 In June 1944 the German Luftwaffe constructed the first airfield near the town of De Rips, consisting of a single 1400 meters long and 75 meters wide grass strip.The airfield did not see much use by the retreating German forces and was later briefly used in October 1944 by the Royal Canadian Air Force 126 wing as an Advanced Landing Ground (designated B-84).It was not located on the site of the current air base, but about 8 kilometers to the north-west of it.