FINOW AIRFIELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A002600700001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 23, 2002
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 24, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

COUNTRY-.
Topic-
DATE OBTAINED..
REFERENCES-
PACES
REMARKS
SOURCE
REPORT NO.
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PLACE OBTAINED 25X1-
27 July to 30 August 1953
25 1
ENCLOSURES (No. a TYPE)
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SECURITY INr0Rs,ATI0PI
beween 27 July and 30 August 1953:
The following air activity and aircraft were observed at Finow airfield
2/ Jul a
At a.m., an air
raid siren was sounded at the field. Thereupon at least 50.t'iG-15s
continuously. took off and landed between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
28 jul,L. Between 8 pm. and midnight, a MiG-15 flew in circle over the
field towing an air sleeve, which was in the bean of searchlights, which
was attacked by another fiG-15. At the same tine, part of the personnel
stationed at the field took up positions on the airfield boundaries
apparently for an exercise designed to test the defense of the field
against attacking troops.
1 July, E~etween 6 p.m. and midnight, ;iG-]-5s practiced take-off a and
landings.
,2.August. There was no flying.
8 Lixgust. Sixty to 70 aircraft3most of which were riG-15s, were parked
at the northern edge of the field. At-the same time 4 11G-15s and a
radio truck were parked along the eastern edges of the field.
_August. At 10 a.m., about 350 air force men and a military band were lined
up east of the Finow-Biesenthal road, while an `officer was making a
speech, probably in connection with the Soviet Air 'Force Day.
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CLASSIFICATION SFCR.u1'
24 September 1953
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47 Au usl g Between 9 p.m. and midnight, there was air activity by MGe-15s,
which included practice firing at an air sleeve. The sleeve target was
towed by a 1?1G-15 and was cought in the bear's of two searchlights.
0 Aurrust,,. No flying was observed during the daytime. Sixty to 70.1`iG-15s
were parked at the northern edge of the field. The aircraft of the alert
flight F- I
?_.. On 8 Aurist. several semi-underground temporary wooden buildings, eaoh
8 x 5 x 2 meters, were observed in the bomb dip just west of the F.inow--
Piesenthal road and south of the railroad line. previously, about 12
stacks of bombs had been observed there. 2
3. Two radio installations located in wooden buildings were observed side-
by-side on the former Spechthausener Strasse in Finowfurt. About 150
meters north of kilometer, marker 6.6 on the r'inow Finowfurt road a
concrete bunker housing a signal or radio installation was observed in
the open field. From the bunker, a line extended to the Finowfurt post
office. A headquarters probably belonging to the airfiele was housed
in the former Finowfurt estatem3 On 23 and 30 August, the AA gun
emplacement near kilometer marker 1.3 just west of the Finow.-fliesenthal
road was vacated. The underground bunkers of the emplacement were empty. 4
5. The following air activity and aircraft were observed at the field between
1 and 2- Aurust:
1 A;u ust. Between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m,, 11iG-15s made about 10 flights
in elements of twos, Visibility was good,
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fust a There was no flying during the daytime. Between 10 p.m. and
2_4u
2:30 a.m., the noise of flying jet fighters was heard. There was a 10/10
overcast and good visibility.-
3 Au st_, Eetw e? 6 a.rri. and 8 p.m., '":iG-i5s or U~-MG-15s practiced
flying in formations of twos and fours. The weather was hazy. Between
5 p.m. and 6 p.m., 2 MG-15s were parked at the eastern end of the
.runways 4 YiG-15s at the site of the alert flight and about 15 1iG-15s
and 4 Yak-lls at the northern edge of the field. It was probably that a
naift of the aircraft were tern raril at another airfield.
A Asst. In the morning, only 2 biplanes coming from the northern
airfield were seen aloft over Finow. Between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., one
formation of 11 and one of 10 MiG-15s was observed aloft over the field,
and 6 .i uglast~ Between a .r-,. and 8 p.m., about 20 YUG-15s practiced
flying in formations of twos and fours. The weather was hazy.
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7u ust. Fetes en 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., 2 Yak-.lls made individual flights
and riG-15s were observed in formations of fours, At 5:30 p.m,, 25
?,U-15s took of, assembled in formation and headed in a northwesterly
direction. As of 7 p.m, the formation had not yet returned to the field,
August. Between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., there was intensive air activity
by JAG-15s flying In formations of twos and fours. At 12:30 p.m.., 31
?iG-15s were parked at the eastern end of the runway. 4 IiG-15a at the
site of the alert flight and about 12 h1iG-15s and 6 Yak-lie at the
norther edge of the field. At the sane time 11G-15s or - i
observed aloft. 25X1
A railroad car loaded with stone chipp ngs was observed on the spur track.
at the eastern edge of the field and was being unloaded ,by air force
soldiers.
A Petween 3 porn. and midnight, about 10 1,iG-15s with position
lights burning practiced formation flying in elements of twos.
11 Augt, There was intensive air activity by 1tiG-15s, Formations of
twos and fours were seen. The weather was fair.'
12 A stugt,, i?etween 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., ?4IG.15s made about 100 flights
in formations of twos and fours, Weather was fair and visibility good.
13 AL ust. Between-2 a.m. and 9 a.m., night flying was conducted by
biplanes from Finow--Nord airfield. Petween 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.,, MG-15s
made individual local flights and formation flights in
1LAug at. NU-15s practiced flying as on the preceding day.\Two Yak-lie
made a formation flight..
%; In the morning, 6 biplanes from Finow-?word airfield practiced
flying.
16 Au st, At 5:30 p.rr.., about 45 MiG-15s and 10 Yak-Ile were observed
were parked at the site of the alert flight.
23_Wto_28__Aunast$ Three days during this period formation flights by two
and four ?tiG-~1s were observed. On one night between 23 and.28 August,
there was flying which included practice firing by jet fighters at an
air sleeve being towed in the beams of searchlights. 2
6 During the reported period, the AA gun emplacement in the southeastern
corner of the field was camouflaged by bushes so that no Tins could be
observed. Some soldiers with red-bordered black epaulets were seen at the
en placement, 4
7. After 22 August, many officers and FJ- were seen in the restaurants and
on the streets of Finow.
=R BT.
at the northern edge of the field, while 4 ?`G-15s
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9. The following air activity and aircraft were observed at the field between
1 and 28 August:
August. At 2 pamo9 50 to 60 MiG.-15s were observed at the field from its
eastern edge. There was no flying. Weather was 5/1 overcast and visibility
6 Auvus#. , At 2 p.m,, 52 ' I/IG-15 4 were counted at the field,
land_ T7 AuZust, About 60 PIG-15s and 6 Po-2s were parked at the feld.
2LAA-11MLS-Is After 9:30 p,m., there wat firing at an air sleeve with tracer
ammunition by MUG-158, The sleeve target was being towed by a conventional
type aircraft, The Finow-Biesenthal road was blocked during firing prac`,ices,,
?,au At noon, no air activity was observed About 7
towing searchlights moved to the western portion of the landing fitwo eld.
Subsequently local night flying was conducted by M1G-15s with the search-
lights being in operation.
2, uZust. At 2 a.m., -firing at an air sleeve was practiced by ;'iG-15s, 1
10. In the extension of the runway, at a point about 300 meters east of the
Finow-Piesentha1 road, source saw a wooden cabin with. a lamp facing toward
the east. Lines led to the cabin. .1
11. On 15 and 17 August, about 30 soldiers were doing construction work on five
aircraft revetments in the northeastern and southeastern corners of the
field The aircraft revetments which faced the runway consisted of earth
walls about 4 meters high, 6
12, Just east of the Finolu Piesenthal road,, a spur track, about 2 1o long, led
along National Highway No 2 into an area about 500 meters long. This area
was surrounded by a board fence and was guarded by air force personnel
which also occupied a watch tower seen there. 2
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14, On 4 August, about 40 .1_`iG-15s,coiling in for a landing from the direction of
Finow,~were observed at Eberswalde..
15.. During the first half of August,, intensive. air activity by swept-back jet
fighters was observed at. Freienwa;lde, On 12 August f"oir formations of four
jet fighters each were seen aloft at t low altitude over the town. The air-
craft headed toward Finow, 1
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25X1 A 2. or:r. ent,~ This inforration refers to the arinunition dump located
northeast of the field, near the road to Biesenthal between the town
of Finow and the airfield. This installation ha:.been reported previously.
25X1A 3. The radio installations in Finowfurth on the road to
Cor~r~et.
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Finow are reported for the first t:Lre, The installation east of the
runway is probably an inner low frequency beacon.
25X1 A 4 DQor)rzent. According to previous infori ationp the hA gun ez placemeft
consists of six 37-i= AA guns.
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6. Comment . Thirty to. 35 aircraft revetment: are believed to be
avaz able at Finow airfield.
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