KOETHEN AIRFIELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A003600660006-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 23, 2002
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: January 29, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2006/01/31 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA003600660006-4
COUNTRY rust GPrarany
icoethen Airfield
EVALUATIO L
DATE OF CONTEN
DATE OBTAINED
REFERENCES
RED
REPORT
29 January 1954.
PAGES ENCLOSURES (ria & 7vPE-_
REMARKS
}
The 'following air a ctivity ar4 aircraft were b bserved' at Koethea? airfield
CLASSIFICATION st,'C:Ii'z,
15 Dec+anber. Around 2 p.m., 2 single-engine aircraft were parked at the
runway and 2 jet fighters were in front of a hangar of the northeastern edge
of the runway. There was no air activity Visibility was limited to about
17 -2jcg~Iber. Petwren 10 aort,. and. 2:30 p.m., no air activity was observed.
There was 'a 6/10 overcast at an altitude `of 1,500 me-tefra and visibility of
3 1c. Only twin jet fighters were parked in front of 'the =two hangars at the
northeastern section of the field.'The western-hangar Was vacant."
18
o flights were made.
bent, Between 10 a.m. - and '2:30 p.r1.,' there was no air activity. Four
jet fighters were parked in f'rcnt of the eastern hanger."The cloud ceiling
was at an altitude of 500 meters and visibility was -limited to 2 kra:.
January Between 10:30 a.r:~.'.and 12:30 p..m., nine `jet fighters were
observed at the field. When the weather was cloudless, jet fighters without
4uxi~3ary. foal: tanks made individual flights of about 15 riinu es duration
-`n-the vicinity of the field, Two- jet fighters did aerobatics at an
altitude of about 3,000 meters.
were performed 4 to 6 times.
6 jug=, E- I
There was a cloud se of a jut 2.,000 meters, a light easterly wind, and
visibility of 4 W. At 10 a.rr., 13 jet fighters were towed from the hangars
to the take-off point. An additional 6 jet fighters remained in front of the
hangars. Around 11 a.m., the first take-off was made. Beginning at noon,
there was intensive flying by Individual aircraft, The jet fighters practiced
approaching and flying over the 17-station. Shortly before touching ground,
the aircraft would take off and repeat this procedure. These practice flights
Air act:vity was discontinued between 1 r.m. --1
CLASSIFCATION SMP E',
Approved For Release 2006/01/31 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA003600660006-4
 Approved For Release 2006/01/31 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA003600660006-4
StE'i
Flying was continued from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.n. When, air activity was
halted, 9robably because of the bad wither. Subsequently, the aircraft
were towed int the hangars. The radar set was not in opera.ticn during
air activity, except at about 10:45 a.m,, when it rotated to the left
foi' a short time; each rotation lasted 40 seconds. 1
25X1 2.
4 AA guns estimated to b, 25-mm, in
addition to the 6 x 37 may AA guns previously seen in the meutheastern
corner of the field. Another 76-mm AA gun was observed between the
revetments in the northeastern section of the field. There probablf
were more AA guns located at the field. On 30. December, AA troops were
engaged in cleaning guns and aiming practices in the southeastern section
of the field. On 6 January, an additional 4 'x 76-mm AA guns were eirplazted
in the southeastern corner of the field. 2
3. Around 2:30 p.m, on 24 4pecember, an alert sounded at the field. At 2:45
p.nt., the aircraft were towed out of the hangars in the northeastern
section of.the field and placed in the aircraft revetments around the field,
Tractors is well as trucks were used for towing the aircraft. A man wearing
flying gear, probably the pilot, was obs? ?ved standing the opened cockpit
at each aircraft. Eight A"iG-15s, were counted in
the revetments at the southeastern corner near the ammunition dump.
There were also two tank trucks A group of 12 men were assembled
arnuna one iAiG-15 which was in front of a revetme=nt. The revetments in the
northeastern section of the field were occupied by about 14 FiG-15s. Between
these aircraft stood 2 radio trucks, 1 ta.k truck and 3 fire truck. About
6 MG-15a *iere later seen parked in the revetments at the northern section
of the field in front of th@. western ha ors . These aircraft` had been. hauled
there from the eastern hangars. the western
hangar was vacant. When the Ong opera,o was comp e e , the eastern
hangars were open and vacant. Four sentries were posted at the road inter-
section near the ammunition dump. Two of these sentries took over in the
trench. next to the stead. A. total of 42 soldiers with guns in firing position
were counted in the road ditch along the fence`. They were posted 50 me`;era
apart. At 3:30 p.m.., the all clear signal was sounded.
4. The following observations were made at tie field between 25 December and
8 January:
December. Between 10:45 a.m. and noon, five 141G-15s circled widely over
the field. The weather was sunny. No additional aircraft mere seen at the
field.
.&.P cmber, Between 2 p.m? and 3: p.m., ::. single-engine aircraft made local
flights over the field. The weather was rainy. Two alert YiG-15a were parked
in front of the eastern hangars.
0 D_ember. No activity was observed at the field between 12:20 p.m*
and 1:40 p.m.
A granut'. Between 12:30 n,m. and 1:50 p.m., no aircraft were parked
outside of the hangars and no air activit r was co ducted. Two trucks with.
sand strewing trailers roved on the snow .havered runway.
Approved For Release 2006/01/31 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA003600660006-4
 Approved For Release 2006/01/31 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA003600660006-4
jn , Between. 12:40 porn? and 2 r0n0, individual l~'.iG 15s, 25X1
ere was sunny weather, 25X1
Wake-offs were shade in east-west and west-
ec one .
lay_ There was air activity at the field,
7 Ja: Flying was practiced during the morning. The sky was pertly
cloudy. Petween 1200 p,r.., and 1;40 p.r:t.,, two J1G-l5s were parked in front
of a hangar at the northeastern section of the field. All the hangars were
closed.
Jams . No air activity was conducted at the field. There were snow
flurries. 1
in the town a number of very young air force
cers who apparen Z sere strange to the area.'A total of 8C vacated
dwellings along the perireter of the town in the vicinity of the field
were occupied by Soviet officers and their dependents who had recently
arrived. 3
1. Koethen airfield is occupied trr a fighter regiment. Frogs
the observations made during the test alert it is inferred that the 28
wsrked 11G-15e rerr?esent the total aircraft strength of the regiment,,
provided that no aircraft of the regiment were at other airfields on the
day concerned? The practice flights observed on 6 January 1954 are note-
worthy, One Durnbo-type set - 1 Knif erest t r.e set and 1 Fishnet-t. set
are located at the field
2-[ AA protection at Koethen airfield previously consisted of
a battery of 37 AA guns, as was also observed at other fighter airfields
It is unknown for what reason AA protection has been increased o S:Jrs.iil.ar
observations were also made at other airfields. There are indications that
the new AA battery had probably traneferr ud f'ron Doeberitz in November 1953.
3 r'nerit aa. Information on the evacuation of dwellings for Soviet
officers dependents has also been received fron.. a number of airfields.
Approved For Release 2006/01/31 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA003600660006-4