Former Soviet airbase Brandis

Germany / Sachsen / Machern /
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The airfield was built in 1934/1935 for a blind flying school, equipped with an 1800x80meter runway.
Amongst others it was also used as a testing airfield for Junkers from Dessau, who tested the odd looking AS-6 at the airfield.
Plans for a second runway and facilities for the rocket powered Me163 stationed at Brandis never materialised because of the end of the war.
Brandis was handed over to Soviet control on 2 July 1945.
In the years that followed damaged buildings were either rebuilt or taken down.
MiG-15 fighters were stationed at the base from 1954, but they were later replaced with attack aircraft and helicopter units.
Between 1955 and 1961 the airfield served as a reserve airfield.
From 1960 onwards the infrastructure was renewed, the runway lengthened, and new taxiways were built.
In 1985/86 the airbase underwent another upgrade, it received a new flightline and splitterboxes for the aircraft.
After the German reunification the Russian air force withdrew the last remaining units from the base.
Su-25s of 357OShAP (Attack Regiment) and Mi-8 and Mi-24 of 487 Helicopter Regiment left the airfield in April and May.
The final cargo flights with An-12 and Il-76 left in August, after which the airfield was returned to the German government.
www.ronaldv.nl/abandoned/airfields/GE/Saxony/leipzig.ht...
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Coordinates:   51°19'45"N   12°39'22"E
This article was last modified 14 years ago