Eilenburg Airfield

Germany

Eilenburg: Airfield

Rote Jahne, Rothejane, Mörtitz, Mensdorf

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!
CoordinatesN513027 E0124055 (WGS84) Google Maps
Elevation 335 ft
Former East Germany (GDR)District of Leipzig
Federal stateSachsen (Saxony)
Map with location of Eilenburg Airfield
Germany during the Cold War Map
The history of the Cold War airfields: Eilenburg

Location of airfield

The airfield was located ca. 5 km northeast of Eilenburg and 2.5 km east of Mörtitz.

During World War II

Use

Luftwaffe airfield.

Situation

Eilenburg Airfield as
Eilenburg Airfield as "Mensdorf" in World War II on a US map from 194x
Source: McMaster University Library Digital Archive, License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 CC BY-NC 2.5 CA

Overview

Eilenburg airfield on a map 1951
Eilenburg airfield on a US map from 1951 - Good visible is the former railway siding from the Bad Düben - Eilenburg line. The route is partially still visible on satellite pictures as a shadow on the ground
Source: Courtesy Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University

During the Cold War

Use

Eilenburg was an airfield of the former East German Ministry of State Security (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit). It was mainly used for parachute training of the Dynamo sports club, which brought the airfield into East German press from time to time, despite the military character and the secrecy that came along with it. In the 1980s, there was also a retired Il-14 aircraft of the former National People's Army present, probably used for anti-terrorist training. Since German reunification, the airfield is closed and was used for a wide variety of purposes, like for launching modell rockets. Today the area is used as a solar park.

In the 1940s

Use

CIA reports
Summer 1949
The former MOERTITZ (N 52/E 43) airfield was no longer recognizable as an airfield on 2 August 1949. Ist entire landing field was under cultivation.
Comment: Report confirms observations made by ... and shows that no recondition work is being done at the former airfield.
Source: /CIA RDP82-00457R003400520001-0/
Fall 1949
Corn was grown on the entire airfield east of the MOERTITZ (N 52/E 43) railroad station. Only a short concrete taxiway and the debris of stripped hangars were to be seen.
Comment: The information on the condition of the MOERTITZ airfield is confirmed by a report of 2 August 1949. No indication of reconditioning work at the airfield were observed.
Source: /CIA RDP82-00457R003500050015-6/

In the 1970s

Overview

Eilenburg Airfield, Germany, on a US satellite image 1970
Eilenburg Airfield on a US satellite image from 25 November 1970 - The length of the runway at that time was only 600 m. The path in the forest to the east also does not yet exist.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Additional information

Perhaps the Eilenburg airfield was earmarked as a base for combat helicopters. In the minutes from the meeting of the former East German National Defense Council from November 11th, 1973 it is said:
"Important construction project: Prepare the deployment of the new to-be created helicopter wings 3 and 5 in the areas of EILENBURG and BASEPOHL ... New construction off airfields for the to-be created helicopter wings of the army in the areas of EILENBURG and BASEPOHL" (Source: Bundesarchiv).

In the 1980s and early 1990s

Overview

Map of Eilenburg airfield, Germany
1: Hangar
2: Landing light (flood light)
3: Control tower
4: Video camera
5: Barracks
6: Installation (purpose unknown)
7: Guard tower

Runways

  • 07/25: 800m x 38,5m Bitumen
  • 10/28: 600m x 40m Grass
  • 17/35: 600m x 40m Grass

Radio beacons

  • LMM 25: 1069 "JL", 1000 m to threshold 25
  • LMM 07: 1069 "JL", 1000 m to threshold 07
As common for the Warsaw Pact, the ident of the radio beacons were derived from the first and last character of the radio call sign, here JOURNAL. For the secondary landing direction 07, they were exchanged to LJ.

Radio communication

The call sign was JOURNAL.

Airspace and procedures

Eilenburg airfield was subject to a flight restriction for civil aircraft in the GDR. The navigation manual VFR of Interflug contained the following rule (typos already in the original):
For flights within a radius of 5 km around Eilenburg Airfield, the provisions of LAO § 20 para. 8 apply
Flights of civil aircraft in the area of Bad Düben, Prossel, Wildenhain, Muckrehna, Hohburg, Krostitz, Bad Düben at altitudes of 0 - 600 m AAL require the approval of the flight director of Eilenburg Airfield. Approval must be obtained from the respective aircraft operator of Eilenburg Airport (to be reached via telephone line Eilenburg 2282) under their own responsibility. This does not apply to flights on local flight routes.

Images

Pictures from 1994
Gate
Gate
Bunker
Bunker
Guard tower and hangar
Guard tower and hangar
Hangar. There are barricades to close off the apron in front of the hangar.
Hangar. There are barricades to close off the apron in front of the hangar.
Parking position
Parking position
Demolished tower
Demolished tower
Flood light at the beginning of the runway.
Flood light at the beginning of the runway.

Today

Use

Closed. The area is used as a solar park.

Links

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