SPROTTAU AIRFIELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R010600180006-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 16, 2006
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: January 21, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Appr c ~Q TI ~8 3- = 3 ' Si410600180006-3
Gernan It`d 'C'R3 ei'~IC E P 0 cT
~, t,~ -' y a':~ r o!~ctz~ ieci SECURITY
T FIC_ 31 o' tau.,kirfield
F`Va\LUAP0N_
DA 'E OF CONTENT
DATE OBTAINED_
21 January 1952
REFERENCES-_-...-a_ 25X1
PAGES- _--ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE)
EMARKS.. ,.-_ a
25X1
1., The irf field east of Cprottau (0, 52 /;', 35) is bounced by the wprotthu- 1ogau
(0 5u /3 7'7) road un the north and by the "prottau-Primkenau (0 52/13 55) road
on the south. The airfield previously extended to the east as far as the south
bound read leading from .".`ichelsdorf (0 52/D I:5) along the ed o of the .c ode o
f ancd ? ng field is drained into the Cp-.'cute River north of the airfield: by means of a -ood drainage systen.,, 'there was no railroad spur available at, the
in.st:lla Lion0 The landing area, is serviceable in all types of weatner3
has f irna grass cover and is about l500 meters squared Besides an E-W concrete
runway bailt by the Genians a second concrete runway paralleling the c Id one was
constructed. by the Russians after the warn The now ruraway is somewhat longer than
the c 1d one: and was completed in late 19:50, Afte.; the occupation of : prottau by
the Lussians, the airfield was seized by, the c,ovi.et Air Force It was used up to
Fehrr.ary 1951 and improved under the sup;rvision of the Russians. Two large
han ;rrs, steel frame structures with vaulted roofs and three stone buildings
utilL.zed as billets were available at the field:, A control building and a large
brie!: structure used as a storehouse werry also observed, Underground fuel instal-
lations sere in the northern section of the field, next to the concrete road,
branc:hirig off from the cprottau-Ologau highway to the field,, No airfield lights
were observed. In early 1951, the Russians started work on the expansion of the
'iel(l. toward the east. Numerous civilian workers were hired for this pr: jecto
-,orkers were still desired in February 1951, Construction activities observed
i_nclu ed the clearing of wooded areas and the leveling of the Ground u
2,, rrio:' tc February 1951, Soviet aircraft observed included 100 to 120 fighters
sing? e,
with in-line and radial en;, i.nes and 30 to 35 tlrin-engine places ;with
fairy high rudder assemblies, nose: lheels and noses noticeably projecting beyond
the t~p>;inos and nose compartments almost entirely of plexiglass ~ ;leithe r Jet
aircraft or four.-engine rilanes were observed,, Flying activities were, ii?:re .ular?
I -.: :' .gliters were observed practicing formation flights which consisted-of up to
five formations uy 20 aircraft nacho The twin- en ine? aircraft flee: individually
and "_n small formations of three and ni_r,) mane? sight flying conducted with the
25X1 aid ,i i five searchlights located at 5prcttau wa, also observed. !soviet Air Force
pers~)nncl were billeted at the airfield( ;,o air force billets were in the tovn4
Only three- apartment houses on former '1ind nburgstx?as se in Clogauer Vorstadt were
occu :aiec by fov iet officers and their depeiw ents, _:*
Ccn nent: According to previous information, almost no da:?ar,e was suffered
x7` yt'ie .prottau airfield during the war,, Ilov;evei , since six hangars were formerly
avai_ Lable at the field it, is believed that the existence
25X1 LO/B CLASSIFICATtON
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved. For Release 2006/03/03 : CIA-RDP82-0i
25X1
_PLACE OBTAINED.,
I DoeumEnt Ito. -- -----------------
I'do CF.?ane In Mass. ^
j AecJa sided 25X1
Class. Chanced To: TS S
Auth.: HR 7C?p2
481 Rg1t6 -1 5 ~p6-3 e..
 t@;Q Se Q It 3 4-RDF
2
of orly two hangars is erroneous., The cons ..ructio;: of a econd runway i:: creedibi'
25X1 havirg b,.en mentioned in a previous ropo 't , )ansien
'
of uL e r,
c runway would nave been im 5x se ,ry? 1.e because of ;,,:e ry? cotta r? ~'T i t'.enw
an r cad, whereas the new run ay . located north r.:' the old ones is believes'.. to lead
into the open t rrainn The mw run,-,ay is believed to be at, least 2,000 m tors;
i_trn the expanJior1 of the airfield ~o a c the prottau air-
10,11:8 occupied to capacity by singlo and tvstn-cnFmne aircr?aft. Ti exefore,,
the numbers of aircraft mentioned in the present report appear credible.:: T'n /
infor:nat:_on indicates that two fighter r i"zents and one Lransport regiment
equipped with I'Ly-12 aircraft were stationed at this field:
Approved For Release 2006/03/03 : CIA-RDP82-00457RO10600180006-3