Poland expansion in phase 3.

Jaku · April 25

Polish pilots from the 28. PLM stationed on the Słupsk airbase taking a look at Su-27's from 159. Gv.IAP stationed on the Kluczewo airbase, 1987-1990.

sokol0210 · April 28

Polish Fulcrums DOL Kliniska

null

Jaku · April 28

Polish roadbase exercises Kliniska 2003

Edited April 28 by Jaku

Robsonek · April 29

14 hours ago, sokol0210 said:

Polish Fulcrums DOL Kliniska

null

The last photo with 92 is probably from Bydgoszcz ;))

Edited April 29 by Robsonek

Jaku · April 29

An interesting detail that could have been on the map.

The BARS system (from the Russian word “Leopard”) was a military tropospheric communication system of the Warsaw Pact countries, it was put into service in December 1987, It included 26 hubs (in 29 directions) in the USSR, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria.

Most of the BARS system links used R-417 Baget-S equipment, which operated at 4.435-4.555 GHz and 4.630-4.750 GHz (S-band), transmitting power could reach 1.5 kW - 2.5 kW. The system provided 60 digital voice channels or a data throughput of 480 kbit/s.

The maximum length of a single R-417 link was 200 km.

Two BARS system links whose distance exceeded 200 km used R-420S equipment, which had parabolic antennas with a diameter of 16 meters.

BARS communications support systems were autonomous: they had food and water supplies, generators, air filters and oxygen supplies.

Object 207, Suchowo village 53°19′56,51″N 15 °49′39,12″E

Object 202 Chocianów, patera 51°25′16,13″N 15°50′52,33″E

sokol0210 · April 29

8 hours ago, Robsonek said:

The last photo with 92 is probably from Bydgoszcz ;))

One click in my gallery gone too far

Robsonek · April 30

Some photos over Bagicz Airport by "Hesja"

Edited April 30 by Robsonek

Cornpop · April 30

Yes, please. Expanding Easy is just as smart as expanding west and south!

Jaku · April 30

2 hours ago, Cornpop said:

Expanding Easy is just as smart as expanding west and s

we did what we could here to help, we will see what Ugra-media will do, i have a big hope

Robsonek · May 23

Dębica Airfield - an airport used until the mid-1980s (?) by the Soviet Air Force. It was probably an alternate airport for aircraft such as MiG-15, MiG-17 and MiG-21. The airport had a grass runway 11/29 with a length of 2,500 m. 20 kilometers from the airport in Dębica is the airport in Świdwin. Currently, there is a garbage dump on the site of the former airport.

https://www.mil-airfields.de/pl/debica-lotnisko.htm

Jaku · June 4

Pieniężnica

"The Pieniężnica Airfield was established in the mid-1950s as a typical backup airport for combat regiments of the Polish Army. The layout of the airfield was typical for airports of that period. The runway was 1,900 m long and 40 m wide, with a concrete surface. The runway was located in the 084/264 direction, i.e. almost east-west. On the south side of the runway, an emergency runway with a dirt surface (grass) was marked out. On the north side of the runway, the main taxiway, approximately 2,000 m long, was located. The main taxiway was connected to the runway by four connectors. The width of the taxiways was 10-15 m. All taxiways had a concrete surface. At the eastern and western connectors, there were aircraft parking areas, also with a concrete surface.

The airport had two combat aircraft dispersal areas. One was in the eastern part of the airport (among trees) and the other in the western part. At the beginning of the 1970s, 10 AU-11 class shelters/hangars were built in the western dispersal area for Mikoyan and Gurievich MiG-21 aircraft.

The Pieniężnica airport was surrounded by forests on all sides. In the north-eastern part, an MPS (fuel and lubricant storage facility, fully equipped) and airport administration and barracks buildings were located in the forest. In the north-western part, a bomb storage facility (weapons warehouse for aircraft) was located in the forest.

The Pieniężnica airport did not have a permanent host. Regiments such as the 6th PLM from Piła, the 26th PLM from Zegrze Pomorskie, the 28th PLM from Słupsk, the 41st PLM from Malbork, and others were temporarily based here. The following aircraft landed at the airport: MiG-21, MiG-23, TS-8 Bies, TS-11 Iskra.

By the end of the 1980s, the airport was underfunded and fell into disrepair. At that time, there was already a surplus of military airports in relation to the needs. Since the 1990s, planes have landed here sporadically. Probably the last landing of a civilian aircraft took place in 2004. At that time, a Cessna 172 aircraft made an emergency landing. At that time, only the eastern part of the RWY, 1,000 m long, was suitable for landing."

Some informations (from mil-airfields.de)

Coordinates	N535216 E0165954 (WGS84) Google Maps
Elevation	530'

Location

Pieniężnica is located 60 km southeast of Koszalin.

Location of airfield

The airfield is located 2 km northeast of Pieniężnica.

Runways

08/26: ca. 2000 m

Radio beacons

Data for the year 1970:

LOM: 625 "BM"
LMM: 302 "B"

Data for the year 1980:

LOM 26: 370 "DA"
LMM 26: 760 "D"

Radio communication

Call sign: "BALSAM" (1970), "DEKADA" (1980)

Installations

Railway to the track 4 km north.

Lotnisko w Pieniężnicy koło Białego Boru. 2021r. – Polot

Jaku · July 14

Śniatowo

"A disused airport that served as a backup for the 2nd Fighter Aviation Regiment from Goleniów. It was used jointly by the Polish People's Army Air Force and the Red Army. On April 18, 1991, it was transferred to the exclusive management of the Republic of Poland and finally closed. Currently, the airport site is home to a wind farm launched in 2009, consisting of 16 wind turbines. It also hosts regular car rallies."

"Airport area – 287 ha – 2 parking areas for 15 aircraft each. 24 underground shelters for aircraft (space for 1 aircraft surrounded by earth embankments on 3 sides) and 4 single-chamber shelters."

Some informations (from mil-airfields.de)

Coordinates	N535242 E0145152 (WGS84) Google Maps
Elevation	65 ft

Usage during the Cold War

Reserve airfield, shared use between Polish and Soviet forces.

Use today

Transfered to Polish authorities on April 18th, 1991 (Source: www.bicc.de). Closed.

Runways

Data for the year 1980:

11/29: approx. 2500 m

Radio beacons

Data for the year 1980:

LOM 29: 858 "FA"
LMM 29: 419 "F"

Radio communication

Call sign: "FIRMA" / "ФИРМА" (1980)

Installations

"Surface of 287 hectares"

Jaku · Saturday at 11:28 AM

Legnica

HQ and airfield of the soviet northern group of forces

"When the Red Army front commands were dissolved in early June 1945, the military command posts were subordinated to
the Northern Group of Forces command in Legnica (abbreviations used: PGW, PGWAR, PG W FR), commanded by Marshal Rokossowski.
At that time, they lost their “war” character. In the following months, a significant part of the command posts (249 units) were liquidated, mainly those
located in provincial and county towns. Another 244 units were liquidated between August and November 1945.
Only 43 commandant's offices remained, which were liquidated in mid-1946.

After surviving the most difficult months of 1945, when Poles did not have access to the city center, political parties and associations began their activities, the first Polish school year began, and health care and service points were organized.
The difficulties faced by the Polish authorities affected almost all spheres of life. These included poor security, staff shortages, and
most annoyingly, financial shortages. Regular salaries began to be paid to employees only in September. Until then, the most common means of payment was vodka, which is why distilleries were among the first enterprises to be launched.

One of the greatest difficulties faced by the first Polish authorities in Legnica was the inability to fully launch the city's infrastructure due to the division of
Legnica into Polish and Soviet parts. The city was divided in July 1947. As a result of a series of conferences between representatives of the City Council
and the Group's command, a demarcation line was established between the districts inhabited by Polish citizens and the quarters under Soviet administration.
The Russians reserved the newest, southern part of the city, known as the Square, for their exclusive use and created Soviet enclaves around many
public buildings in the center (e.g., they occupied the Drama Theater, the Knights' Academy, the city park, and many others). After this division of Legnica,
into the part of the city under Polish administration and closed military sectors,
one of the most important and at the same time most feared complexes in the city became the buildings within Gwarna, Muzealna
and Złotoryjska Streets. The Soviet Garrison Command,
Military Prison, Military Court with jurisdiction over the entire PGWAR and the Garrison Hotel were located there. These buildings have not changed their function,
for which they were built in the 1870s, with the difference that until 1945 they were an important element in the social and political structure of the city and served
the local community, and after 1945 they became a completely separate part of the city.

The decision on the location of the Group's headquarters was made relatively late, probably not until early July. On July 11, 1945, Rokossowski's deputy for political affairs informed Governor Piaskowski of this, as well as of the need for Polish institutions and Polish residents to leave the left bank of Legnica. Everything was supposed to have been agreed with Bolesław Bierut by that time. The choice of Legnica was not, as mentioned, a coincidence: a large modern barracks base,
hospital and warehouse facilities, the city's convenient location on transport routes, a military airport, large districts, and well-equipped residential houses that could accommodate a large number of staff with their families — were excellent and probably sufficient justification.

The composition of the Northern Group of Forces of the Soviet Army at the time of its creation
was as follows: 65th Army, 43rd Army, 52nd Army, 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps, 3rd Guards Armored Corps, 5th Armored Corps, 10th Armored Corps
Army, 20th Tank Corps, 4th Air Army consisting of 3 air corps. Bolesław Potyrała gives a slightly different composition of the Northern Group of Forces: 65th Army of General Paweł I. Batow, 49th Army of General Iwan T. Griszin, 70th Army of General Wasilij S. Popow
and 4th Air Army of General Konstantin A. Wierszynina. Of the generals mentioned, P. Batow served the longest in Legnica (until 1948).
While in the period 1945-1953, the military groups were headed by 14 marshals and generals with significant achievements during the war, in the following years, the positions of
commanders-in-chief and commanders were held by lesser-known generals. There was significant rotation
in the highest positions, and among the lesser-known figures who were sent to Legnica were Gen. K. Konstantinov, Gen. A.I. Radziewski, and Gen. K.P. Trubnikov. in 1945, the PG W consisted of a total of 4 armored corps, 30 rifle divisions,
12 air divisions, 10 artillery divisions, and 1 cavalry corps, and numbered at least 300,000 soldiers deployed in fifteen provinces (according to
the administrative division prior to 1998) in 59 locations belonging to 35 garrisons."

null
View from the roof of the Soviet school number 30

"It is impossible to determine the exact number of PGW soldiers stationed in Poland until 1956. Representatives of the Polish administration were not allowed to enter the barracks, and the Polish authorities did not have any list or register of them. The best known are the locations of the PGW from the period after 1956, because most of the Soviet bases existing at that time functioned until the withdrawal of the Group's troops from Poland in 1993. It is also impossible to determine the exact number and location of garrisons, except for those that can be located on the basis of reports from administrative bodies and reports from the Delegation of the Government of the Republic of Poland/Polish People's Republic at the PGWAR, which operated from 1946.

According to estimates, at the time of its creation (June 1945), the PGW
had over half a million people. In addition to military facilities, the Group occupied thousands of hectares of agricultural estates and industrial facilities.

In total, the PGW forces used 15 airports (nine for their own needs — eight where military units were stationed and one spare;
six as spare airports, which the Russians used jointly with the Polish army),
11 port basins, 4,340 m of sea coast; 12 large fuel depots, three of which functioned as independent facilities; 6,517 buildings,
of which 3,800 were owned by the State Treasury and 2,717 were built by the Russians for their own needs. Eighteen facilities were located outside the area of greatest concentration of PGW units: four airports, four communication stations, three tropospheric communication stations, and military postal units.

For the period before 1956, three stages of PGW transformation can be distinguished:
• The period of demobilization after the end of the war, which began on June 23, 1945,
and lasted until 1948. The return of Red Army soldiers to the USSR was particularly intense from mid-1945 to mid-1946.
• 1947, when General P. Batov's 65th Army was withdrawn from Poland. The withdrawal of the 65th Army was connected with the transfer of the facilities it had occupied to the Polish side. In total, in 1947, Soviet troops handed over 2,440 buildings to the Polish authorities, including three
gymnasiums, a number of houses and shops in Legnica.
• The years 1948-1956, when the structure of the Group became more stable and there were fewer changes, both in terms of numbers and deployment. During this time, the structure of Soviet bases in Poland also took shape."

"The locations of PGW units are therefore only known from the period after 1956,
when, under the signed agreements, the Polish authorities carried out inventory checks.
The checks did not cover all of the facilities owned by PGWAR (it is estimated that approximately 85% of the facilities were inventoried;
the Polish commission was not allowed access to the remaining 15%, the so-called special facilities, and the inventory was carried out unilaterally by a Soviet delegation). The list of PGW bases did not include all the locations where Soviet troops were stationed. Among the places not covered by the inventory, it is worth mentioning Malbork, Elbląg,
Olsztyn, Gorzów, Bydgoszcz, Siedlce, and Poznań, where Soviet troops were stationed until the mid-1950s. In addition, in many cities, the Group had so-called seconded soldiers, e.g., for the purpose of supervising communications, cooperating with Polish military units, subunits for special tasks, etc.
According to estimates, between 1946 and 1949, there were approximately 300,000
Soviet soldiers in Poland (in Legnica alone, there were approximately 50,000 in 1949). This number gradually decreased, but even after the signing of the agreements
in 1956, it did not reach the agreed ceiling of 62,000-66,000. Probably
the Group did not reach this number until the 1980s. Interestingly, the Russians achieved the highest rate of evacuation was achieved by the Russians in 1956-1958. During these two years, they left almost a hundred localities."

officer's quarters

"Soviet troops were often stationed at various locations within the same town or used facilities that were far apart from each other. For example, in Legnica, barracks complexes were scattered throughout the city. This forced the Russians to use the entire urban infrastructure, not just
a designated area, and it was necessary to use public roads, which consequently contributed to both traffic accidents and damage to the road surface by heavy military vehicles.

Soviet units stationed in Poland were under the command of the Group, while the commander-in-chief (later commanders) of the PGW reported directly to the Minister
of Defense of the USSR. After the creation of the United Command of the Warsaw Pact in 1955
here were numerous disputes over jurisdiction between the heads of these forces. The disputes between the commander-in-chief of the United Armed Forces of the Warsaw Pact, Marshal Ivan Konev, and the then commander of the PGW, General Kuzma Galicki, were particularly fierce. Ultimately, this conflict led to Galicki's dismissal from his command position in February 1958and his transfer to the post of commander of the Transcaucasian Military District 10.
The troops comprising the Group initially had an army structure, then a divisional structure. In addition to its role as guardian of Soviet interests in Poland, the Group
also performed tasks resulting from the prevailing military doctrine. It was to develop
an offensive after the enemy front on the Elbe was broken by the East German Army Group in the event of a war of aggression or, in the event of a breakthrough of the Soviet defenses,
to launch a counterattack. It was also to create conditions for further operations
by operational units that would arrive in such a case from border military districts. The operational tasks of the PGWAR were thus closely linked to the role that the Soviet high command assigned, in the event of an armed conflict, to the much larger, first-line Western Group of Forces,
stationed in the GDR , and to the activities of border military districts, including the Belarusian Military District. The PGWAR was to serve as a base and secure
the conditions for the formation of a second front, which was to be created only
by large tactical units from the western districts of the USSR."

"Next to the PGWAR headquarters, and since 1984 the Western Operational Direction (ZKO), there was also the headquarters of the 4th Air Army (AL) in Legnica on Chojnowska Street, subordinate to the Group, but with a certain degree of independence due to its strategic tasks. It was one of the independent air armies of the Soviet Air Force and was intended to improve the effectiveness of aviation.

The composition of the 4th AL, with which it entered the PGWAR according to Directive No. 269 of the Stavka WK
of May 29, 1945, was as follows: 5th Bomber Aviation Corps
(132nd and 327th Bomber Aviation Divisions), 4th Assault Aviation Corps
(196th and 199th Assault Aviation Divisions), Fighter Aviation Corps
(215th and 323rd Fighter Aviation Regiments), 230th, 233rd, 260th and 332nd Assault Aviation Divisions, 229th, 269th, 309th and 329th Fighter Aviation Divisions,
325th Night Bomber Aviation Division, 47th and 164th Guard Reconnaissance Aviation Regiments, 209th Aviation Regiment for Reconnaissance and Artillery Fire Correction, 213th Medical Aviation Regiment, 184th Air Communications Regiment, 844th Transport Aviation Regiment, 69th Civil Aviation Fleet Aviation Regiment, 1550th,
1559th, 1584th, 1601st, 1606th, 1607th, and 1655th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiments.
From the moment of its creation, the Northern Army Group maintained full combat strength:
a complete complement of personnel, armaments, and equipment corresponding to the needs of warfare."

"PGWAR units occupied an area of approximately 17 km² in the city of Legnica. This huge area contained over 1,200 facilities that were in constant use
by the Russians. In addition to typically military facilities (barracks, military airport, storage bases), they also occupied hospitals, educational
and cultural facilities (the occupation of the Drama Theater building was most painful for the residents), sports facilities, and residential buildings. The Russians also occupied the most beautiful, villa-filled part of the city, known as Kwadrat (the Square). The facilities belonging to the Russian army constituted about 1/3 of the old, Art Nouveau, central part of the city. In total, there were 482 residential buildings and 721 non-residential facilities."

"The garrison character of the city was reminded to its residents by a wall separating the western districts. Guarded by Soviet military patrols,
these quarters of the city constituted a “city within a city.” The following military formations were stationed in Legnica: the Command Headquarters of the Northern Group of Soviet Forces, 4th Air Army, 19th Communications Regiment, 137th Communications Battalion, 91st Support Battalion, 25th Helicopter Squadron, Armored Unit, Communications Equipment, Military Hospital, Post Office, and Telecommunications. Together, they occupied an area of 608.8 hectares."

"Barracks complexes were scattered throughout the city. The Russians
not only used existing facilities, but also built their own. Between
1946 and 1990, they built 211 facilities in Legnica alone (in the former Legnica Province, there were a total of 510 buildings).
The most important barracks complexes were located as follows:
• barracks on Złotoryjska Street — the complex covered an area of 29 hectares and housed an armored unit and workshops,
• barracks on Słubicka Street — they were a vehicle base for the communications troops,
• barracks on Poznańska and Bydgoska Streets (also a vehicle base, covering an area of 11.82 hectares),
• sanitary and epidemiological station and laboratory at Rzeczypospolitej Avenue,
• “Igla” communications station, located outside the city, occupied 5.4 hectares,
• barracks at Chojnowska Street — it was an entire barracks and residential complex with an area of 12.91 hectares."

Soviet checkpoints in Legnica

Airfield in Legnica

"From February 21, 1945, the regiment became part of the 4th AL II FB, continuing to supply the fighting units. On July 22, together with the entire 4th AL, it was transferred to the airport in Legnica. The regiment was awarded the Order of the Red Star for its contribution to combat operations. On January 1, 1946, its name was changed to 844th Independent Mixed Air Regiment, and in 1948 it was reorganized into the 245th Independent Mixed Air Squadron. The aircraft used earlier were Po-2, Yak-6, Li-2, and C-47. In the 1950s, the worn-out Li-2s were replaced with Il-12s and Il-14s. The unit was also equipped with Mi-1 and Mi-4 helicopters. In the following years, the aircraft and helicopters were replaced with more modern ones. The Russians mainly used helicopters
(Mi-6, Mi-8), and from 1969 they also used An-12. The helicopters were used
for transport and lifting by civil aviation and military aviation in the USSR and Warsaw Pact countries. The An-12 served as a transport aircraft
for parachute jumpers, some of them were adapted for electronic warfare, and one was converted into a flying command post.

The squadron served primarily as logistical support for the 4th Air Force and the PGWAR command. It consisted of a helicopter squadron (5 Mi-8) and two transport aircraft squadrons (6 An-26, 4 An-12). In addition, it had one Il-20 aircraft to secure passenger flights. It was the last PGWAR air unit to leave Poland.
The airport had the following facilities: a 1,600 m long and 40 m wide runway, paved taxiways and a grassy area, aircraft hangars, missile warehouses, a railway siding, a radar station, guard buildings, and military barracks.
The 4th Air Army had several military airports at its disposal, as well as an air training ground. Eight PGW airports in Poland were
first strike facilities, while the rest were backup facilities.
The army consisted of two divisions: bomber and fighter, both divided
into regiments, as well as several independent air regiments for various purposes.
These formations were directly subordinate to the headquarters of the 4th Air Army in Legnica.
The 4th Air Army also included the 132nd Czerniachowsk Bomber Division, stationed outside Polish territory. The army's reserve airfields were located in the following towns: Oława-Stanowice, Wschowa-Łysiny, Namysłów, Stargard Szczeciński (Burzykowo and Słotnica), Dębica, Nadarzyce, and Brochocin."

Some informations from mil-airfields.de