ASHKHABAD AIRFIELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000400480006-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 2, 2010
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: June 15, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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14
INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Seca. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law. 25X1
USSR (Turkmen SSR)
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
SUBJECT Ashkhabad Airfield
DATE OF INFO
PLACE ACQUIRE
REFERENCES
USAF review completed.
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C-0-N-F-I-D.-E N-T-I-A-L
#x NAVY 4w I AIReV-r LFBI 1 I AEC
15 June 1955
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CONFIDENTIAL
COUNTRY USSR (Turkme
SUB3ECT Ashkhabad Ai
DATE OF INFORM
n SSR)
rfield
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
General
1. In 1951 Ashkhabad Airfield was used jointly by the Soviet Air Force
and the civilian airlines (Aeroflot). The director of the airfield
was a civilian. However, during an Aviation Day celebration
this man wearing a dark blue uniform with the rank of
general lieutenant. The director had no jurisdiction over the
military personnel on the field.
2. The airfield had no anti-aircraft gun positions, air raid shelters,,
or camouflaged installations. The airfield surface was not flooded
during rainy periods but little flying was accomplished during such
periods. There was never any fog to disrupt flying operations.
Although flying activity took place during the hours of darkness,
there were no runway lights, boundary, lights,
or obstruction lights.
Civilians employed at the field were not subject to military draft.
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On "Aviation Day" the airfield was open to the public. Only civilian
aircraft could be entered by the visiting populace.
CONFIDENTIAL
DATE DISTR. 8 April 1955
NO. OF PAGES 9
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CONFIDENTIAL
- 2 -
Parachute Training
5? _ parachute jumping activity
during good weather, a group of Soviet Air Force officers dressed in
dark blue, one-piece, buttoned fatigues and canvas helmets assembled
on the field. The fatigues were worn over regular uniforms. A U-2
type trainer aircraft piloted by a Soviet Air Force pilot took
jumpers up one at a time. Upon reaching a certain altitude, the
jumper bailed out and the aircraft immediately landed to pick up the
next man. Jumpers opened chutes several seconds after leaving the
plane; sometimes they waited longer while making "delayed" jumps.
After landing, jumpers gathered their chutes and were taken off the
field in an ambulance. Such exercises usually lasted all day.
Jumpers' insignia were worn by both officers and enlisted men in town.
Civilians employed on the field were eligible for jumping. A
volunteer jumper had to take a preparatory theoretical course before
actual Jumping. Eighty rubles were paid for the first jump, 120 r;lbkes
for-the second ' one ' Th re i r e un, .fie f to i n `, rho was
Atlnyed~; C eter a brokee rs h p in or 1 w partici_
Pa in.g in papa hu .e ttaining.
7. All civilian pilots were required to make five jumps a year. During
an Aviation Day celebration in 1950 or 1951, a mass jump took place.
Fifty to sixty parachutists took part, jumping from four two-engine
planes.
8. Following are legends to sketches on pages 7 , 8 , and 9 . Numbers
and letters in parentheses refer to numbers and letters indicated
on the sketches.
b.
Legend to Sketch No. 1 on page 7
Ashkhabad Civilian Airfield (N 37-58, E 58-20). This
airfield was oal3 ed Grazhdanskiy Aerodrom (Civilian Airfield).
(2) Road, rennin from the race track (5), northeast to the
airfield (1). The road-was six--meters wide and was
constructed of asphalt.
(' ) Road, running from Ashkhabad north to the airfield; the
road was six---meters wide and was constructed of asphalt.
(4) Single rail line, called the Ashkabad Railroad. It was a
broad-gauge line running from Bakharden (N 38-29, E 57-25)
southeast to Ashkhabad.
(1)
(5)
Race track and sport stadium. -The stadium had a grass
surface and it was approximately 500--meters long and 300.-
meters wide.
Legend to I (sketch of airf?te1d_
(See page 9, ; a
(1)
(2)
Direction-finding station (pelengator), a two-story,etone
building 8x5x5 meters, with flat roof. An eight-mast radio
antenna,, was, located next to northeast side of building.
(See Sketch No 3 on page 9 fos sketch of antennas.)
Landing strip, approximately 2500 meters long and 100 - 150
meters wide. It was surfaced with gravel and clay. the
landing area could be extended to the northwest and north-
east. Transport and fighter-type aircraft were observed
using landing strip.
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CONFIDENTIAL
.,- 3 -
(3) Guard post - The post was 7x x2 meters and was built of
wood. The post was manned 24 hours a day in two 12-hour
shifts by unarmed civilian guards. The post ha? telephone
connection with direction-finding station (1). Guards were
observed firing red and green flares during the approach
and landings of aircraft.
(4) Wooded area,approximately 2 x 2 kilometers. The area was
used as picnic area.
(5)
(6)
Radio station. This station was also referred to as
-elen ator (direction-finding station) It was 25X1
(2) 2 kilometers east of terminal (u6~lding
n6 .and 25X1 '
The building was 1OxlOx meters. w
was a single-story building with a low pitched, red-tile-
covered-gable roof. A ten-mast radio anterra was. located next to
the southeast side of building(see Sketch No 3 on page 9. The
station employed five or six male civilians who worked
eight-hour shifts, 24 hours daily. One man was observed
operating a radio key and wearing earphones. The building
area was enclosed by a barbed-wire fence, but, no guards
were observed. there were four rooms 25X1
in the building, each with radio equip ent A small generator
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(7) Aircraft parking area, approximately 200x40 meters. The
area was surfaced with clay and gravel. Fifteen to twenty
PO-2 and U-2 type aircraft parked here. The area was
illuminated at night.
(8) Aircraft parking area, a e 1 0x100 meters,
constructed of asphalt. five to
eiaht aircraft. type IL-12 and LI-2, parked here dail
(9)
installation.
Weather station. An underground weather station that employed
female civilians who worked in 12-hour shifts. A white;:
rotating beacon mounted approximately seven meters above the
surface and an anemometer were located above the underground
(10) Wall, two met constructed of clay and gravel This,
the
t
o
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wall extended
road (32).
11) L-shaped restaurant. One wing was approximately 70 meters
long:the other 40 meters. Each wing was appoximately 12-
meters wide and C 'meters high. The. restaurant was constructed
of stone and had. a tin, low-pitched' gable roof. It was used
by airline passengers and military and civilian employees of
airfield
(12) Administration building, a single-story, stone building
30x7x6 meters. It had a tin, low-pitched gable roof and
contained 15 to 18 rooms. Approximately 40 civilians worked,
in this building.
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CONFIDENTIAL
-!4 -
(15)
Volley ball court, 20x9 meters, gravel surface
Building, 30xl2x6 meters, single story, and built of stone.;
the building was partially destroyed during the earthquake
of 1948. It was used as a hospital until 1951, when it was
used for briefing and classroom work for military and civilian
pilots,
Billets, consisting of six two-story buildings. Each building
was lOOxkOxl0 meters, built of brick, and had a low-pitch, tile,
gable roof. Civilian pilots and their families lived in these
buildings. Maple trees afforded a camouflaging effect in this
area.
(16) Billets, six structures, each 100x40 m ters- bp structures
were referred to as"Zemlyanka"(dug-out 7 ___] The floor
of each building was approximately one meter below the surface
of the surrounding area. The upper portion of structures were
earth covered and similar in shape to a quonset hut. The only
portion of building not of earth were the windowed sections.
The structures altogether were two--meters above ?the surface.
These dugouts housed both enlisted and officer personnel.
Maple trees also afforded a camouflaging effect in, this area.
(17) Hospital, under construction in July 1951. The hospital build-
ing was built of stone and was two stories high. This was to
be a hospital for both the military and civilian employees on
the field.
(18) Barbed-wire fence, approximately two meters high. The fence..
enclosed the airfield on the southeast and south sides.
(19) Vehicle parking and garage areas This area belonged to the
Food Department of the City of Ashkhabad. A number of stone
garages were located in area. Vehicles were observed parked
in open. The area was partially enclosed by barbed wire.
(20) Road leading from Ashkhabad to the airfield. It was six-meters
wide and was surfaced with asphalt. Wooden telephone poles ran
along the south side of road from the city to airfield. An
electric power line ran along the north side of road from the 25X1
city to the airfield. The poles were supported by two railroad,
tracks which were placed in the ground vertically.
,three thick cables supported by these po es.. 25X1
(21) Swimming pool, 50x25x3 meters.
(22) Road - same as (2) in Sketch No 1 on page 7
(23) Club house 30x20x6 meters. It was an open-shed-type structure
with a tar-paper, flat roof.
(24) Terminal building, 60xl4xl2 meters. It:was a two-story building,
' 4fll f f
3
25).
sta~newith- a, flat :roof , ?A six-mast antenna, was
.ocated next to'southeast.side,of terminal (see Sketch No 3
on page 9 for sketch of antenna.).
$uil~fing Ox1Ox6 meters A single-story, stone building with
a lgww pitche a, tile..._ gable roof , It was. used f o "storing
parachutes and bedding.
(26) Garage, 60xlOx6 meters, a single-story, stone building with a
;lob'-pitched, tile, gable roof. It housed approximately 20
v'e ,icles including fuel and water trucks,afire truck,
blushes, dugs (sic),and auxiliary-power units.
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five-ton capacity loaded fuel in approximately five minutes and
thy' delivered the fuel to aircraft. Two entrances to an
(27) Billets referred to as guard and fire station The 25X1
billets were 10x5x6 meters, single-story, stone, and had low-
pitched, tile, gable roofs. They housed airfield guards and
firemen, all of whom were civilian.
(28) POL storage area, 300x150 meters, enclosed by a two-meter-high
barbed-wire fence. The one .entra by'civilian: ua::?db
armed with riflesduring the day. 25X1
Approximately 50 fuel tan s 25X1
resembling rail-car tans, painted white, were in the enclosure.
Approximately 20 of these were of 50-ton capacity (written on
side) and were mounted horizontally on wooden stands. The
remaining tanks had capacities of 25,10, and 5 tons. These
were in a vertical position and were mounted on wooden stands.
APVPVr?1i nmAi 'I Pr tan t had the word "'oil'' printed on the side.
zis-p rucsor
underground installation were observed.
(29) Reservoir, five-meters square, six-meters deep. The reservoir
contained water for fire emergency.
(30) Barbed-wire fence, two-meters high. The distance from the hangar
(33), to the fence was 75 to 80 meters.
(31)
Road, dirt surface.
(32) Gravel road. The road was five-meters wide, and led from the
road (22) to the hangar area,
(33) Hangar, 100x25x8 meters. it was a stone building with a low..
pitched, tile, gable roof. Maintenance of all aircraft was
performed here. 250 civilian workers
from Ashkhabad were working in this building.
(34) Two hangar aprons, ct w approximately 60x60 meters and
asphalt isurfaced. up to 20 25X1
aircraft, types IL-1 and L - , pare on e e aprons.
(35.) Aircraft; parking area, The area was gravel surfaced and was
approximately 500 meters long+andr.10- t,Q_ 15i eters.wide Fifty'
to sixty; LA-9s' and LA-lls. were parker, here.
e. Following is a legend to Sketch No 2 on page 10 . The sketch consists
of the floor plan of the airfield terminal building.
First Floor
(1 Lobby
2 Ticket counter
3 Radio rooms
k Hotel office
5 Room
6 Hotel rooms
7 Empty room with stairs to the second floor
Baggage room
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-5-
9) Hallway
10) Main entrance
,11 Entrance to airfield
12) Antennas
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Second Floor
I Stairs
14 ) Lobby
Hotel rooms
I-G ? Airfield Director's office
17' Telephone operator
T8} Rooms
j 6
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CONFIDENTIAL
_7
Sketch No. I
Pin oint location of
Ashkhabad Airfield
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C -O-N-F-I -D-E -N-T-I -,AFL
-8-
-DEMOTES R.SEI-VE \4ATER BASINS FUR. FIRE FIGHTING
------ - BARBS b WIRE
--IDIRT ROADS
f1PPRcX,IMATC-. SC
FIELDS
ZM'P.1 r
I ft-ft
RSV k
AbAa Pi-
C -O-N-F-I -D-E-N-T,rI-A-t
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C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
For legend and scale,
see page 8.
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-.10-: -
Sketch No. 2
Floor Plan of Air Terminal Ashkhabad Airfield
,Air Field
lst
Floor
Air Field
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wl.
Sketch No. 3
Airfield Antenna
located on the field
'Vertical" Antenna
each btrand
led from a separ'=
ate strand of
"Horizontal" Anten.
This "Vertical"
section was on only
one side or section
and led into adJa-
cent building
containing radio
equip. r
Tap View
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