1. Home
  2. Air Bases
  3. Germany

Rangsdorf: Airfield

Аэродром Рангсдорф

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!
CoordinatesN521646 E0132547 (WGS84) Google Maps
Former East Germany (GDR)District of Potsdam
Federal stateBrandenburg
Map with location of Rangsdorf Airfield, Germany
Germany during the Cold War Map
The history of the Cold War airfields: Rangsdorf

General

The Rangsdorf airfield was built in the mid-1930s as a sports airfield. It consisted of a land airfield and a seaplane airfield on Lake Rangsdorf. The Bücker aircraft factory was also located here. At the end of the Second World War the airfield was occupied by Soviet troops, which used it until 1994. There was a maintenance facility for helicopters and an aircraft scrap yard. Today the airfield is closed.

During World War II

Overview

Rangsdorf Aerodrome on a map 1952
Rangsdorf airfield on a US map from 1952 - The seaplane base was located at the lake on the west side.
Source: AMS M841 GSGS 4414, Courtesy Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University

During the Cold War

Use

Rangsdorf airfield was used by the Soviet forces for the maintenance of helicopters and as an aircraft scrap yard.

In the 1960s

Situation

Map 1969
Rangsdorf Airfield on a US map from 1969
Source: Earth Sciences and Map Library, University of California, Berkeley

Overview

Rangsdorf Airfield, Germany, on a US satellite image 1966
Rangsdorf Airfield on a US satellite image from 09 June 1966
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Western part
Western part with buildings
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Central part
Central part
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Eastern part, hangars
Eastern part with hangars - On the top right the hall of the former Bücker aircraft factory. On the right side is the Berlin-Dresden railway line
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Satellite image 1969, Rangsdorf airfield, Germany
Satellite image from 06 February 1969 - On this picture the practice eights "8" before the apron cannot be recognized any more.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

In the 1970s

Situation

Airspace 1972
Location of Rangsdorf airfield marked on a map of the US Department of Defense from 1972 - Rangsdorf was located well within the Berlin control zone (BKZ, dotted circle) and could therefore easily be spotted by Western Allied aircraft.
Source: ONC E-2 (1972), Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin

Overview

Rangsdorf aerodrome 1979
At this satellite picture of 16 May 1979 little is to recognize. - However, the installations do not appear to have fundamentally changed.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

In the 1980s and early 1990s

Radio communication

The call sign was POSOR.

Images

Photos from 1993. They were taken from the eastern airfield fence.
Remains of planes. In the background a Soviet helicopter Mi-8/17 at Rangsdorf, Germany
Remains of planes. - In the background a Soviet helicopter Mi-8/17 and the airfield buildings.
Rangsdorf: Truck, Soviet helicopter Mi-8/Mi-17 yellow 45
Car, truck and remains of a Soviet helicopter Mi-8/Mi-17 with the number "yellow 45"
Remains of dismantled Soviet aircraft and aerials at Rangsdorf
Remains of dismantled aircraft - In the background multiple aerial masts.

Today

Use

Closed.

Sources

Recommended

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