EQUIPMENT AND SOVIET PERSONNEL AT THE CALNIC AIRFIELD

Document Type: 
Collection: 
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
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
August 27, 1953
Content Type: 
REPORT
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PDF icon CIA-RDP80-00810A002200130011-1.pdf182.88 KB
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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 25X1 27 August 1953 25X1' 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. 25X1 SECRET iSTaTE X I ARMY NAVY AIR FBI ITT 25X1 (Notes: Wash nylon Distribution lnpproved"ForFRelease 2009/07/13: CIA-RDP80-00810A002200130011-1 Approved For Release 2005/07/13 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA00220013001 1 -1 25X1 SECRET 25X1 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. 25X1 SECRET Approved For Release 2005/07/13 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA00220013001 1 -1 Approved For Release 2005/07/13 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA00220013001 1 -1 25X1 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 25X1 SECRET Approved For Release 2005/07/13 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA00220013001 1 -1