Finow: Air Base

Eberswalde-Finow, Аэродром Финов

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!
CoordinatesN524937 E0134140 (WGS84) Google Maps
Elevation 121 ft
Former East Germany (GDR)District of Frankfurt/O
Federal stateBrandenburg
Map with location of Finow Air Base, Germany
Germany during the Cold War Map
The history of the Cold War airfields: Finow

Location of airfield

2 km southwest of Finow.

During World War II

Use

Luftwaffe Fliegerhorst.

Situation

Finow Air Base 1943
The airfield in World War II on a US map from 1943
Source: McMaster University Library Digital Archive, License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 CC BY-NC 2.5 CA

Overview

Finow airfield on a map 1952
Finow air base on a US map from 1952
Source: AMS M841 GSGS 4414, Courtesy Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University

During the Cold War

Use

Soviet fighter base until 199x.

In the 1950s

Units

1951
The CIA suspects that the site is occupied by two fighter regiments who have not yet fully converted to jet aircraft. The number of jets stationed in Finow is estimated at 60, of which 45 MiG-15. The number of Yak-17s has increased recently. In addition propeller planes Yak-11 are also stationed here.
(Source: CIA)
1954
  • Headquarters Soviet fighter division
  • Soviet fighter regiment (P. O. Box of the technical unit: 62 318),
  • Soviet fighter regiment (P. O. Box of the technical unit: 22 702),
  • A total of 65 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)

Images

The following pictures were taken in 1950 for the CIA, probably at Finow airfield.
Finow Air Base
Source: CIA
Finow Air Base
Source: CIA
Aircraft Yak-11 at Finow
Aircraft Yak-11
Source: CIA
Finow Air Base: Aircraft Yak-17
Aircraft Yak-17 Feather (Type 16)
Source: CIA
MiG-15 at Finow Air Base, Germany
Aircraft MiG-15
Source: CIA

In the 1960s

Situation

Finow Air Base, Germany, on a map 1969
Finow on a US map from 1969
Source: Earth Sciences and Map Library, University of California, Berkeley

Overview

Finow Air Base, Germany, on a US satellite image 1966
Finow Air Base on a US satellite image from 09 June 1966 - 1: Air base; 2: Inner radio beacon; 3 or 4: Outer radio beacon; 5: Road and railway to ammunition dump; 6: Biesenthal ammunition dump; 7: Autobahn; Places Eberswalde, Finow, Finowfurt, Melchow, Spechthausen
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Airfield
Airfield - On the airfield there are 31 airplanes probably of the type Yak-28 Brewer and 2 aircraft probably Il-28 Beagle and one helicopter.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Western end of the runway
Western end of the runway
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Central part
Central part
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Finow barracks and eastern part
Barracks and eastern part
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Open aircraft revetments at Finow, Germany
Open aircraft revetments in the south
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Southeastern corner
Southeastern corner
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Radar hill
Radar hill?
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Aircraft revetments, Finow Air Base
The open aircraft revetments in the north look neglected.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Flight line, Yak-28 Brewer
Western part of the flight line with aircraft, probably Yak-28 Brewer.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Eastern part
Eastern part
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Northeastern corner, Il-28
Northeastern corner - At the top right there are two airplanes, probably Il-28
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Soviet helicopter at Finow, Germany
In the south there is a helicopter (slightly above the center of the picture).
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Inner radio beacon Finow.
Inner radio beacon, approx. 1200 m east of threshold runway 28
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Possible outer radio beacon
Possible position of the outer radio beacon, approx. 3400 m east of threshold runway 28
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Possible outer radio beacon
Further possible position of the outer radio beacon, approx. 4400 m east
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Soviet ammunition dump Biesenthal, Germany
Soviet ammunition dump, approx. 5 km south of the air base and 2,5 km northeast of Biesenthal
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

History

  • March 1966
    Observation by the US Military Liaison Mission: "A USMLM Air Team brought in the first sightings of (Yak-28P) FIREBAR long-range fighter-interceptor in the forward area, when it observed these aircraft taking off from FINOW, on their way to KOETHEN where they were deployed." (Source: USMLM 1966)
  • 06 April 1966
    A Finow-based Yak-28 crashed into Berlin's Stößensee, situated in the British sector.
  • October 1966
    A USMLM team observed a modified (Yak-28) BREWER B at Finow with unidentified appendages, possibly auxiliary jet engines. (Source: USMLM 1966)

Images

Yak-28 Brewer aircraft
Modified Yak-28 BREWER B with unidentified appendages (1966).
Source: USMLM 1966

In the 1970s

Situation

Airspace 1972
Finow 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

On this satellite picture from 10.03.1970 the airfield hides behind a cloud - Due to the snow, the two lanes can be seen particularly well, which were laid in the landscape 4 km to the east and west of the airfield

In the 1980s and early 1990s

Overview

Finow Aerodrome 1980
Image from 26 July 1980 - In comparison to older pictures, the approach lanes have been widened over a length of 1000 m to the east and west. 1: Air base; 2: Inner radio beacon east; 3 or 4: Outer radio beacon east; 5: Inner radio beacon west; 6: Outer radio beacon west; 7: Road and railway to Biesenthal ammunition dump; 8: Biesenthal ammunition dump; 9: Finowfurt SAM site; 10: Autobahn Berlin - Szczecin; 11: Construction site of Marienwerder communications site (not related to the air base). Places: Eberswalde, Finow, Finowfurt, Marienwerder, Melchow, Schönholz, Spechthausen
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Enlargement
Enlargement
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Soviet surface-to-air missile (SAM) site Üdersee.
Soviet surface-to-air missile (SAM) site for Finow Air Base on the southwest shore of Üdersee. - Equipped with SA-3 GOA (S-125 Newa)
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Runways

  • 10/28: 2510 m x 50 m Concrete

Radio beacons

  • LOM 28: 442 "OM"
  • LMM 28: 895 "O"
  • LOM 10: 442 "RG"
  • LMM 10: 895 "R"

Radio communication

The call sign was NARSAN (НАРЗАН)

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"
As of 1989:
043 Finow, Gransee, Menz, Lindow, Alt Glietzen, Finow
Höhe: 300 - 1850 m
044 Finow, Marienwerder, Gransee, Menz, Falkenhagen, Finow
Höhe: 600 - 1500 m
Abfangabschnitt: Gransee, Menz, Falkenhagen
045 Finow, Prenzlau, Woldegk, Penzlin, Malchow, Schießplatz Retzow, Rechtskurve, Malchow, Penzlin, Woldegk, Prenzlau, Finow
Höhe: 600 - 2450 m
046 Finow, Gransee, Gadow, Schießplatz Wittstock, Gransee, Finow
Höhe: 600 - 2450 m
047 Finow, Parchim, Anklam, Alt Glietzen, Finow
Höhe: 7300 - 17950 m nach Abstimmung mit VHZ
048 Finow, Storkow, Lommatzsch, Mittweida, Zeitz, Gerbstädt, Waren, Gützkow, Usedom, Löcknitz, Finow
Höhe: 11000 - 22000 m
Höheneinnahme: 10000 m über dem Flugplatz, 15000 m Traverse Brand, 22000 m Traverse Karl-Marx-Stadt
Höhenaufgabe: auf 15000 von Waren bis Usedom, auf 6700 m von Usedom bis zum Zentrum der Zone 10, weiter unter Funkmeßkontrolle des GS Finow auf Entschluß des Flugleiters
For Helicopters
523 Finow, Niederfinow, Groß Ziethen, 2 km östl. Schluft, Zerpen-Schleuse, Finow
Höhe: 100 - 600 m
524 Finow, Althüttendorf, Schmiedeberg, Bergholz, Niederfinow, Finow
Höhe: 100 - 600 m

Units

41 OVE: Mi-2, Mi-6, Mi-8, Mi-24; 787 IAP: MiG-29, MiG-29UB, MiG-23UB (1990)

Today

Use

General aviation, aviation museum.

Sources

Bibliography

  • Ries, Karl; Dierich, Wolfgang: "Fliegerhorste und Einsatzhäfen der Luftwaffe" Motorbuch Verlag Stuttgart, 1993 - Allierte Planskizze von Finow
  • United States Military Liaison Mission: "Unit History 1966"
  • Freundt, Lutz: "Sowjetische Fliegerkräfte in Deutschland 1945-1994, Band 1" Freundt Eigenverlag, Diepholz 1998 - 3 Seiten Beschreibung, Plan, Fotos, Luftbilder
  • Freundt, Lutz: "Sowjetische Fliegerkräfte in Deutschland 1945-1994, Band 2" Freundt Eigenverlag, Diepholz 1999 - Beschreibung und Fotos zum 787 IAP
  • Freundt, Lutz: "Sowjetische Fliegerkräfte in Deutschland 1945-1994, Band 4" Edition Freundt Eigenverlag, Diepholz 2000 - Ergänzungen zum Platz und zum 787 IAP
  • Fülber, Marcus: "Red Stars Over Europe" Concord Publications Co, Hong Kong, 1993 - diverse Fotos, inkl. MiG-29-Simulator in Finow

Recommended

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