FINSTERWALDE AIRFIELD.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R007900270010-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 23, 2001
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: May 24, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

tNT'EILQFAX 22
Approved For Release 2001/04/19 : CIA-RDP82-00457R0079002700102J. X1 A
CLASSIFICATIOi+t,y. ft=..L:~ ~,..r
COUNTRY S er,:Lany Soviet -o.as )
TOPIC- r'instsr'rai, e airfielL_
EVALUATION see belov PLACE OBTAINED
7FX1O
DATE VF [OMEN
DATE OBTAINED
REFERENCES
PAGES.. 3
REMARKS
SOURCE.
25X1X
2* There was no flying on 1 April, although the weather ?vas good. On 2 April,
three twin -engine aircraft of the smaller type practiced flying with 3/10
degrees of cloudiness. On 4 April, there was the same flying activity as on
2 April., Six additional twin-engine planes of the smaller type were parked on
the landings, field. About 100 soldiers were drilling southeast of the run..-ray.
Three trucks were parked at the take-off point. No flights were made on
5 and 6 April although the weather was .favrorable.
6s On 15 A;pri1, there was no flying at the airfield. i'he sky was 2/10 overcast.
Two twin-engine planes of the smaller type vith tail .heel made flights
on 16 April,, in 3/10 degree o" cloudiness:. Thpl-e was no flying from 17 to
19 April although the vnather was good. Five biplanes flew on 20 April.
On 21 lipril, three twin-engine '.-ircraft of the smaller type practiced flying.
The sky was 4/10 overcast. No flights were mn a on 22 and 23 -'pri1 although
the weather ,eras good.
25X1X
1. On 30 aroh 1951, twin-engine aircraft with double rudder assemblies
practiced flying at the 'inster-,valde airfield between 7 a.m. and 2 pomp
The sky was 5/10 cloudy. The planes were of two types, a large plane
with nose wheel and a small one with a tail wheel. (1)On 31 Larch,,
there was flying; with the small type plane with tail wheel throughout
the day. The weather was hazy with 10/10 overcast.
4. On 24 -oril, one jet plane with two jet power planes arrived in the morning,
and two planees of the same type arrived in the afternoon. On 25 April
betwe+:n 7 and 9 a.m., eight twin-jet -ircraft and about 20 twin-enggine
planes of the smaller type were parked on the landing field south of the
runway. (2) the jet planes, which were painted silver, had very large
dimensions, s. large rudder assembly, a power plant in the mid?ile o'' each
wing and a nose wheel.. (3) e.t 3:30 p.m., 28 twin-engine of the smaller
type were counted at the field. jhe numbers 24 and 26 were s- -a on the
rudder assembly of two planes. mix Mini-en;inri planes of the smaller
type practiced flying between 7 and 9 a.m. in clear weather, No flights
were made by the jet planes.
CLASSIFICATION ? ~
DATE PREPARED 4
ENCLOSURES (NO. & 1YPE) ayetch? nn ditto ~_..... _.
DO NOT CIRCI`'_ `
CON r'RROL US 01+1 GI.kLS -ONLY _'
Approved For Release 2001/04/19 : CIA-RDP82-00457R007900270010-9
 Approved For Release SWMVtMTQ&-InFtWg@#?Z?tO?ffWO270010-9
5. Three jet planes practiced flying in the morning of 26 April.
There was a wind from the southeast and 3/10 degrees of cloudi?
mess. No flights were made on 27 and 28 April in an overcast sky.
Single.emtrine biplanes practiced flying on clear nights between
15 and 28 April,
6. The woods in the eastern extension of the runway was being
25X1X cleared and preparations for the expansion of the runway were
under way. (4)
- 7? On 24 March between 4 and 5 pampa 23 twim-engine aircraft were
counted in front of the hangars at the airfields The planes were
parked without any discernible orders Except for one plane, which
had a two-sectional cockpit with the rear section slightly higher
than the front section, all of the planes were twin-engine low-wing
monoplanes with in-line engines, double rudder assemblies, tail
wheels which was not retractable, metal noses and antenna rods
in front of a single cockpit. There was no flyingo
8. Six hangars, one of which was equipped as a repair hangar, were
at the field, The runway was 2,000 meters long and about 50 to
80 meters wide. At the western end of the runway there was an
apronn, on one side of the runvray., Taxiways, the whole length of
which could not be seen because the terrain sloped to the south,
were on the eastern side of the runway, it was repeatedly observed
that two twin-engine planes took off on the runway at the same timed
The railroad spur track ran south of the hangars where there were
two and ramps and a side-load:Lng ramp. The barracks installations
were located in the woods south of the railroad siding.
9a. All of the hangars, which were overhauled late in the fall of
1950, were good condition. A mtrpenter who was engaged in the
repair work said that three hangars had suspension devices in
the ceiling on which twin-engine planes could be suspended by
means of overhead hooks.
10, Four twin-engine planes took off' from the field at moon on 14
April and headed north? he first plane towed a sleeve target,,
lla In the afternoon of 14 April, nine planes crashed in the Luckau
(N 52/A 17) area between Falkemberg (N 52/A 07), Pitsohen (N 52/A 07),
Zuetzem (N 52/A 08) and Kehmsdorf' (N 52/A 17). Twenty-two persons
were killed. The type of aircraft which crashed could not be determined.
Immediately after the accident,, the entire area was blocked by Soviet
troops and Volkspolizei. (5)
12c No flying or military activity was observed at the airfield on
15 April between 3 and 5 p.m. Twenty-three twin-engine aircraft
of the same type were again counted between the closed hangars.
The ammunition dump on the northern e4ge of the field was guarded
by patrols and surrounded by a barbed wire fence and powerful
lights spaced at intervals of about 50: meters. The lights illuminated
the dump at night,, Thirteen temporary buildings, whose windows were
boarded up., were counter] in the du m., _ Pant a ..._.. .._r 25X1(`
13. Two biplanes took off from the field at noon on 20 April. One of
the planes let out a sleeve target shortly after the take-off, and
short bursts were fired at the sleeve target with machine guns from
the second biplane at a distance of about 400 meters. The sleeve
target was dropped over the field before the landing.
the road leading to the field. (6)
Approved For Release 2001/04/19: CIA- P8 08457F
ID270010-9
 Approved For Release 2001/04/19: CIA-RDP82-00457R0072 tt O10-9
St Cr T/CONTROL US OFFICIAL:i
1C A railroad employee said that a large railroad tank car with 50,000
l i to' s of oil from Frankfurt/Odor arrived at the field during the
week preceding 15 April. He also said that a tank car with 25;;000
liters and another tank car with 50,000 liters of fuel from Velton
arrived at the field between 15 and 21 April,., and that the shipping
label bore the inscription "Finsterwalde Airfield" as the raceiver~ (7)
15. Biplanes repeatedly made might flights and which time the field was
illuminated by red and white lights. Each plane coming in to land
at the field fired a bright white signal flare wherupon a searchlight
in the eastern section of the field was switched on and illuminated
the landing strip.
M, About 20 flying officers and their dependents were quartered on
Schackadorfer Strasser the officers went by truck daily to the field
between 6 and 7 a.m., weather permitting. They wore fur-lined boots
and leather jackets and carried map cases, The commander was quartered
in Victoria Hotel where the motion pictures for the Soviet were held.
The radio installation which was observed at Kuraen Damn prior to
February 1951 was not set up again. (8) No other radio installations
were seen in Fimsteerwalde,
25X1A
~ co-wlents. 25X1A
(1) The plane fitted with a nose wheel is a B-25~. See
The smaller aircraft are of PE-2 type., "ifferent versions of this type
are stationed at the field. See also paragraph 7.
(2) For disposition of aircraft and course of taxiway at western end of
runaway, see Annex.
(3) 'rho aircraft are probably of the same type as those previously observed
at the Oranienburg airfield.
(4) The extension of runways to a total length of about 2,400 meters has been
reported from all airfields occupied by bombers, i.e., Jueterbog, Cottbus,
and Oranienburg.
(5) Source was probably not informed about all the crashes which have occurred?
According to other sources,, at least 16 IL-10s of the ground attack regiment
stationed in Schoemwalde crashed in the area mentioned0 25X1A
25X1 C (6) belong to the ground units of the bomber un s
stationed
in Finsterwalde,
(7) The railroad employee possibly overestimated the holding capacity of the
railroad tank cars. it is believed that the cars had a capacity of about
18,000 liters and 24,000 liters respectively. It should be noted that
the fuel? probably for the PI-2s, arrived from Velten, whereas the other
tank car was allegedly filled with oil. possibly kerosene which was used
as fuel for the twin-jet _tircraftry According to another report? the bomber
unit in Oran~.enburg which was also equipped with the new jet aircraft was
supplied with seven tank carloads of fuel from niesa. bOo
Previously this unit also received its fuel from Vel en.
(8) The radio installat' was previously reported by the same source. See
25X1A
IL Annex: 1 - one sketch on ditto.
SECRET/CONTROL US OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2001/04/19 : CIA-RDP82-00457R007900270010-9
 Approved For Release 2001/04/19 CIA-RDP82-00457R007900270010-9
25X1A
25X1A
Annex to
Disposition of Aircraft and Course of Taxiwaq
at FinstervTalde Airfield
rUri w a
/
/I I III 1 ?QrkeQ' 2 -?n , t/c
25X1A
Approved For Release 2001/04/19 : CIA-RDP82-00457R007900270010-9