Altenburg: Air Base

Nobitz, Аэродром Альтенбург

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!
CoordinatesN505858 E0123027 (WGS84) Google Maps
Elevation 194 m
Former East Germany (GDR)District of Leipzig
Federal stateThüringen (Thuringia)
Map with location of Altenburg Air Base
Germany during the Cold War Map
The history of the Cold War airfields: Altenburg

Location of airfield

The airfield is located ca. 5 km east of Altenburg city center.

During World War II

Situation

Altenburg Air Base in World War II
Altenburg Air Base in World War II on a US map from 194x
Source: McMaster University Library Digital Archive, Lizenz: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 CC BY-NC 2.5 CA

Overview

The Altenburg Nobitz airfield on a map 1952
The Altenburg Nobitz airfield on a US map from 1952 - AMS M841 GSGS 4414, Courtesy Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University /BYU/)
Source: AMS M841 GSGS 4414, Courtesy Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University

Aerial pictures from 26 August 1944

Altenburg Air Base, Germany
Altenburg Air Base - composed of two aerial images
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Aircraft at the northern end of the runway
Aircraft at the northern end of the runway
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Hangar at Altenburg airfield
Hangar in the north - Around the building on the western side are several airplanes
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Altenburg: Barracks
Barracks
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Buildings
Buildings
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Buildings
Buildings
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Hangars and aircraft at Altenburg Air Base (Fliegerhorst), Germany
Two hangars and aircraft
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Hangars on the eastern side
More hangars on the eastern side
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Runway and western take-off head
Runway and western take-off head
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Eastern take-off platform
Eastern take-off platform
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Hangars in the southeast, airplane
Two hangars in the southeast, in between an airplane
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Southern end of the runway at Altenburg, Germany
Southern end of the runway
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Airplanes
Airplanes
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0
Aircraft and landing-T
Aircraft and landing-T
Source: GDI-Th, Freistaat Thüringen, TLVermGeo, www.geoportal-th.de, Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung – Version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0

During the Cold War

Usage during the Cold War

Soviet air base.

In the 1950s

History

  • Units in 1954
    - Soviet fighter regiment (P. O. Box of the technical unit: 29 637),
    - Soviet fighter regiment (P. O. Box of the technical unit: 62 334),
    - A total of 45 MiG-15/MiG-15U were counted at the airfield.
    (For the P. O. Box numbers the digits 3 and 5 may be confused, because they are difficult to distinguish in the source document) (Source: BND/Bundesarchiv B 206/3033)
  • May 1954
    Relocation of the Fighter Wing Brand (P. O. Box of the technical unit: 62 334) to Altenburg Airfield.
  • May 1954
    Relocation of the aeronautical technical training unit (P. O. Box 65 276) from Altenburg to Döberitz.

In the 1960s

History

  • 1966
    Observation by the US Military Liaison Mission: The Altenburg regiment has possibly been equipped with aircraft MiG-21 FISHBED F, like the regiments in Altes Lager and Pütnitz. In Altenburg, also the latest MiG-21U MONGOL F two-seater training aircraft was first observed in April 1966. (Source: USMLM 1966)
  • November 30th, 1966
    A USMLM team observed the presence of MiG-21 FISHBED F'S with an unusual fuselage marking at Altenburg. (Source: USMLM 1966)

Images

A modified Soviet MiG-21 FISHBED F at Altenburg in November 1966. Source: USMLM 1966A modified Soviet MiG-21 FISHBED F at Altenburg in November 1966.

In the 1970s

Situation

Altenburg Air Base on a map 1972
Altenburg 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

Altenburg Air Base, Germany, on a US satellite image 1970
Altenburg Air Base on a US satellite image from 10 March 1970 - The area is covered with snow. Objekte: 1: Airfield, 2:Lane in the extension of the runway to the northeast, 3: Anti-aircraft missle site near Greipnitz, 4: City of Altenburg
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Airfield
Airfield
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Northeastern end of the runway
Northeastern end of the runway
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Flightline and aircraft revetments at Altenburg airfield, Germany
Flightline and aircraft revetments
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Southwestern end of the runway, Altenburg
Southwestern end of the runway
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Altenburg air base: Soviet barracks
Barracks
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Southern part of the barracks at Altenburg airfield
Southern part of the barracks
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Anti-aircraft missile site near Greipzig, Germany
Anti-aircraft missile site near Greipzig - For the protection of the airfield
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

In the 1980s and early 1990s

Runways

Data for the year 1980:
  • 04/22: 2400 m x 80/60/44 m Concrete
  • 04/22: 2000 m x 100 m Grass
Breite der SLB (in Landerichtung 221° betrachtet):
- auf den ersten 240 m beträgt die Breite 44 m
- für die folgenden 350 m ist die Breite 60 m
- auf den restlichen 1810m ist die Bahn 80 m breit.
Ein NVA-Dokument aus den 1980er Jahren nennt einen maximalen Höhenunterschied auf der Start- und Landebahn von 30 m. Der höchste Punkt lag im letzten Drittel der Bahn (in Richtung 221° betrachtet). Außerdem wird ausdrücklich darauf hingewiesen, dass man wegen Kiesgruben nicht nach rechts oder links abweichen darf.
Am Ende der Bahn 22 befanden sich zwei Flugzeugfanganlagen.

Radio beacons

Data for the year 1989:
  • RSBN: Kanal 07 "PN", N505859 E0123023
  • LOM: 215 "PN", 4000 m
  • LMM: 411 "P", 950 m

Radio communication

The russian radio call sign for the airfield was PRORAN (original notation in Cyrillic: ПРОРАН).
Auf einer Karte mit Wetterstationen, die Anfang der 1990er Jahre in der Flugleitung am Flugplatz Sperenberg hing, war für Altenburg der Name STOLBIK eingetragen (= Tarnname der Wetterstation Altenburg?)

The US replica in Nevada

In the desert of Nevada the Soviet airfield Altenburg was reconstructed to use it as a training target.
Learn more about this copy of the East German Air Base close to the legendary "Area 51":
Altenburg as target airfield near Rachel Nevada.

Today

Use today

Regional airport.

Videos

Sources

Bibliography

  • United States Military Liaison Mission: "Unit History 1966"

Recommended

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