1. Home
  2. Air Bases
  3. Germany

Finsterwalde: Air Base

Schacksdorf

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!
CoordinatesN513627 E0134429 (WGS84) Google Maps
Elevation 394 ft
Former East Germany (GDR)District of Cottbus
Federal stateBrandenburg
Map with location of Finsterwalde Air Base
Germany during the Cold War Map
The history of the Cold War airfields: Finsterwalde

Location of airfield

Ca. 3 km south of Finsterwalde.

During World War II

Situation

Fliegerhorst Finsterwalde in World War II 1944
Fliegerhorst (Air Base) Finsterwalde in World War II on a US map from 1944
Source: McMaster University Library Digital Archive, License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 CC BY-NC 2.5 CA

Overview

Map of Fliegerhorst Finsterwalde, 1952
Former Fliegerhorst (Air Base) Finsterwalde in the approximate state during World War II on a US map from 1952 - Visible are the buildings of the old air base and the connecting railway.
Source: AMS M841 GSGS 4414, Courtesy Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University

During the Cold War

Use

Base for soviet fighter-bomber until 1993.

In the 1950s

Units

Units in 1954
  • Headquarters Soviet ground attack division
  • Soviet ground attack regiment (P. O. Box of the technical unit: 36 764),
  • Soviet ground attack regiment (P. O. Box of the technical unit: 45 043),
  • A total of 14 MiG-15/MiG-15U were counted at the airfield.
Source: BND/Bundesarchiv B 206/3033
(For the P. O. Box numbers the digits 3 and 5 may be confused, because they are difficult to distinguish in the source document)

History

  • May 1954
    Relocation of the Ground Attack Regiment Brandis (PFN 36 764) to Finsterwalde.

In the 1960s

Overview

Satellite image 1968
Satellite image from 09 May 1968, not fully oriented to the north. - 1: Airfield; 2: Inner radio beacon east; 3: Inner radio beacon west; 4: Lugau SAM site; 5: Finsterwalde-Heinrichsruh airfield; Places Eichholz, Fischwasser, Finsterwalde, Hennersdorf, Schacksdorf
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Finsterwalde Airfield, Germany
The airfield in the general view
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Anti-aircraft positions
The two hexagonal structures are probably anti-aircraft positions.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Western part
Western part
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Finsterwalde Air Base: flight line and aircraft hangars
Central part with flight line and aircraft hangars
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Eastern part
Eastern part
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Soviet SAM site near Lugau
SAM site near Lugau - The soil looks freshly worked
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Radio communication

Call sign: ANALITIK (known for 1967)

In the 1970s

Situation

Finsterwalde Air Base on a map 1972
Finsterwalde Air Base on a map of the US Department of Defense from 1972
Source: ONC E-2 (1972), Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin

Overview

25 November 1970
In comparison with the pictures from 1968, numerous aircraft shelters can now be found on the airfield. In the northeast of the field, a shelter loop was built.
Satellite image 1970
Satellite image from 25 November 1970
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Northern part
Northern part
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
shelter loop Finsterwalde
New shelter loop in the northeast
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Shelters in the southwestern part
Southwestern part - Here also numerous shelters can be found
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Hangars
Hangars
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Shelters in the southeast
Shelters have also been built in the southeast
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Lugau anti-aircraft missile site
Lugau anti-aircraft missile site
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
16 May 1979
Finsterwalde Air Base, Germany, on a US satellite image 1979
Finsterwalde Air Base and area to the west on a US satellite image from 16 May 1979 - 1: Airfield; 2: Inner radio beacon east; 3: Inner radio beacon west; 4: Lugau SAM site; 5: Finsterwalde-Heinrichsruh airfield; 6: Sorno agricultural airfield; 7: Depot; 8: Open-pit mine. Places Betten, Drößig, Eichholz, Fischwasser, Finsterwalde, Hennersdorf, Pechhütte, Schacksdorf
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Finsterwalde Soviet Air Base, Germany
Finsterwalde Air Base
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Dispersal area with aircraft shelters in the northeast
Dispersal area with aircraft shelters in the northeast
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Finsterwalde Hangars
Southwestern part with hangars - The structure of the former Fliegerhorst can still be recognized at the hangars. raffic on the road west of the runway (top left) is stopped during flight operations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Southeastern part
Southeastern part
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Surface-to-air missile (SAM) site Finsterwalde, Germany, north of Lugau.
The surface-to-air missile (SAM) site of the airfield was located north of Lugau. - It was equipped with missile S-125 Newa (NATO designator SA-3 Goa).
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Radio beacons

Data for the 1970s and 1980s:
  • LOM 27: 868 "KL"
  • LMM 27: 427 "K"
  • LOM 09: 868 "JS"
  • LMM 09: 427 "J"

    In the 1980s and early 1990s

    Runways

    • 09/27: 2700 m Concrete

    Radio communication

    Aviation radio call sign: GORODOK.

    Standard training routes

    "Flüge der LSK/LV der NVA und der LSK der GSSD im Rahmen der Gefechtsausbildung sind entsprechend der Grafik der Flugtage / -nächte auf der Grundlage der "Hauptflugregeln zum Fliegen im Luftraum der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik" auf Standardflugstrecken in den dazu festgelegten Flughöhen durchzuführen. ..." (Quelle: "Verzeichnis der Standardflugstrecken der LSK/LV der NVA und der LSK der GSSD"
    Stand 1989:
    343 Finsterwalde, Terpt, 2 km südlich Baruth, Übigau, Finsterwalde
    Höhe: 300 - 900 m
    344 Finsterwalde, Rothenburg, Chojnow, Chocianow, Schießplatz Przemkow, Rothenburg, Finsterwalde
    Höhe: 4900, 5500 m
    Höheneinnahme: Traverse Bernsdorf
    Höhenaufgabe: über dem Flugplatz
    345 Finsterwalde, Terpt, 2 km südlich Baruth, Schießplatz Heidehof, Markendorf, Schönewalde, Finsterwalde
    Höhe: zum Schießplatz 300, 1200 m, Rückflug 900 m
    346 Finsterwalde, Holzdorf, Abtsdorf, Klein-Kreutz, Kyritz (LKV), Schießplatz Wittstock, Neuglienicke, Luckenwalde, Finsterwalde
    Höhe: 4900, 5500 m (unter EWB zum Schießplatz 300 m)
    Höheneinnahme: Traverse Herzberg, beim Rückflug bis Traverse Fehrbellin
    Höhenaufgabe: Kyritz
    347 Finsterwalde, Doberlug-Kirchhain, Holzdorf, Schweinitz, Schießplatz Belgern, Finsterwalde
    Höhe: zum Schießplatz 300 - 600 m, Rückflug 900 m

    Units

    559 APIB: MiG-27, MiG-23UB (1990)

    Installations

    • Railway siding from Schacksdorf, passing the eastern threshold to the southern part of the airfield, with connection to the fuel depot in the south-eastern corner.
    • SAM site at Lugau (Finsterwalder Berg, 25 ha)

    Images

    Su-24 Fencer C with pedestal under the radome
    Su-24 Fencer C with pedestal under the radome - Photographed on 15 June 1983 by the US Military Liaison Mission
    Source: USMLM Unit History 1983
    Soviet END CURVE radar at the Soviet SA-3 Site
    Variant of the Soviet END CURVE radar at the Soviet SA-3 Site - There are modifications to the END BOX and the metal plate on the sail (The MGRS/UTMREF coordinates are given as VT030097, but should probably read VT030197)
    Source: USMLM Unit History 1983

    Today

    Use

    General aviation.

    Sources

    • http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm (offline): USMLM Unit History 1969 - Beschreibung eines Übungsprogramms von Su-7 in Finsterwalde am 07.10.1969
    • http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm (offline): USMLM Unit History 1971 - Bericht zu Problemen mit den Shelter-Toren in Finsterwalde und Allstedt
    • http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm (offline): USMLM Unit History 1972 - Erste Sichtung von Su-7 mit 4 Tragflächenaufhängungen in Finsterwalde und später in Groß Dölln
    • http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm (offline): USMLM Unit History 1974 - Im März 1974 erste Sichtung einer MiG-23 Flogger C in Finsterwalde
    • http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm (offline): USMLM Unit History 1975 - Su-7 wurden durch MiG-23 ersetzt. Sichtung einer Flogger D, Sichtung einer tarnfarbenen MiG-23 Flogger C
    • http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm (offline): USMLM Unit History 1978 - Sichtung eines neuen Kanonenbehälters an Flogger D aus Finsterwalde.
    • http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm (offline): USMLM Unit History 1983 - Foto der Unterseite einer Su-24 Fencer C in Finsterwalde; Foto eines Radars der SA-3-FlaRak-Stellung; Notiz zu Flogger J mit AS-12
    • http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm (offline): USMLM Unit History 1984 - Foto einer MiG-27 mit AS-12
    • http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm (offline): USMLM Unit History 1985 - Notiz zur Umrüstung von Flogger D auf Flogger J (MOD)

    Bibliography

    • Ries, Karl; Dierich, Wolfgang: "Fliegerhorste und Einsatzhäfen der Luftwaffe" Motorbuch Verlag Stuttgart, 1993 - Alliierte Planskizze
    • Freundt, Lutz: "Sowjetische Fliegerkräfte in Deutschland 1945-1994, Band 1" Freundt Eigenverlag, Diepholz 1998 - Beschreibung des Platzes, Plan, Bilder und Luftbilder
    • Freundt, Lutz: "Sowjetische Fliegerkräfte in Deutschland 1945-1994, Band 2" Freundt Eigenverlag, Diepholz 1999 - Angaben und Bilder zum 559 APIB
    • Freundt, Lutz: "Sowjetische Fliegerkräfte in Deutschland 1945-1994, Band 4" Edition Freundt Eigenverlag, Diepholz 2000 - Ergänzungen

    Recommended

    Image credits are shown on the respective target page, click on the preview to open it.
    Diese Seite auf Deutsch
    Follow mil-airfields on Facebook