Luftwaffe Renovation of Soviet Airfields

Orsha

Orsha Süd Airfield, 200 km northeast of Minsk became a major operational base. Very good coverage of the airfield between 1942 and 1943 showed the renovation process. Orsha Süd had intersecting runways (1100 & 1300 meters) and an extensive support area. It is not clear when Luftwaffe renovations began, but by September 1942 work was in progress on both runways and a new taxiway (Graphic). Aircraft shelters (two sizes) were under construction in two areas. By August 1943 work had been finished; a total of 15 shelters were now present and a dispersal area with six revetments had been added. Approximately 135 aircraft were observed. Notably, an HF/DF navigation station was in the support area. The station was already in place by 1942. For comparison, a similar station at Minsk was still under construction in June 1943.
Very good --but only partial-- coverage of Orsha Süd from 7 October 1943 showed the base at the height of its use. Since the northwest part of the airfield was not covered, a full count of aircraft was not possible; however, based on aircraft types, units included: a bomber or transport element with eight He 111; bomber or night fighter units with about 20 Ju 88; fighter units with 28 aircraft (including some probable Fw 190); and reconnaissance units with seven Fw 189, four Do 17 and two Hs 126.

Baranovichi

A similar construction timeline was seen at Baranovichi Airfield, 130 southwest of Minsk, but only one of its two runways (1100 meters) was left operational (Graphics). Compared to Orsha, the base did not have a well-developed support facility, but it did have five hangars. Improvements were under way by 3 June 1942; a taxiway was being constructed and six aircraft shelters were nearing completion in two dispersal areas. A visual Lorenz landing system, a feature not apparent at Orsha, had been installed off the west end of the runway. There was no evidence of a full-electronic Lorenz system.
Work at Baranovichi was finished by July 1943 and the airfield was operational. A very large hangar and a compass swing --another feature not seen at Orsha-- had been added since 1942. A single Fw 189 reconnaissance aircraft was among 14 aircraft at the base.

A circular possible HF/DF array had been established 700 meters southwest of the runway’s east end by July 1943. A group of possibly associated vehicles appeared to be deployed at a site to the north, although some of these were present as early as June 1942.

Borisov

Activity at Borisov airfield, an auxiliary field 70 km northeast of Minsk reflected Wehrmacht fortunes on the Eastern Front. Unlike the other two airfields Borisov did not have hard-surface runways, but it did have a large hangar and support area.

Coverage from 10 August 1941 showed a substantial Luftwaffe presence with at least 44 aircraft at the field (Graphic). Groups of tents were set up in several possible service around the landing area and a separate support area had been established to the east. Numerous vehicles were also present. Except for once on 6 April 1942 when a landing strip had been cleared of snow, little activity was seen (Graphic). The hangar was dismantled and rebuilt in 1943. Activity levels increased again by June 1944 as the Red army approached (Graphic). At least 13 aircraft were parked in new dispersal areas and newly-constructed revetments. Defensive trenching was observed around the airfield.

A wooded area one kilometer northeast of the airfield was used by the Wehrmacht/Luftwaffe as a deployment site in July 1941 and again in August 1944. In 1941, the site featured several net-covered areas and a bivouac, with some returning in 1944.

Bobryusk

Bobryusk, 140 km southeast of Minsk was a large former Soviet airfield with hangars and a developed support facility, but it is unclear if hard-surface runways were ever started. Coverage from May 1944 showed the base with one operational hard-surface runway (1100 meters) and a second probably unserviceable runway that appeared similar to ones built by the Soviets (Graphic). The southeast part of the landing area was not imaged, but it did not appear that dispersal areas with aircraft shelters had been constructed and there was no evidence of landing aids. Forty-seven aircraft including 14 Fw 189, seven Ju 88, one Do 17 and seven Fi 156 comprised elements of two reconnaissance Staffels.

Vyzama

The Wehrmacht arrived at Vyazma, 160 km west-southwest of Moscow, by early 1942. By September of that year Vyazma Süd Airfield had been transformed into a major forward airbase (Graphic). One runway had been completely rebuilt, a new one had been constructed (each about 1200m) and a connecting taxiway added. Three parking areas with two hangars and 10 aircraft shelters had also been added; several of the shelters were still under construction. In contrast, major support areas were lacking: the main one appeared to be at the village of Dvoevka, southeast of the airfield. Approximately 50 aircraft were at the field.

Smolensk

Until September 1943 the city of Smolensk housed the Headquarters of Wehrmacht Army Group Mitte and Luftwaffe Luftflotte 6. Coverage of Smolensk Airfield from 30 September 1943 shows the base four days after the city was liberated (Graphic). As usual, Germans had demolished the runways and support facilities before leaving; however, it was evident that both Soviet runways had been rebuilt and extended (1100 and 1300 meters). Evidence of landing aids was not observed, but an Adcock Navigation Beacon similar to ones at Minsk and Orsha was constructed 4.5 km north of the airfield in 1942. Despite the thoroughness of the destruction a group of about 20 Soviet aircraft --probably Po-2 or similar light aircraft-- were at the field on 14 October.