Permanent exhibition ‘You can’t miss Gatow’: Berlin-Gatow

The early days: From an idyllic setting to a military airfield

“You can’t miss Gatow” – this statement from 1947 is truer today than ever. Gatow and its stories should not be missed!

Berlin-Gatow Airfield is an authentic site of remembrance that brings the turbulent history of the 20th century to life – from Nazi rearmament through the Cold War to German reunification.

Before the airfield’s military history began, gliders took off from nearby Windmühlenberg Hill in Gatow, not far from the elegant villa district of Kladow. In the mid-1930s, the Nazi regime built a large-scale complex for training Luftwaffe pilots and officers, as well as for research into aerial warfare technologies.

View from the control tower of the tarmac and Hangar 4, with several Avro Yorks in the foreground.

A turning point in history: The Berlin Airlift

Following its capture by the Red Army in April 1945, the British Royal Air Force took control of the entire site in July 1945. The British remained stationed here for almost five decades and played a decisive role in shaping Gatow.

Gatow took on particular significance during the Berlin Blockade from June 1948 to May 1949. Alongside Tempelhof and later Tegel, this airfield also played a vital role in supplying the besieged population of West Berlin during those dramatic months. The airlift made Gatow world-famous.

East–West: In the shadow of the Cold War

Its close proximity to the East German border made Gatow a key site of the Cold War. It was here that East and West closely observed one another – through binoculars, radio interception and reconnaissance flights. The exhibition reveals what took place in secret at the time.

Following reunification, the British presence came to an end in 1994. The Bundeswehr took over the site, which today is home not only to the office of the Inspector of the Air Force but also to the historic airfield and our museum. Together with the adjoining barracks, they are open to the public.

Display cases featuring a ceremonial trumpet and the flags of the Berlin-Gatow Airbase Command.

A damaged envelope bearing the inscription ‘Damaged in a plane crash’ in a display case.

A display case with a blue background contains various objects found on the site, including a steel helmet.

A highly detailed model of a Short Sunderland flying boat sits on a plinth with a multimedia station and display cases.

Model of the Short Sunderland flying boat on a plinth, surrounded by information about Berlin-Gatow Airfield’s role in the Berlin Airlift at.

Oblique top view of a handwritten document in a display case – the Gatow Airfield logbook from summer 1945.

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Explore the permanent exhibitions

Close-up showing the cockpit and struts of a French Farman III. In the background is a CASA C-2.111B.

Zwischenlandung (‘Stopover’)

100 years of military aviation across eight eras since the pioneers of flight: eyewitness accounts, interactive exhibits and a walk-in bunker.

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter fighter jet, mounted on supports in take-off position, against a dark, cloudy sky.

Outdoor exhibition area

Discover a unique collection of Cold War-era aircraft and weapon systems from both East and West.