Schijndel Air Base B.85

Military Decommissioning. The airfield was a temporary Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) built for a specific military purpose during World War II. With the rapid advance of Allied forces into Germany and the subsequent end of the war in Europe, the forward airfield was no longer strategically necessary. It was officially abandoned and returned to its original landowners.

The site of the former airfield has been completely returned to civilian use. The area now consists primarily of agricultural farmland and some light industrial/commercial properties along the road 'Structuurweg'. There are no visible remnants of the runway, taxiways, or support buildings. However, its history is not forgotten; a memorial monument dedicated to Airfield B.85 and the Allied airmen who served there has been erected at the corner of Structuurweg and Duinweg, preserving the memory of its role in World War II.

Schijndel Air Base, designated B.85, was a significant Allied Advanced Landing Ground constructed shortly after the liberation of the area during Operation Market Garden. Built in just over a month by the British Royal Engineers, it became operational in November 1944. Its primary purpose was to provide close air support for the Allied 21st Army Group's ground forces as they pushed towards Germany. The airfield was home to the RAF's Second Tactical Air Force and hosted several notable fighter wings. Key units operating from B.85 included No. 143 Wing of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), flying Hawker Typhoon fighter-bombers, and later No. 121 Wing of the Royal Air Force (RAF), flying Supermarine Spitfires. These aircraft conducted crucial ground-attack, armed reconnaissance, and air defense missions during the final months of the war. The airfield's location was vital for maintaining pressure on German forces during the winter of 1944-1945.

There are absolutely no plans or prospects for reopening Schijndel Air Base. It was a temporary wartime installation that was dismantled and returned to farmland almost 80 years ago. The land has been fully redeveloped, and its existence is now purely of historical interest.