BRAND AIRFIELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A001400790004-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 31, 2001
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: May 8, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

AI`IFW -AQ,Q14Q0790004-6 25X1A
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TOPIC_
EVALUATION-
DATE OF CONTENT
DATE OBTAINED
REFERENCES
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PAGES s,.... ENCLOSURES
REMARKS-
SOURCE
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1r, Air activity observed at Brand airfield from 14 March through 1 April 195.. included
1 . Yard. Between 6:40 and 7 a.m., of the 35 jet bombers parked at brand ,irfieid 1...)'
refuelled from 15 tank trucks with trailers. At 7:30 a.m. the engines of these 18
planes were started after six small carts had proceeded to them. From 7:50 to 8:30
Uil-.28 marked by No 100 practiced flying In scattered weather and a visibility. of
3 km. At 8:35 a.m., I1-28s marked by red Nos 116, 150, 54, 25, 170 and 95 took off
at intervals of about 500 meters and landed individually after 9:15 a.m.
Mar lam. , Source observed about 130 take-offs by jet bombers in fir weather. bflying.,
in formations of -three planes was practiced for 40 to 60 minutes. The distance
between the individual planes was one wingspan or an aircraft length. During flying
activity, the vicinity of the field was guarded by 60 to 70 soldiers who were equip?ed.
with signal lamps and field telephones.
I6 N ch, Air activity observed followed the sane pattern as on the preceding day,
A total of 184 take-offs by jet bombers was counted.
1Marches A total of 112 take-offs by jet bombers was counted.
Haa cho A total of 96 take-offs by jet bombers was counted. Thirty-five jet bomber
were observed on hardstands along the southern taxiway in the evening.
~~arch At 8 a..na., 27 jet bombers were observed taking off and subsequently
practicing formation flying. The planes landed again from the west after 9:30 a.m.
There was heavy flying throughout the days
2L0 rNarchn? There was air activity until 10 p.m. Flights of jet bombers repeatedly
took off with an interval of 300 meters between the individual planes. 'w'hen. planezj
flying in wedge formation were going to land the formation was broken from the left,
The landing planes kept a distance of 300 to 400 meters. From 45 to 70-minute fligh!,,:T
were made. Only individual flights were observed after dark.
21 and 22 ;arch Air activity followed the usual pattern. Weather was overcast
visibility good.
t4arphq., Groups of four jet bombers made 9O-minute flights in box formation.
Flying was continued until dark. 11-28 No 116 was towing an air sleeve ov.r
Schlepzig, while I1-28s No 95 and 152 successively fired at the sleeve target from
an. altitude of about 200 meters. The planes fired five or six bursts from their rea"
guns. Source did not observe any hits after the sleeve target was dropped over the
field. There was night flying by individual planes which had switched on their
position lights.
CLASSIFICATION S1 OR]L /
Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA001400790004-6
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DATE PREPARED 8 Mawr 1QS1
 Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA001400790004-6
S:sCRET,
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Jx rrc ,. Some jet bombers practiced ind:,.vidual flying from 8 a.m. to Pam.
? , i laresl Individual jet bombers made 30:-minute flights from 8 a.m. to 4 P.m,
Weather was overcast at an altitude of about 300 meters. From 5 to 7 peI100
machine guns placed south of the southern taxiway fired at a sleeve target towed
by a biplane at an altitude of about 100 maters. .
2 From 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. on 27 !"arch, individual flying and fly- ng in
flight formation was practiced by jet bombers. !A total of 235 take-offs were
observed.
~7 Z% ohm From S a.m. to 5 p.m., 16 take-offs by jet bombers were counted.
Weather was dull. From 5 to 6 p.m. two mach...ne guns were observed firiitg at a
sleeve target towed by a biplane. here was :.eavy night flying by jet bombers
from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. on 28 i, arch.
; q. There was heavy air activity from 3 a.m. to 7 p.m. 'light formations
were observed. I1--28 No 174 was towing an ai,r sleeve which was fired at by the
rear weapons of 11-28 No 124.
1 Biplanes were observed making; 60 1 dividua.l flights. Weather was 8/10
overcast. with strong westerly wind. From 5 to 7 p.m. machine guns fired at a
sleeve target towed by a biplane at an altitui e of about 150 meters.
A ri Fy About 300 takeoffs were made by je bombers, which subsequently flew in
formations of three. From 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. on the following day individual planes
practiced night flying with their position li:_;hts burning.
When there was no air activityj, the aircraft e%-a.ilable at the field were parked in
groups of 3 I1-28s; 5 Uil-28s; 7 I1-28s; 9 I1-28s and 6 I1-28s.
2. At 1000 a.m. on 17 Parch., source observed two I1-28s which had no auxiliary fuel
tanks landing at the field. 'the planes had ple:ciglass noses and were fitted with
one weapon at the nose and two at the rear. Frc,n 19 MMiarch through 7 jipril, there
was heavy air activity by I1-28s including; suet as were fitted with auxiliary
fuel containers., formations of nine il-2? a were repeatedly seen.1
3. Source learned from a local resident that 14.0 fly %ears loaded with AA guns of an
undetermmli.ned caliber were unloaded at Brand rail o.-.d station about 000 a.m., on
21 i1arch. The guns had four rubber-tired wheel:
4. In March, source learned from construction iirawir_ ;3 for Brand airfield that the
middle axis of the runway was exactly on aline e:; ,,e-,ding from the landing beacon
at the western perimeter of Krausniek to a. point o. he railroad line 158 meters
north of a railroad crossing. The half-gray mark of -?,t'j. a runway was exactly 5 km
west of the landing beacon. ,
Gol ent.. Two bomber regiments equipped with 3C tta 33 Il--28s are believed
to be stationed at Brand airfield. The heavy air acti y observed at the
install??. pion, also on Sundays., appears noteworth,-r. lift a protracted period'..
firing at sleeve targets by machine guns from th, , grout. as reported for the first
time, The aircraft numbers mentioned were known rsviou. 11-.
2 Cozrmerit. The shipment of k, guns cannot b com;:ieni on.
25X1A 3., Comep The points mentioned can. be loea" ed on nap } GS 44J4g sheet No 3 h
The landing beacon is immediately south of the rc ..d passing -.tear the western
perimeter of Krausnick, the railroad crossing clc,e to point 63.6 on the Brisser -
Brand railroad. line.
3 3CRET j
Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA001400790004-6