Nonstop flight route between Nordholz, Germany and Braintree, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Nordholz Naval Airbase (FCN), Nordholz, Germany and MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF), Braintree, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 362 miles (or 582 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the relatively short distance between Nordholz Naval Airbase and MDPGA Wethersfield, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Nordholz Naval Airbase (FCN):

• In addition to being known as "Nordholz Naval Airbase", another name for FCN is "(Advanced Landing Ground R-56)".
• Nordholz currently operates a mix of Lockheed P-3C Orions, Mk88A Sea Lynx, Mk41 Sea King and the Dornier Do 228NG.
• Its aircraft fly predominantly over the North Sea on antisubmarine patrols.
• Because of Nordholz Naval Airbase's relatively low elevation of 74 feet, planes can take off or land at Nordholz Naval Airbase at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• Out of the 20 Atlantics, five were converted during 1969 and 1970 into SIGINT aircraft, specialised in electronic reconnaissance of hostile radar systems and communications of what used to be the Eastern Bloc.
• The furthest airport from Nordholz Naval Airbase (FCN) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,711 miles (18,847 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In 1959 construction of the current airbase began.
• The airfield was occupied by American forces on 16 May 1945 as part of the American Zone of Occupation in the Bremen area, an enclave surrounded by the British zone.
• The closest airport to Nordholz Naval Airbase (FCN) is Bremerhaven Airport (BRV), which is located only 18 miles (30 kilometers) S of FCN.
• Nordholz Naval Airbase (FCN) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF):

• The Operational Support Unit moved to Wethersfield from RAF Wittering and has been permanently based there since May 1992.
• The furthest airport from MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,856 miles (19,080 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Starting in July 1966, bases in Turkey, Spain, and Italy were transferred from Tactical Air Command to USAFE.
• In August 1976 the 66th CSS became Detachment 1, 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, based at RAF Alconbury.
• In addition to being known as "MDPGA Wethersfield", another name for WXF is "RAF Wethersfield".
• Because of MDPGA Wethersfield's relatively low elevation of 322 feet, planes can take off or land at MDPGA Wethersfield at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• The 416th Bombardment Group arrived at Wethersfield from Laurel Army Airfield, Mississippi, on 1 February 1944, flying the twin-engine Douglas A-20G "Havoc" aircraft.
• The fighter squadrons of the 20th had been in constant rotation since the arrival of the wing at Wethersfield in 1952.
• The closure of US bases in France forced the opening of RAF Greenham Common under 20th TFW management to handle personnel overflow beginning in January 1967.
• MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) has 3 runways.
• The closest airport to MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) is London Stansted Airport (STN), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) WSW of WXF.
• In 1951, as a result of the Cold War threat of the Soviet Union, the British provided RAF Wethersfield to the USAF as part of their NATO commitment.