METEOROLOGICAL AND OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE SOVIET AND EAST GERMAN AIR FORCES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006700660002-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 24, 2008
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: May 17, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/07/24: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006700660002-7
CENTRAL I'NTELIIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United states within the meaning of the espionage Laws, Title
18, U.B.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which In any manner to an unauthorised person is prohibited by law.
S.E -O- R-E-T
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
East Germany
Meteorological and other Activi ties DATE DISTR.
of the Soviet and East German Air Forces
NO. OF PAGES 2
17 May 1955
SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
le East German and Soviet Air Force Meteorological Organizations
a. The Central Weather Bureau is located at Potsdam where it receives
and collates information from all over Europe. Meteorologists from
.the Soviet and East German air forces work side by aide.
b. The Central Weather Bureau at Potsdam passes meteorological information
by teletype to the Aeroclub at Cottbus, which is the base (Baza) of Soviet
and East German air force meteorologists*
o. The Asroolub at Cottbus passes the information to its subordinate
stations at Drewitz, Kamenz and Bautzen, The Soviet Air Force
transmits meteorological information to Welzow and Fineterwalde.
d. The teletype contact is made at 0830 hours each day and is called
a "Ringfernspreohnetz".
e. Individual teletype messages are also transmitted and received for
individual flights or during uncertain weather conditions,
f. The Soviet air force meteorologists find considerable difficulty in
plotting and forecasting weather cor.d~,tions in Germany which, they
state, are considerably more influenced by the sea and consequently
more changeable than the conditions they knew in the USSR.
2. Plotting of Aircraft Movements8
a. Aircraft movements of the Soviet air force are plotted on illuminated
maps similar to those used In night fighter plotting rooms by the
Luftwaffe,
be The scale of the maps is not known, but the size of the map is known
not to exceed three by two me ter,
c. Each map covers a .relatively small sector*
d. One radar installation covers the area shown on a map, and the information
received from the radar is automatically transferred to the plotting map.
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e. For training purposes, a limited number of Aeroclub officers are
permitted to visit Soviet air force plotting rooms when activity is
taking place, as it is intended that the Aeroclubs will at a later
date have similar equipment.
Finsterwalde airfield acccmmo tea
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an important Soviet Air Force control station for both bombers and
fighters.
g. Aircraft movementQ of the East C*,-~-mar air force are plotted on a map
after the inforu.ion has been received by radio.
3. Generals
a. Anti-Aircraft Radar Controls
At Cottbus airfield durine Feb r an aircraft was observed toning
a sleeve is rget. the
aircraft had come from Finsterwalde9l lit towed a target or anti-
aircraft practice, and= all the guns' taking part were radar-controlled.
b. Effect of Political Situations
(2) The work of the GST is being intensified. Two instructors mho were
previously part-time and honorary members are transferring to
full-time paid duty. The are Gerhard Fielder, a fighter pilot of
the old German air force nd Walter Stillts, a glider
expert.
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Approved For Release 2008/07/24: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006700660002-7