Wiener Neustadt Air Base was located northwest of the city and was one of the first airports on the European continent. It opened in 1910 and housed units of the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops. The base was close to the Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke (WNF) factory in the eastern part of the city and which manufactured Messerschmitt Bf 109s and repaired Junkers bombers and destroyers during World War II. The base was bombed to total destruction during World War II and was rebuilt by the Soviets who operated the base until 1955. The Austrian military took the base over, but didn't use it until 1961. The base houses no units, but Flight Regiment 1's PC-6 B2H2 Turbo Porter are operating from the base for flight training purposes as well as for training of army parachutists.