PIESTANY AIRFIELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000100200002-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 23, 2013
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: September 23, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @50-Yr 2013/06/12 : CIA-RDP82-00046R000100200002-6
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SECURITY INFORMATION
COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
SUBJECT Piestany Airfield
PLACE
ACOUI RED
DATE
ACQUIRED BY
DATE OF INFOI
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR., (...Trz-P4-53,
NO. OF PAGES 7
NO. OF ENC:LS. 2
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
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SOURCE
Piestany Airfieldg 48-35, E 17-51 Leree Enclosure .6.7 was located
two kilometers nor of Piestany 45-36, E 17-527, about two
kilometers west of the Vab River nclosure A, Point 47, and
10-15 m, west of the asphalt road from Bratislava to -Mina
pnolosure A, Point 27% at an elevation of 162 m. above sea level.
this location, according to the Pilot's% ndbook, during the "
summer the prevailing winds are from the s 'theast, and during ,
the winter the prevailing winds are from the northwest. The
yearly average wind velocity is 10 km, per hour, and the yearly
rainfall is 450 mm. The mean temperature is plus 10 C. Visibility
is generally good, but I recall fogs during November, December,
January, and Naroh. (Weather reports were received by radio and
disseminated locally.) '
2. The field eee Enclosure p7' was rectangular and covered an area
about 1,00 x 800 m., with, hangar capacity for four C-47 type
SECURITY INFORMATION
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/12 : CIA-RDP82-00046R000100200002-6
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/12 : CIA-RDP82-00046R000100200002-6
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aircraft. No possibility for ex ansion existed because of the
RR tracks ffnclosure A, Point 7 and the road, which extended
along the east and west boundaries of the field respectively and
converged three-quarters of a kilometer to the north of it, and
the town of Piestany itself immediately to the south.
The airfield had a hard and level grass surface and was able to
Sustain operations all year. The natural drainage was good and
no artificial drainage facilities existed. There were no taxi-
strips, perimeter tracks, hardstands, or revetments. The main
grass runway ffnclosure B, Point g was oriented exactly north
to south. Two secondary grass runways used only by light 'train-
Ing aircraft extended from the northwest to the southeast corners
(1,150 x 6o m.) and from the northeast to the southwest corners
900 x 6o m.) respectively. Portable landing lights were avail-
able at the field* both the dry-cell type and the kerosene type.
Three concrete aprons existed gnelosure B, Points 6, 10, and
kg and aircraft were usually parked on them. I did not observe
any AA guns in the vicinity, nor air raid shelters.
All buildings on the airfield had red warning lights, but I
recall 'thefollowing obstructions as mentioned in the Pilot's
Handbook:
a. Hangar 12 mo 'high in southeast corner of airfield.
b. Two hangars; 8-11 m. high, at center of the southern bound-
ary of,the field.
c. Barracks eight meters high and the RR track o the west of
the field.
d. Church spire 30 mo high located one kilometer southeast of
the field.
e. The Inovecke Mountains five kilometers east of the field.
f. The White.Carpathian Mountains 15 km. west of the field.
5. There was a US type transmitter-receiver set located in the
Civilian Terminal ffnelosure B, Point g. I, do not know the
manufacturer. I do not know the frequencies used, but I know
t,hat all ?,communications from this set were CW. I did not
observe radio masts in the vicinity. A radio transmitter- .
receiver, which I believe was a German-made Yalta-type, was,
47
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located in the north ' art of the old Military Control Center
nolosure B, Point , and I observed two wooden radio masts
0 m, high immediate y west of this building. Only military
personnel operated this equipment, and I do not know on which
frequencies. In October 1951 I observed a mobile DF station
either along the north boundary or in the northeast corner of
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the field. I know that Piestany Airfield offered radio beacon
service to CSA .flights from Brno to Budapest. The beacon emitted
a "P Y" signal in Morse code, but I do not recall the frequency
used, I do not kflow where the airfield's beacon installation was
located. I do not know if landline telegraph service was avail-
able at the field, but I am certain there were no teletype
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facilities. The telephone number of the Civilian Terminal at
the field was 721-47.", according to the Pilot's Handbook
The airfield was supplied with electric current, probably 220 v.,
from the town of Piestany. ,Running water, probably piped from
Piestany, was available at the field.
7? There were no-refueling facilities for eiyilian aircraft at the
field. I assume that military gasoline storage facilities exist-
ed at the field, but I do not know where. There were minor '
maintenance facilities in each of the hangars.
8. The civilian section of the airfield had two or three trucks and
two or three passenger cars for transportation, and I assume that
the military sectionlhad similar transportation facilities.
9. The airfield was under joint civilian and military authority.
Four or five civilians worked in the terminal building,
B, point 42.4nd represented the local DOslet Flying .Clu , about
100-150 members of which had exclusive use of the airfield facil-
ities Saturday Afternoons and Sundays. In the Fall. of 1951 the
field's regular civilian complement was headed by Menai IANOS.
IANQS beeameacSA pilot in the Winter of 1952, and,I do not know
his successor at the field. I do not know the strength of the
military personnel at the field. I saw Soldiers there dressed in
the standard qATP uniform, i.e.. blue uniform With lightldge
ishoulderl'oards but I did nOt know anyone stationed there.
10. The airfield had one mobile ambulance available for emergencies.
There was no hospital at: the field, but there was a sanatorium
in Piestany, not know the number of beds.
11. .I was informed by the CSA that the Piestany airfield was not a
regular stop in the CSA schedulesiand'that civilian planes could
land there at night only in ease of emergency. Up to and Includ,-
ins the Fall of 1951 I observed C-106 type primary trainers fly-
ing in the vicinity or the airfield and in October 1951 I saw
20 C4a06trainers parked on the southern part of the field: This
fact seemed to confirm information I had heard from pilot friends:
to: the effeet. that Piestany Airfield was the site of a CAF pri-
50X1 'my flying school During the simmer of 1952, while I was in ,
Leopoldov /5r48.7i;k4.41171 near Piestany; I
ooserveo only ARADO type advanced trainer -aircraft flying in the
50X1 Vicinity. . Also' in the Suer of 1952 Piestany
airfield I,pbserved 15-20 ARADO type aircraft parked' on the field
in front oftheAlangars 22nolosure B, Points 13 and i7. I did
not observe any other aircraft on the field at that t e. This
fact, plus information from pilot friends, convinced me that
50X1 Piestany had become the Site of a CAP advanced flying school
sometime during the first part of 1952. In October 1951 when I
last at .the field .I noticed a iSONOL aircraft and a PIPER
CUB 5no?ing landings ffee Enclosure Bp'Point lg.
ENCLOSURES:
A. Overlay of GSGS 4416, 1:100,000 Sheet W-12 TRNAVA,
Pinpointing Piestany Airfield j48'35,..E 17-517.
B. Memory Sketch of Piestany Airfield.
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Enclosure A:
Overlay of GSGS 4416 1:100,000
Sheep W-12 TRNAVA, Pinpointing
Piestany Airfield hr48-270t 174/7
LEGEND
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POINT # 1. Piestany Airfield: Pinpoint location.
#2.. Asphalt Highway: frog Bratislava to Zilina, five-
iilt tuners nab, fair condition, drainage ditches .
on both sides.
#3.
popple T;aolc RR Line: standard gauge, main line
between Bratislava .and Zilina, heavy psesenger and
freight traffic. No RR stop in the vicinity of the
50X1 airfield. .
# 4. Voh River: flows south. since 3.950
three major hydroelectric projects were under congtruc-
tion at ornear the following localities: Ilava A 49-00,
Er18:147, Zubnieeff 48-58, E. 18-470 and Nove Misto
Nad:VaNum-LI 48-75, E 17-597.
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Enclosure 1111
Memory Sketch of Piestany Airfield
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Enclosure B (Cont'd
LEGEND
POINT #1. Asphalt Road: same as Point 2, Enclosure A, this report.
# 2. New Control Tower: standard Czech military type, com-
iyted Fall 1951, located about 15 in. west of road
point 1, Encl. g7. Three stories,15-20 x 10 x 10 m.,
stucco brick construction, with glass-enclosed room '
on top. I assume the first floor contained a mili-
tary meteorological office; the second floor a mili-
tary radio room with, I assume, transmitter-receiver
facilities; and the third ftoor an observation room.
50:00 gee Encl. D,
# 3. Civilian Entrance: was not guarded in October 1951;
iron gate three-four meters wide, 2i m. high, observed
Continually open.
# 4. Civilian Terminal Building: built in 1949 or 1950,
15 x 20-25 x 10-1anostucco brick construction, flat
roof, constructed as annex to hangar, Point 5. Ter-
minal had one story and contained passenger waiting
room, canteen, terminal administrative office, meteoro-
logical office (tended by one civilian employee who
worked days), radio receiver-transmitter room (tended
by one or two civilian operators who, worked days only,
operating set believed U.S. type), and pilot briefing
room. Although the terminal was closed at night, one
or two men were in the building at all times,
# 5. CiVilian Hangar: appeared to be an extension of
Indlaing, Point 4. Stucco brick, measured 30 x 20-
25 x 10-12 in. with shed-type roof and accordion-type
metal doors. Hangar could hold one 0-47 type air-
?50X1 craft. Light maintenance facilities, i.e. work benches,
were located alon the eastern wall of hangar. In
October 1951 the following light aircraft
in this hangar: two SOKOLS, two-three PIPER CUBS,
one 0-106,and two-four gliders. These were used by
the civilian air club "Domlet" (renamed "Svazarm"
in 1952-53). A wind sock with white and red alter-
nating vertical stripes was located on the roof of
the hangar.
#6. Concrete Apron: L-shaped, long leg 55 in., short leg
36-5 in., overall 10 in. wide, in good condition.
50:00 # 7. Old Military Control Center: wooden building, exter-
ior wails smearea with oil for protection, measured
10-15 x 8 x 4-5 m:, with gable roof.
this building during the Summer of 1951, and noticed
50:00 a military radio room, a meteorological service office,
and a guard room. 7 the building
might have been to clown arter tne construction of
the new control tower pint ?2, this report7. The
section of the airfiel south of this building was the
military area of the airfield and was restricted to
all but miliary personnel.
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Enclosure B (Cont,d)
# 8. Grass Runwayk: approximately 1,000 x 60 in., hard
surface, level, good condition, marked and outlined
by white-washed rectangles painted on grass 60 - 0
80 m. apart. Runway was oriented on a 360 - 180
course and was located approximately 200 m. east of
the western boundary of the airfield. It was satis-
factory for 0-47 landings.
# 9. Old Military Hangar: bombed during World War II, and
repaired ihortly thereafter, was a stucco brick struc-
ture with a curved roof; measured 40 x 20-25 x 10-12
50X1 rn., had wooden accordion doors and was used solely'
by the military. On the roof there was a wind sock
with white and red vertical stripes. :never
saw the interior of the hangar because the doors were
kept closed. '
#10. Concrete Apron: approximately 40.x 10-15 m., fair
condition.
# 11. Military Entrance: always guarded by a sentinel
armed with a sub-machine gun, believed the new
50X1 "M" type, no further information.
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# 12. Barbed Wire Fence: 2i m. high, extended north as far
as the civilian entrance, Point 3, and also along
south boundary as far as west side of hangar, Point 15..
New Military Hangar: stucco brick construction with
dark green camouflage paint, completed in 1950; 40-45
x 20-30 x 8-11 m., shed type roof, metal accordion
doors; light aircraft malAtenance facilities; used '
solely by the OAF. In October 1951
some C-106'5 in, this hangar.
Concrete Apron: about 80-90 x 15 m., good condition.
#13.
#14.
# 15. New Military Hangar: adjoined and was actually a
50X1 Continuation Of hangar #13, from which it was separated
by a brick partition, identical in construction,
appearance, and dimensions to hangar Point 13, and
completed the same year. In October 1951
noticed some 0-106's in this hingar.
50X1 # 16. Double Track RR Line: same as Point 3,'Enol..A.
# 17. Barracks Area and Pilot School: not
FTWIT-Tle buildings in tins area. All CAF personnel
were housed here and this area was also the site of .
a Primary Pilot School in 1951. Students of this
school trained in the 0-106 aircraft then assigned
to the field gee paragraph 47.
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