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Brandenburg: Briest Air Base

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!
CoordinatesN522615 E0122714 (WGS84) Google Maps
Elevation 31 m
Location indicatorETBB (198x-), EDUB (2000)
Airfield Id2134
Map with location of Brandenburg Briest Air Base
Germany during the Cold War Map

Location of airfield

The airfield is located 6.5 km northwest of Brandenburg center and southeast of Briest.

During World War II

Use

Opened between 1912 and 1914. Later Luftwaffe airbase (Fliegerhorst).

Situation

Briest, Germany, on a US map from 1943
Briest 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 /MULDA/

During the Cold War

Use

1945 until 1956 used by Red Army / Soviet forces. From 1957 until 1990 used by former East German Air Force (LSK/LV). 1990 .. 1994 used by Bundeswehr.

In the 1950s

Units

1954

- Soviet ground attack regiment (P. O. Box 42 114),
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)

History

  • September/October 1954
    Temporary relocation of the Soviet Ground Attack Regiment Brandenburg-Briest to Döberitz (25 September - 05. October 1954)

In the 1960s

Situation

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

Overview

US satellite image of Brandenburg Briest Air Base, 1964
US satellite image from 14 March 1964
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Aircraft revetments
Enlargement: In the south-western part there are numerous aircraft revetments in the southwestern part
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Barracks
Barracks
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
East German helicopters at Brandenburg
The resolution is impressive for 1964. - Nevertheless, it is difficult to determine the exact number of helicopters. I would say that there are about 40 helicopters in the picture.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Revetments in the east
Revetments in the east
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Eastern end of the runway
Eastern end of the runway
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Dispersal area in the northeast
Dispersal area in the northeast
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Radio beacon?
Radio beacon?
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

In the 1970s

Situation

Brandenburg Briest Air Base on a map 1972
Brandenburg Briest Air Base on a map of the US Department of Defense from 1972 - The blue lines mark the allied air corridors from and to Berlin
Source: ONC E-2 (1972), Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin /PCL MC/

In the 1980s and early 1990s

Overview

Brandenburg Briest airfield, Germany, in
Brandenburg Briest Air Base on a map in the East German "Directory 012" (Verzeichnis 012, formerly "Top Secret") from about 1989/1990. - Hand-drawn maps were not unusual in the eastern block. Recognizable are the airfield with concrete runway, the taxiways, helicopter hardstands and the location of the RSBN radio beacon.
Taxi trackts for take-off and after landing - still from Verzeichnis 012.
Taxi trackts for take-off and after landing - still from Verzeichnis 012. - The runway consisted of two sections with different widths. In contrast to the common practice on eastern military airfields, the taxiways in Brandenburg were not designated by numbers but by letters.

Runways

Data for the 1980s:
    Die Start- und Landebahn hatte eine Landebahnbefeuerung. .

    Taxiways, aprons

    The circular taxiway had no lighting.
    Ramp for An-26 at the eastern side of the flightline.

    Radio beacons

    Data for the 1980s:

        Radio communication

        Data for the 1980s:
        The call sign of the airfield was UNRECHT.
        Frequencies: Flight director (Tower): 135,583 (Channel 7) and 124.0 (Channel 1) UNRECHT-START; DF: 130,0 (Channel 4) UNRECHT-PELENG. Position of the DF facility was N522636 E0120108 (S42/83). H24 (1990).

        Telephone

        Stabsnetz S1 53628, code names in 1990: "Häkelgarn" and "Pilzkunde" (command post).
        Microwave radio net (Richtfunknetz, RFN): via district microwave center Potsdam, number 935, code names "Unbehagen" (1978) and "Waagschale" (1987).

        Maps

        Maps from the former East German military airfield manual "Verzeichnis 012" (formerly "secret").
        Situation of the airfield with airways, radio beacons, reporting points
        Situation of the airfield with airways, radio beacons, reporting points and other east german airbases
        Departure routes to VFR flying routes
        Departure routes to VFR flying routes (dashed lines) and airways (radio beacon HKF)
        Approach for main landing direction 253°, Brandenburg-Briest, Germany
        Approach for main landing direction 253°
        Approach for secondary landing direction 073°
        Approach for secondary landing direction 073°

        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:
        843 Brandenburg, Butzow, Buschow, Wudicke, Genthin, Karow, Schmerzke, Brandenburg
        Flughöhe: 25 - 600 m
        Nur nach Abstimmung mit der VHZ (wenn keine Anflüge zum SP Wittstock in 300 m aus Süd)
        844 Brandenburg, Wollin, Parchen, Schmetzdorf, Brandenburg
        Flughöhe: 100 - 500 m
        845 Brandenburg, Mögelin, SP Klietz, Wust, Möthlitz, Brandenburg
        Flughöhe: 100 bis 300 m
        846 Brandenburg, Wiesenburg, Coswig, Dessau, Aken, Schönebeck, Niegripp, Genthin, Brandenburg
        Flughöhe: 15 bis 500 m
        Nur nach Abstimmung mit der VHZ wenn die Strecken 473 oder 543 nicht beflogen werden.
        847 Brandenburg, Wollin, Parchen, Schmetzdorf, Brandenburg
        Flughöhe: 15 bis 500 m
        848 Brandenburg, Butzow, Roskow. Lucksfleiss, Dretzen, Kade, Groß-Demsin, Briest, Jerchel, Kieck, Brandenburg
        Flughöhe: 15 bis 500 m
        849 Brandenburg, Tremmen, Stechow, Sieversdorf, Strodehne, Hohennauen, Brandenburg
        Flughöhe: 100 bis 300 m
        (Nur wenn am Landeplatz Rhinow nicht geflogen wird)
        850 Brandenburg, Tremmen, Stechow, Klessow, Neustadt (Dosse), Sieversdorf, Strodehme, Hohennauen, Brandenburg
        Flughöhe: 100 bis 300 m
        851 Brandenburg, Tremmen, Wollin, Brandenstein, Genthin, Wust, Brandenburg
        Flughöhe: 15 bis 300 m
        Standard Training Routes from Briest
        Standard Training Routes from Briest

        Units

        In 1990, the following units were based at Briest:
        - Transporthubschraubergeschwader 34 (THG-34, Postfach PF 43814)
        - Fliegertechnisches Bataillon 34 (FTB-34, PF 33623)
        - Hubschrauberausbildungsgeschwader 35 (HAG-35, PF 78343)
        - Fliegertechnisches Bataillon 35 (FTB-35, PF 78374)
        - Teile Offiziershochschule der LSK/LV für Militärflieger "Otto Lilienthal" (OHS MF, Postfach 78396)

        Real property

        The former East German National People's Army installation id of the airfield was 04/029 or 04/034.
        The fuel depot has been built between 1962 and 1969.

        Installations

        Railway siding from southeast.

        Today

        Use

        Closed.

        Links

        Bibliography

        • Ries, Karl; Dierich, Wolfgang: "Fliegerhorste und Einsatzhäfen der Luftwaffe" Motorbuch Verlag Stuttgart, 1993 - Allied map
        • Freundt, Lutz: "Sowjetische Fliegerkräfte in Deutschland 1945-1994, Band 1" Freundt Eigenverlag, Diepholz 1998 - Short description about usage by the Red Army. Aerial picture from 1953.
        • Bußmann, Kleest, Freundt: ""11-80, katapultieren Sie!"" AeroLit - Verlag und Medienvertrieb, Berlin, 2004 - Short descriptions about accidents at Briest and other airbases.
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