Originally built as a military airport in 1938, and used during World War II as the Heinkel firm's southern military aircraft design and production complex, or "Heinkel-Süd" facility, it was taken over by the British in 1945 and became RAF Schwechat under the occupation of the country. In 1954, the "Betriebsgesellschaft" was founded, and the airport replaced Aspern as Vienna's (and Austria's) principal aerodrome. There was just one runway, which in 1959 was expanded to measure . The erection of the new airport building starting in 1959.