Pärnu is located in the southwest of Estonia. During the Cold War, there was a large air base of the Soviet Air Force northwest of the city.
During the Cold War
Use
Soviet air base.
In the 1950s
History
October 1957 US agencies count at the airfield:
- 40 to 50 aircraft Il-28 or Tu-14
- 24 fighter planes, possibly MiG-15 or MiG-17
- 2 transport aircraft, possibly Li-2 (Source: CIA)
In the 1960s
Overview
Pärnu Air Base on a US satellite picture from 16 May 1966
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Enlargement: old runway system
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Enlargement: 26 aircraft of different types
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Enlargement: Additional 5 aircraft on the southwestern edge
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Enlargement: Target cross?
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Enlargement: Radio beacon for approaches from the northeast
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Railways around the airfield
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
History
July 1965 US agencies count at the airfield 9 large swept-wing fighter aircraft and 5 possibly small swept-wing fighter aircraft. (Source: CIA)
In the 1970s
Situation
Pärnu Air Base on a map of the US Department of Defense from 1973
Source: ONC D-3 (1973), Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin /PCL MC/