GERMANY 2021 : FRANKFURT AIRPORT

27th of July 2021. My first visit to one of the biggest and busiest airports in Europe. 

Frankfurt Airport (FRA / EDDF) :

4 runways  

07L/25R (2,800 m) - 07C/25C (4,000 m) - 07R-25L (4,000 m) - 18/36 (4,000 m)

Hub for AeroLogic / Lufthansa / Lufthansa Cityline / Lufthansa Cargo.

Focus city for : Condor / Eurowings / Ryanair / TuiFly Deutschland.

Frankfurt Airport is operated by Fraport AG (Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide).

This Airport opened 8th of July 1936 (85 years ago).

During my visit I stayed in the IntercityHotel near Cargo City Süd.

Not a cheap hotel but at walking distance (15 minutes) of Aussichtsplattform Zeppelinheim. During your walk towards this spotters platform you are also passing the Luftbruckendenkmal. (see below for more information).

When you arrive at the spotters platform you have a very good view concerning landings on runway's 25L & 25C. Approaches for 25R are also visible but too far away for nice pictures.

One disadvantage of this spotting place is the noise of the highway nearby. Really annoying after a full day of spotting. :-)

Also aircraft which are towed or passing during taxiing are difficult to photograph because of the fence. Nevertheless you can make nice pictures of the landings. See below pictures.

Lufthansa / Lufthansa Cityline & Lufthansa Cargo

Condor

TuiFly Deutschland

Others

Luftbruckendenkmal

From 24th of June 1948 until 12th of May 1949 'The Berlin Blockade' was one of the first crises of the Cold war. The Soviet Union blocked during this period all railway, road and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control.

The Soviets only would drop the blockade if Western Allies withdrew the newly introduced Deutche Mark out of West Berlin.

Therefore Western Allies organised the so called 'Berlin Airlift' (also known as Berliner Lüftbrücke from 26th of June 1948 until 30th of September 1949. 

American and British air forces flew over Berlin more than 250,000 times dropping supplies such as fuel and food. Additional RAF crews getting help from Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and South African Aircrews. The French also helped but only for their own military garrison.

American C-47 and C-54 transport aircraft flew more than 148,000,000 km's during this mission. Also British Handly Page Haltons and Short Sunderlands participated.

At a certain moment one plane reached West Berlin every 30 seconds!

2 aircraft are displayed : 

- 40-9063 (9063) (C-54E-5-DO) 'Rosinenbomber or Candy Bomber' / Douglas C-54E Skymaster / US Air Force

- 349081 (26342/14897) 'The Berlin Train' / Douglas C-47D Skytrain / US Air Force

related links : https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/en.html