Old Dabber Airfield Wittstock Air Base | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
Operator | German Luftwaffe followed by Soviet Air Force | ||||||||||
Location | 3.5 km NE of Wittstock, Germany | ||||||||||
Built | 1934 | ||||||||||
In use | 1934 - 1994 | ||||||||||
Commander | Lieutenant-General Sawitzki | ||||||||||
Occupants | 1934-1945 German Luftwaffe. 1945-1994 Soviet 33 Fighter Regiment | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 53°12′08″N012°31′21″E / 53.20222°N 12.52250°E | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
Location of airport in Brandenburg | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
|
The Old Daber Airfield (also known as Wittstock Air Base), is an abandoned military air base located just outside the town of Wittstock in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district, in north-western Brandenburg, Germany.
From 1934, under Nazi-air skills initiative to revive the Luftwaffe, the site served as a glider field. From 1938 it was developed formally as a Luftwaffe airfield, with building extensions stopping in 1940. By this time the southern section of the site was linked to the railway at Groß Haßlow.
On 3 May 1945, the Red Army overran the airfield, and occupied the site. From this point forward, several units of the Soviet Air Force were stationed at the site. After extending the runway to 2,400 metres (7,900 ft), the Soviet military added a radar site near Biesen to the west, and a surface-to-air missile site near Wernikow. [1] From 1961, the attached air regiments included the 33 IAP (Jagdfliegerregiment/Fighter Regiment), equipped with MiG-29 (ASSC Fulcrum-A/B) fighter and the MiG-23UM Flogger-C operational trainer. The regiment was part of the 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Division within the 16th Air Army with headquarters in Damgarten. [2]
With the reunification of West Germany and East Germany from 1989/1990, the Soviet Army agreed to return all bases by the end of 1994. The airfield was handed back to the district authorities on 20 June 1994. The airfield was then used for a time by the Bundeswehr, before being abandoned.
After abandonment, the airfield served as a race track, during which the fauna and flora of the heathland began to take over the facilities.
It was also used to host a series of electronic music festivals, including FULLmoOON festival.
Local plans for the 135 acres (55 ha) site propose the development of a photovoltaic cell storage plant, with a power of 50MW.
Müritz Airpark, previously known as Rechlin–Lärz Airfield) is an airfield in the village of Rechlin, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. The airport is not used for scheduled traffic but features general aviation and is home to other leisure activities as well. Additionally, the music festival Fusion Festival takes place here.
Ämari Air Base is a military airbase in Harjumaa, Estonia located 7 km (4.3 mi) south of Lake Klooga and 20 nautical miles southwest of Tallinn.
Smirnykh is an abandoned Russian Air Force airbase in Sakhalin, Russia located 2 km east of the village of the same name. It appeared in June 1966 KH-7 imagery with a runway length of 2,000 m. It was expanded sometime after this to 2,500 m with a new extension of revetments added.
Kaliningrad Chkalovsk is a naval air base in Chkalovsk, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia located 9 kilometers northwest of Kaliningrad. Most instances in Russian aviation literature of Chkalovsk or Chkalovskoye refer specifically to this large airfield. A significant Baltic naval base, it is Kaliningrad's largest airfield with four separate complexes for bomber and fighter parking.
Shatalovo is an air base in Pochinok, Pochinkovsky District, Smolensk Oblast of the Russian Aerospace Forces as part of the 6th Air and Air Defence Forces Army, Western Military District.
The 16th Red Banner Air Army was the most important formation of the Special Purpose Command. Initially formed during the Second World War as a part of the Soviet Air Force, it was from its 2002 reformation to its 2009 disbandment the tactical air force component of the Moscow Military District. The 16th Air Army took part in the Battle of Berlin with 28 Aviation divisions and 7 Separate aviation regiments, and was located with the GSFG in East Germany until 1994. Withdrawn to Kubinka in that year, the army was disbanded and reformed as a corps in 1998. From 1949 to 1968, it was designated as the 24th Air Army.
Kluczewo Airfield is a former Soviet airbase located in Kluczewo, a suburb of Stargard Szczeciński in Poland. Its concrete runway measured 2,500 x 60 m, but it has been closed to air traffic since 1992. Today the area of the former base has been converted into an industrial park.
Hradčany Airport is a former military airport within the area of Ralsko in Liberec Region, northern Czech Republic. Built toward the end of World War II for the Luftwaffe, it was expanded after the war. In 1968 the Soviet Army took control and set up a large air base here. However, after the Soviets left in 1991, the airport was abandoned and it is now neglected and damaged.
San Antonio de los Baños Airfield is a military air base located near San Antonio de los Baños, a municipality in the province of Havana in Cuba. It is located approximately 3 mi (4.8 km) southwest of the city of San Antonio de los Baños, about 30 mi (48 km) southwest of Havana.
Balchik Airfield, is a general aviation airfield and reduced former military airbase in the town of Balchik, northeast Bulgaria, on the Black Sea coast. In August 2011 the Bulgarian government transformed Balchik airbase from a military to a civilian airport and it became part of the assets of the state-owned company Sofia Airport EAD.
Laon-Athies Air Base is an abandoned military airfield, which is located near the city of Laon in the Aisne department of France.
Poltava Air Base is a military airfield located approximately 8 km (5.0 mi) northwest of Poltava, Ukraine. It is one of two airfields near Poltava, the other being Poltava Airport.
The 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Division was an Aviation Division of the Soviet Air Forces, active from 1942 to 1998. Originally activated in 1942 as the 258th Fighter Aviation Division from the Air Forces of the 14th Army, then the 258th Mixed Aviation Division 27.2.43; redesignated in accordance with NKO Decree No. 264 as the 1st Guards Composite Aviation Division от 24.08.43; redesignated 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Division 11 November 1944.
Jüterbog Airfield was a military air base located west of the town of Jüterbog, in Brandenburg, Germany. Nowadays paragliders and hang gliders start from Altes Lager.
Sperenberg Airfield was a military air base located near the town of Sperenberg in Brandenburg, Germany.
Brand-Briesen Airfield is a redeveloped military air base located at Briesen/Brand, part of Halbe in Dahme-Spreewald, Brandenburg, Germany, about 60 km (37 mi) south-southeast of Berlin. Since 2004, the former CargoLifter airship hangar has been converted by a Malaysian company Tanjong into a leisure resort called Tropical Islands Resort.
28th Guards Leningrad Order of Kutuzov Fighter Aviation Regiment was an aviation regiment of the Soviet Air Forces during the Second World War, the Korean War, and became part of the Russian Air Force after 1991.
Neuhausen ob Eck Airfield is a special airfield near the town of Neuhausen ob Eck in the district of Tuttlingen in Baden-Württemberg, Southern Germany. Used as a military airbase by the German Army Aviation Corps until 1994, it was rededicated a special airfield, and is since 1997 the site of the business park take-off GewerbePark Betreibergesellschaft mbH. Since 2002, the airfield also hosts the annual Southside Music Festival.
The Turkmen Air Force is the air force branch of the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan. It was formed from former Soviet Air Forces units within that region of the Turkestan Military District. The Turkmen Air Force inherited some 300 Soviet aircraft, and has pilots trained in Ukraine.
The 518th Fighter Aviation Regiment was a fighter aviation regiment of the Soviet Air Forces during World War II that became part of the Soviet Air Defence Forces after the end of the war.