmy
• Photos: RJ Army

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