EQUIPMENT AND SOVIET PERSONNEL AT THE CALNIC AIRFIELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A002200130011-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 30, 2005
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: August 27, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2005/07/13: CIA-RDP80-00810A002200130)1 ~1p 5,? a
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SECRET,
COUNTRY Rumania
25X1
SUBJECT Equipment and Soviet Personnel
at the Calnic Airfield
25X1
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the me$ n-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code. as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohlbitr:d
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
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27 August 1953
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1. The Calnic airfield is located north of Resita, Rumania, about four kilometers
east of Calnic (21?521 E 45?201 N) between the two highways leading to Caranse-
bes. The airfield is.2,50O by 1,500 meters large and is situated on a meadow
that was drained during the war when it was used by German fighter planes.
In 1919-1950 a concrete runway was constructed; it has an oblique T?shape because
the predominant wind direction is northwest to southeast. The main runway,
which is 40 meters wide, is set on an 80 cm thick foundation; the taxiway at
the southern end, which is 100 meters wide, has a macadam base.
2. The airfield suffered no war damage. The hangars are located at the southern
end of the field. Two of them have. concrete frames. The newer hangars have
steel frames and are made of sheet aluminum; all of the hangars have rein-
forced glass and most of them are 35 x 20 meters in size. On the roof of
one of the new hangars is a glass tower about six meters high which contains
radio and blind-flying equipment. The two hangars on the west side of the
field are used exclusively for assembly purposes while the others house some
of the planes; the rest of the planes are covered with canvas and arranged
in groups of six along the edge of the field. Behind the assembly hangars is
a two floor depot for aircraft parts. The second floor juts out about four
meters over the ground floor and is supported by concrete pillars. Aircraft
parts are loaded from the second floor into cars below by means of chutes.
3. Between the hangars are underground fuel tanks equipped with automatic pumps.
Each tank has the capacity of two fuel cars. There is a central fuel depot
located east of the airfield between the new railroad line to Caransebes and
the highway; a side-track of the railroad leads to this depot. There are
eight fuel tanks which are half sunk in the earth and covered by iron slag
mounds ten meters high for protection in the event of an air attack.
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SECRET
iSTaTE
X I ARMY NAVY AIR FBI
ITT
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The airfield has its own radar net which serves to protect the entire
industrial area as well. Allegedly there is a radar screen north of the
field. Near this screen is a concrete block house about 15 by 15 meters
large in which the meteorological station is located. The station is
equipped with a gauge for measuring the speed and direction of wind, a
ceiling gauge instrument, as well as free and captive balloons, The
tive balloons have a diameter of 3.5 meters and are fastened to the
cap
ground with a thin rope similar to a nylon rope. The free balloons have
a diameter of about 1.5 meters.
5. A munitions depot is located east of the airfield near the railroad line;
it is supplied with aircraft arms including rockets.
6. Near the southeast corner of the airfield next to the highway to Caransebes
is a two-story building about 30 by 15 meters in size, three larger barracks
buildings three stories high and four row-type barracks. The barracks area
is surrounded by a barbed wire fence and is lighted at night by floodlights
located in the corners of the enclosure. Part of the area around the hangars
is also lighted at night.
7. Until the fall of.1952, both YAK 9s and MIG 15s were stationed at Calnic.
Since that time there have been only MIG 15 fighters plus three Soviet
courier biplanes and one IC-2. One of the courier planes departs at 0700
hours and returns to Calnic shortly before dark. The fighters always
maneuver in groups of six; they take off singly or in pairs and are gone
from the airport from 20 to 30 minutes.
8. The independent Soviet fighter group, (Otdeleniye),is stationed at this
field. It consists of 380 to 100 men, belongs to the III Vozdushnyy 'Flot
and is made up of two MIG 15 squadrons of 21 aircraft each. A special
technical battalion of Otdeleniye is also stationed at Calnic. It consists
of four companies: a transport, workshop, intelligence and guard company.
Members of the guard company are assigned to the radio towers which are
located on the left bank of the Barsaba creek and may belong to the air-
field. Each company has between 60 and 65 men. Aside from these units
there is also a Soviet antiaircraft division consisting of twelve 37-rmm
aircraft defense machine cannons and nine 12.7 mm antiaircraft machine guns.
The commander of the airfield is a major Who at the same time commands the
Otdeleniye fighter group. The pilots are Caucasians of less than 30 years
of age, many of whom have war medals. The antiaircraft personnel and the
battalion of technical specialists are mainly Asiatics in their early
twenties.
9. On 18 November 1952, a crash involving two MIG-15s occurred during tacti-
cal flying exercises. The two planes exploded in the air between Caransebes
and Resita, probably due to a collision.
25X11 Comments The information in paragraph 8 does not conform
to standard Soviet air practices.
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 Approved For Release 2005/07/13 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA00220013001 1 -1
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1.
Concrete runway
5.
Underground fuel tanks
9. R
adio tower
2.
Taxi apron
6.
Central fuel depot
10. B
arracks
3.
Old hangars
7.
Road to munitions depot
13.
New hangars
8.
Meteorological station and
radar screen
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