PRUSZCZ AIRFIELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006500470001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 12, 2008
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 16, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006500470001-1
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
NOFORN
COUNTRY Poland
SUBJECT Pruszcz Airfield
This material contains bnfaemstbon steotag the Na-
tiooab DKeoes of the Untied /fates within the mean-
1n6 of the Rwbonep Laws. Mlle it UA.C. aeas. M
and IN. the tssnamb.dan or ravdstbon of which In
MY msaaer to an unautariatd person is prohibited
by law.
DATE DISTR. 16 June 1955
25X1
NO. OF PAGES a
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
.(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
1. The north boundary of the Pruszcz airfield was the Pruszcz (Praust -N 54-16.
Z 18-38) Roszkow highway. The west boundary was the Gdansk (Dznzig)-Tczew
railway.
several in various directions could be seen.
only two runways could be seen clearly.
These two runways were completed in autumn 1953
3. The east-west runway was 10 m. wide and up to 2.000 m. long. It started 25X1
opposite the Pruszcz-Gdansk railway station at about 200 m. form the rail-
way line and ran parallel to it. Near the hangar it branched to link up
with the concrete dispersal area in fornt of the hangar.
4. The north-south runway was 10 m. wide and ran parallel to the Gdansk-Tczew
railway at about one kilometer from the railway embankment and joined the east- 25X1
west runway. Length of the north-south runway was not known.
5. Both runways were concrete and were flush with the surrounding turf. During
reconstruction the old ex-German runway was broken up and a layer of rubble
and stones was laid. This was covered with a 20-m. layer of concrete on top 25X1
of which concrete slabs five centimeters thick were laid.
6. There was an old wooden hangar in the north part of the airfield. Nearby a new
hangar was built about 50 m. from the highway, opposite the end of ul. Slowackiego.
This hangar was semi-circular in shape; the frame was of steel covered with
smooth tin sheets painted a dirty grey which made it stand out from its
surroundings. There was an entrance with sliding doors that faced south. The
area in front of the hangar was surfaced with concrete and joined the east-
west runway.
5-S-C-R-A-T
NOFORN,
STATE X ARMY X NAVY X AIR X rsi AEC
'NOTE: Washington distribution indicated by "X", Field distribution by
Approved For Release 2008/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006500470001-1
 Approved For Release 2008/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-00810A006500470001-1
6_&C_h _T 25X1
NOFORN
7. The other new buildings on the airfield were a group of houses called by the
local inhabitants "the pilots' settlement", and located near the Pruszcz-
Roszkow highway. The group consisted of seven or eight three-story brick
blocks, each with three or four staircases. Officers and married NCOs were
quartered here. The rest of the unit was quartered in two groups of huts,
one near the old hangar andthe other near the former farm in the southern
part of the airfield.
8. In the southwest part of the airfield, about 200 m. from the Gdansk-
Tczew railway, eight huts could be seen. Nearby were five or six iron fuel
tanks, each about three meters in diameter and seven meters long. They
lay with their long sides on wooden supports, and a pipe led from the top of
each tank, disappearing into theground. Near these tanks there were strong
electric lights on posts. Trees and bushes had been planted for camouflage.
9. Light was supplied to the airfield from the Straszyn (Straschin) power
station. At night all lights on the airfield were turned off except those
near the fuel tanks. There were electric light standards along the railway,
but the lights were rarely lit. There were no lights on the runways. During
night flying only two powerful searchlights were switched on at the ends of the
east-west runway according to the directions of the take-off or landing. The
searchlights always lit up the rear of the aircraft.
During the night flying red warning lights were lit in the following places to
indicate obstructions:
a. On top of the chimney of the Pruszcz sugar factory with several lights
in a circle.
b. On top of the chimney of the Pruszcz brewery with several lights in a
circle.
c. On top of the church steeple in Pruszcz with a single light.
These warning lights were strong and clearly visible from a distance..
10. The airfield had its own railway siding which branched off from the Pruszcz-
Gdansk railway station and led to the fuel tanks. It was a single track and
had no loops; it appeared to have been laid temporarily.
11. The Polish Air Force unit was composed mainly of officers. The estimated number
of officers was at-least 100. No airmen in Soviet uniform were seen.
12. The first aircraft, arrived in autumn 1952 and consisted of 10 piston-engine
aircraft. In the spring of 1953 an unknown number of MIG jets arrived. On
one occasion in early summer 1954, 24 jets were seen at one time (nine air-
borne and 15 on the ground near the new hangar).
13. Flying went on all day, late in the evening and at night. The flights were
mostly short. After taking off the aircraft usually circled the airfield a
14.
few times and then landed.
Between the airfield
'id the city of Gdansk there was constant
motor traffic.
Trucks had
25X1,
a white square with a dark-green letter "T" painted on the rear flap.
15. This was an old ex-German airfield. It was being extended but had not yet
been completed. In the summer of 1954 earth work was in progress at the south
end near a farm from which civilians had been evicted. A small forest near
the farm had been felled.
16. The airfield was separated from the Pruszcz-Roszkow highway by a barbed-wire
fence two meters high. A similar fence, but much stronger, ran along the rail-
way.
"-C-R-E-T
NOFORN
Approved For Release 2008/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-00810A006500470001-1
 Approved For Release 2008/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006500470001-1
Approved For Release 2008/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006500470001-1