Jaku

Last flights of the Polish Mig-23's in the air force before getting retired, 1999, almost a 3 hour video 28.PLM Słupsk Airbase

Exercises on the Highway Strip Kliniska, 1993, one hour video few different types of aircraft can be seen

Kluczewo airbase "On June 10, 1945, by decision of the Supreme Command of the Red Army dissolved the command and war council of the Second Byelorussian Front. In place of this front, the Northern Army Group of the Red Army was created. The place of its dislocation became the Polish area. Marshal Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky residing in Legnica became its first commander. Officially, the Northern Army Group (hereinafter PGW) deployed mainly in northern and western areas of Poland, was to protect the supply lines, connecting the USSR with the Soviet troops occupying eastern Germany. The post-war history of Kluczewo airport is mainly related to the history of the unit that was stationed there from 1952 to 1992 (with a break in 1961 to 1964). It was the 159th Novorossiysk Guards Distinguished Fighter Aviation Regiment, awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Suvorov. After the end of war, the 159th Gv.IAP, being part of the 4th Aviation army, was transferred to Polish territory. From August 1945 to May 1948, the regiment was stationed at the Malbork airfield, and then was transferred to the Brzeg airfield (now in Opole province). There it was stationed until the beginning of 1952. Based at this airport, the regiment was rearmed with Yak-17 and Yak-17V jet aircraft (the training version of the Yak-17). In the second half of 1950, the 159th Gv.IAP participated in a “super secret” operation to train the first group of pilots from the Polish Air Force for jet aircraft. In 1951, the 159th Gv.IAP was rearmed with MiG-15 and MiG-15UTI (training version of the MiG-15) aircraft. In 1952, the regiment was re-deployed to Kluczewo for the first time. In the 1950s, areas lying southwest of the airport were included in the garrison's boundaries. This area included two villages - Burzykowo (German: Buslar) and Slotnice (German: Schlötenitz). The residents of these villages were resettled in surrounding villages, helped by the Russians themselves. After the occupation of Buslar and Slotnice, the garrison area increased to about 1,200 hectares. The existing buildings there (granaries, stables, barns, churches, residential buildings) were adopted by the Russians to suit their needs. Over time, they began to erect new buildings there for various purposes: garages, shelters, fuel stations (in Burzykowo - 19 thousand cubic meters), residential buildings, barracks. Also during this period, in the area of the garrison in the triangle Kluczewo - Burzykowo - Slotnica, reconstruction of the runway began, which is 2515 m long, 60 m wide. Both its size and design allowed not only fighter aircraft, but also heavy transport aircraft to operate from it. In addition, the Russians had a grass runway at Kluczewo, measuring 2,000 m long and 100 m wide. Stationed in Kluczewo, the regiment rearmed with MiG-17 aircraft, and later received Yak-25M heavy twin-engine interceptor fighters for equipment. In 1961, the 159th Gv.IAP was transferred to an airfield in Bagicz near Kolobrzeg and then to Zagan. Stationed there, the regiment received the first MiG-21 aircraft for equipment, which in time became the basic armament of the unit and in various versions were still in use in the second half of the 1980s. From August 12 to 15, 1964, the regiment was transferred again to Kluczewo and from then on this garrison became the basic base of the unit. After being redeployed to Kluczewo, the regiment was subordinated to the 239th Baranovichi Fighter Aviation Division, whose command was located in Kluczewo. This division consisted of three regiments: 159th IAP; 871st Pomeranian IAP stationed in Bagicz, and 582nd IAP in Chojna (this regiment was transferred to Chojna in April/May 1955 from an airfield located on the Liaotian Peninsula, near the Lushun (Port Arthur) naval base - now in China). The location of the division command in Kluczewo was probably due to the fact that it was the largest Soviet air base in this part of Poland (the area of the garrison in Chojna was about 500 hectares, in Bagicz about 650 hectares), as well as the central location of Kluczewo in relation to Bagicz and Chojna. To meet the needs of the division's command, the Russians built in Kluczewo, among other things, in the central part of the garrison an underground two-story command post with an area of 600 m², hidden under a thick layer of reinforced concrete and soil. Unit in Kluczewo officially maintained close contacts with the Polish. 2 PLM “Krakow”, which was stationed at the Goleniow airport. It should be noted here that for a long period of time both units were equipped with the same type of MiG-21 aircraft, which probably, in addition to “strengthening internationalist attitudes,” may have fostered mutual contacts. Such contacts, by the way, were nothing special, for example, the Polish 28th PLM from Slupsk was “friendly” with the 871st Pomeranian IAP from Bagicz. The commanders of the two units graduated together from an aviation academy in the USSR. Both regiments also used MiG-23 aircraft. In June 1987, the new aircraft of Pavel Sukhoi's aviation design bureau Su-27 began to enter the equipment of the 159th Gv.IAP Then, and still today, the most modern Russian fighter aircraft in mass use in Russian aviation. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, work began on this aircraft. In 1982, serial production began at the Y. Gagarin plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. In 1985, they were officially accepted for armament in the USSR Air Defense units. The Kluczewo regiment was the second Frontline Air Defense unit (the first was the 831st PLM in Mirgorod), and the first Soviet unit stationed outside the Soviet Union to be rearmed with Su-27s (As of 1988, Su-27 aircraft began to enter the armament of the 582nd PLM from Chojna). Full combat readiness, after rearmament to the new type of aircraft, the regiment probably achieved around 1990 - 1991, with approx. 37 Su-27 combat aircraft and Su-27UB combat-training aircraft. To meet the needs of the new aircraft, which not only in parameters but also in size exceeded the previously used MiG-21 aircraft, new larger shelter-hangars were built at the airfield, 28 in number. In Poland, the Su-27 was presented to the public for the first time at the international air show in Poznań-Ławica airport in August 1991. It was a Su-27UB aircraft with red side numbers “66” from a unit in Kluczewo. In addition, these were the first international air shows in Poland with the participation of aircraft from NATO, among others, the American F-15 aircraft was presented, whose counterpart in the Warsaw Pact was the Su-27. The Russians scheduled the departure of the Kluczewo airfield by the combat unit for July 10, 1992, after which they intended to use the airfield - along with the Legnica airfield - for the transit of their troops from eastern Germany as late as 1993. However, the Polish side did not agree to this, and following direct talks between Gen. L. Kovalev (NFG commander in 1992-1993) and Gen. Z. Ostrovsky, the Russians finally gave up this idea, which was inconvenient for the Polish side. As scheduled, on the Friday sunny morning of July 10, 1992, the last farewell roll call of Russian pilots took place at the Kluczewo airport, departing for Russia. The farewell ceremony was attended by, among others, the commander of the 4th Aviation Army, Gen. A. Basov (he had held this position since March 5, 1992), Consul General of the Russian Federation O. Brykin. The Polish side was represented, among others, by Deputy Governor W. Soinski, the commander of the Szczecin garrison, Colonel A. Ekiert, and representatives of the Stargard authorities. After short speeches, the playing of the anthems of both countries and the presentation of flowers to the pilots, there was a short takeoff of 37 aircraft, which headed northeast after takeoff. Their final destination was Biesovyets airfield near Petrozavodsk (a city in Russia, located 300 kilometers north of St. Petersburg). The 159th Gv.IAP was the last airborne combat unit of the former Soviet Army to leave Poland." https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/kluczewo-stargard-lotnisko.htm

Chojna Airbase "On 4.02.1945, the Chojna Airport was occupied by Soviet troops and did not leave it until 1992, nearly 50 years. Despite the damage done to the airport by the retreating Germans, the Soviet troops had a number of facilities at their disposal. The barracks of the half-timbered type still stood. Two repair hangars stood. Initially, the airport was home to various aviation units flown from east to west and vice versa. In 1950, the 582nd Fighter Aviation Regiment from the USSR took possession of the airport. In 1951, the Soviets expanded the Chojna airport. This involved the removal of nearby farms, which were not occupied by farmers anyway. A new concrete RWY was built and oriented east-west. It had dimensions of 1,800 m x 40 m. By virtue of the relevant agreements in 1956, i.e. after the establishment of the Warsaw Pact, the Chojna Airport area was excluded from Polish jurisdiction, although this was only a formality. The airport was heavily guarded from the very moment the Soviets took over. The Soviets steadily expanded the base, erecting on it a number of facilities needed for its efficient operation, with the implementation of increasingly modern types of weaponry. The garrison's area grew to 495 hectares. Since the Soviet regiment was one of the first-line (first-order) in the Warsaw Pact structures, it always had the latest fighter aircraft in stock. At first MiG-15, MiG-17, then MiG-21, and ended up with Su-27. Before leaving Poland, the regiment had 30-34 Su-27 type machines in stock. In the early 70s, shelter-hangars were built for MiG-21 aircraft. From the Russian called lupins. On the territory of Poland, the Soviets built shelter-hangars of AU-11 design (Angar Ubnia) for MiG-21 aircraft and AU-16 design for Su-27 aircraft. AU-16 type hangars , have exhaust sluices in the rear wall. Thanks to this, it was possible to start aircraft engines already in the hangar. Garages were erected for the growing fleet of vehicles. Ammunition depots and bombo depots were located on the airfield, covering an area of about 9.4 hectares. In all probability, we can write that they also held nuclear weapons. There were more than 260 different buildings and structures on the site. The fuel depot had a capacity of 21,700 cubic meters. A modern aircraft guidance and direction station, including a long-range navigation system, was also installed at this time. 31.5 hectares were allocated for these facilities. From 1965 to 1970, the airport had the call code ANGARKA, and from 1970 to 1990, ANTRAKT. In the 70-80s, the anti-aircraft defense system was constantly developed. The garrison installed the 89th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, with surface-to-air missiles of the Volkhov type. Also located on the base was a regiment (brigade) of missile troops with ground-to-air missiles. This is a piece of information that is certain, given the structures that were built on the airfield. We are referring to the reinforced concrete hides in the shape of a pipe sprinkled with earth called Granite. This type of concealment can be found in almost all post-Soviet bases (Bagicz airfield) and not only air bases (e.g. Swinoujscie Mulnik) operated in Poland. Here were hidden self-propelled ground-to-ground class ballistic missile launchers of the R-11 type, with a range of 300 km, and then the RSD-10 Pioneer. The 380th Independent Airfield Technical Security Battalion was also stationed at the Chojna garrison. The base also hosted a so-called pilot school, where newly arrived young pilots to the regiment supplemented their piloting knowledge and tactics for operating in a potential conflict zone. On 05/05/1992, the 582nd PLM officially departed for Smolensk, and on 07/07/1992, the Airport was handed over to the authorities of the Republic of Poland, although the last Soviet soldier left Chojna in 1994." https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/chojna-lotnisko.htm

Nadarzyce training ground "Aviation training ground established on March 3, 1953, located 2 km northwest of the village of Nadarzyce, in the northern part of Wielkopolska province, 23 km north of the city of Walcz. The area of the training ground of more than 8 thousand hectares. It is the largest air training ground in Europe, which is used (in addition to the Air Force of the Republic of Poland) by the air forces of other NATO countries, among others: Italy, Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, Canada and the USA. It features a so-called “working field” of about 1,500 hectares, which includes practice targets - decommissioned aircraft, tanks, combat vehicles and guns, as well as leveled mineralized terrain simulating a runway." Sattelite view of the area Some footage from the area:

Drawsko-pomorskie training ground "The unit originated in Jelenino, a village near Szczecinek and was created on 2 February 1946 as the Command of the Artillery Proving Ground (Polish: Komenda Poligonu Artyleryjnego). The unit was moved on 12 January 1949 to Oleszno, where it currently lies. The base was then changed to both a proving and training ground. Eventually, the name of the ground changed to the 2nd District Artillery Training Ground (Polish: II Okręgowy Poligon Artylerii). Many military events happened and happen in the area, most notably "Odra - Nysa 69", "Tarcza 76" and "Tarcza 88". In October 2000, the V Corps of the United States participated in a field exercise codenamed "VICTORY STRIKE". More than 2 thousand soldiers participated in the event." "Tarcza 88" exercises: "Dragon 17" exercises: Sattelite view:

Mig-21's from Zegrze Pomorskie airbase 90's/2000's

Mig-21's on the Goleniów Airbase 90's

28. PLM stationed on Słupsk-redzikowo airbase was the only Polish aviation unit that used Mig-23 fighter jets, between 1958 and 1974 they were the only unit that used Mig-19 fighter jets. In 1979 until 1999 they were operating Mig-23MF, and UB jets.

159. Guards fighter regiment stationed on the Kluczewo airbase was the first USSR aviation unit abroad that recieved the Su-27 fighter jets, in 1987. In 1992 they left to russia.

Images that highlight Airbases,Reserve Airfields, Highway Strips, Helipads (last image is broken i dont know why, also be aware of the airfield names errors)

Important Polish airbases that should or could be in the Polish part of the map (phase 2 and 3) Zegrze Pomorskie AFB (9 PLM) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#156550 Słupsk-redzikowo AFB (28 PLM) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#899101 Świdwin AFB (40 PLMB) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#982143 Goleniów AFB (2 PLM) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#311912 Mirosławiec AFB (8 PLMB) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#394447 Piła AFB (6 PLMB) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#678434 Babimost AFB (45 LPSzB) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#387537null Poznań-krzesiny AFB (62 PLM) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#834397 Drawsko Pomorskie Airfield and training ground https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#505816 Nadarzyce Training ground with airfield imitation https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#654758

Polish radio navigation aids during 1980's https://www.mil-airfields.de/radio-beacons/pl-poland/radio-beacons-1980s.html

Important Soviet airbases in 1980's that should be in the Polish part of the map (phase 2 and 3) Kluczewo AFB (159. Gv. IAP) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/kluczewo-stargard-lotnisko.htm Chojna AFB (582. IAP) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/chojna-lotnisko.htm Kołobrzeg-bagicz AFB (781 IAP, 55 OBVP) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/lotnisko-kolobrzeg-bagicz-airfield.htm Szprotawa AFB (89 BAP)null https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#965726 Krzywa AFB (164 Gv.ORAP, 3 BAP) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#606939 Żagań AFB (42 BAP) https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/list.htm#456682