Jüterbog / Altes Lager Airfield

Usage until 1945

Luftwaffe airfield.

Usage during the Cold War

Soviet forces airfield.

Current usage

Closed.

Runways

Data for the year 1990:

Data for the 1970s:

The call sign of the airfield was LEXIJA (1990). In the mid-1960s it was GABARITNIJ.

On a map of meterological station from the tower at Sperenberg airfield from the beginnning of the 1990s, the Name KNIGA was noted for Altes Lager (=Name of Met office?).

Maps

Airfield map (situation map during nuclear attacks) (courtesy of H.G.)

Airspace around Altes Lager airfield (red marked). From a east german map from the 1980s.

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. ..." (Source: "Verzeichnis der Standardflugstrecken der LSK/LV der NVA und der LSK der GSSD")

223 Altes Lager, Gräfenhainichen, LK, Schönewalde, Altes Lager
Altitude: 600 - 1850 m (in coordination with VHZ)
Interception leg: Zahna, Burgkemnitz, Prettin, Schweinitz

224 Altes Lager, Nauen, Wolmirstedt, Altes Lager
Altitude: 4900, 5500 m
Interception legt: Buschow, Colbitz

225 Altes Lager, Öhna, Golssen, Baruth, Schießplatz Heidehof range, Markendorf, Altes Lager
Altitude: 300 - 600 m

227 Altes Lager, Wittenberg, Trossin, Schildau, Schießplatz Belgern range, Herzberg, Altes Lager
Altitude: to the range 300 - 1200 m, return 1200 - 1850 m (climb overhead range)

228 Altes Lager, Raben, Sömmerda, Senftenberg, Altes Lager
Altitude: 7900, 8550, 11900 - 18000 m
Descend: Senftenberg, abeam Finsterwalde maximum altitude 7900 m
Interception leg: Coswig, Halle, Traverse Leipzig, Lauchhammer

543 Altes Lager, Treuenbrietzen, Niemegk, Cobbelsdorf, Zahna, Öhna, Altes Lager
Altitute: 100 - 300 m

Anti-aircraft missile site 5.6 km west of the airfield near Lindow.

It looks like the Jüterbog / Altes Lager airfield has been copied and build as a target airfield in Nevada / USA. In the western part of the Nellis Airforce Range is the "Tolicha Peak Electronic Combat Range" (TPECR). About 7 km northwest of the TPECR is an airfield target (N3722 W11650). According to a document from the internet, this airfield is named as "Eastman Airfield Target" or "Target 76-14".

According to other sources in the internet, the airfield is also named "Korean Airfield". But it has strong similarities to "Jüterbog / Altes Lager". It has the northeastern taxiway loop which is characteristical for "Altes Lager". The strongest similarity are the three ramps in front of hangars on the western side of the loop. The other taxiways have at least a similar layout in comparison to the original airfield. The runway of the copy is about 400 m shorter.

About 2.5 km west-northwest of the copy there is an object which might be a copy of the SAM site, located 5.6 km west-northwest of the original airfield. And there is a SA-2 SAM site located 5.6 km to the northwest of the copy.

Original airfield in Germany (Google Maps)

Copy in Nevada (Google Maps)

Aerial picture (Area 51 Photo Gallery)

In some distance, there is another copy of an east german airfield. See Altenburg.

The airfield around the year 1990 is part of the great scenery gdr_mil7 from Michael Spengler.

Map	MiG-23 at the flight line

USMLM Unit History 1966
Notice about introduction of MiG-21PFM FISHBED F in Jüterbog and about deployment to Reinsdorf
http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm

USMLM Unit History 1969
Notice about unmarked MiG-21PF in Jüterbog in August 1969; Notice about a flying program at 14OCT1969.
http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm

USMLM Unit History 1972
The wing has a mix of MiG-21PF and MiG-21PFM; deployment to Reinsdorf in Juli (observed on the 10th., 11th und 12th June) (with two pictures from Reinsdorf)); At the end of 1972, the anti-aircraft missile site has 7 MERCURY GRASS.
http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm

USMLM Unit History 1973
Notice about introduction of MiG-21bis FISHBED L at Jüterbog. First sighting on the 17th April 1973. The most of the MiG-21PF returned to the Soviet Union. The MiG-21PFM left for Alt Lönnewitz/Falkenberg.
http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm

USMLM Unit History 1975
Deployment of MiG-21bis from Jüterbog to Reinsdorf. Picture of a MiG-21bis from Jüterbog.
http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm

USMLM Unit History 1977
First photographic evidence about using AA-8 APHID with MiG-21bis.
http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm

USMLM Unit History 1984
First sighting of MiG-23MLD FLOGGER K in Jüterbog on the 13th March 1984; Inventory in may 1984: 12 MiG-23MLD FLOGGER K and 24 MiG-23ML FLOGGER G
http://www.history.hqusareur.army.mil/uslmannual.htm

Sachsenbunker
http://www.sachsenschiene.net/bunker/flp/flp_33.htm

Garnisongeschichte Jüterbog
Comprehensive history of the Juterbog garrison. Includes many pictures.
http://www.henrik-schulze.de/

Zapf, Jürgen:
'Flugplätze der Luftwaffe 1934-1945 - und was davon übrig blieb / Berlin & Brandenburg'
VDM Heinz Nickel, Zweibrücken, 2001
6 pages description, map, aerial picture and 34 current pictures.

Freundt, Lutz:
'Sowjetische Fliegerkräfte in Deutschland 1945-1994, Band 2'
Freundt Eigenverlag, Diepholz 1999
Detailled description, map, aerial pictures and photos.

Freundt, Lutz:
'Sowjetische Fliegerkräfte in Deutschland 1945-1994, Band 3'
Edition Freundt Eigenverlag, Diepholz 1999
Pictures

Freundt, Lutz:
'Sowjetische Fliegerkräfte in Deutschland 1945-1994, Band 4'
Edition Freundt Eigenverlag, Diepholz 2000
Supplement

Schulze, Henrik:
'Geschichte der Garnison Jüterbog 1890-1994 - Jammerbock'
Biblio-Verlag, 2000