Facilities & Installations

Luftwaffe Airfields at Minsk, May 1943 - May 1944

The Luftwaffe used three airfields in the vicinity of Minsk, a key city in the center of the Eastern Front. Minsk Süd, originally the city’s civil airport, became the main Luftwaffe base in the area after 1941. Minsk Ost, also inside the city, was well-used and probably acted as an alternate for Minsk Süd. The third field, Minsk Machulishchi, was 14 kilometers south of the city center. Here, the Luftwaffe used and existing landing ground while a pre-war Soviet hard surface runway remained abandoned. Another abandoned pre-war airfield was located at Dubinskaya 10 km south of Machulishchi.

map showing Luftwaffe Airfields at Minsk, Belarus

aerial photo of Minsk Süd Airfield on 7 October 1943

aerial photo of Ju 52, Fw 189, Do 17, Bf 109 and Fi 256 aircraft at Minsk Süd Airfield on 7 October 1943 (Detail)

aerial photo of Minsk Süd Airfield on 26 September 1943

aerial photo of Protected Buildings at Minsk Süd Airfield

aerial photo of Minsk Süd Airfield on 27 May 1944

Minsk Süd Airfield Belarus on 22 July 1944 After it was Abandoned

aerial photo of Minsk Oct Airfield on 28 May 1944

aerial photos of Minsk Airfields at Machulishchi & Dubintskaya

Despite its importance, Minsk Süd occupied a rather crowded site between two rail lines. It did have a substantial support area with two large hangars. Excellent coverage on 7 October 1943 showed the airfield at a time of change after the arrival of Luftwaffe headquarters elements from Smolensk (Graphic). By September, Luftflotte 6, responsible for Luftwaffe activities on the central front, had been formed from Luftwaffenkommando Ost. Two subordinate units, Luftgau-Kommando VII (former Luftgau-Kommando Moskau) and Luftgau Nachrichten Regiment 27 (former Luftgau Nachrichten Regiment Moskau) relocated in September and June, respectively.

The first indication of change at Minsk Süd was the arrival of aircraft: between 15 May and 26 September the number of aircraft grew from around seven to 40, that included 10 Ju 52 transports and one Ju 252/352 (Graphic). By 7 October the number aircraft had grown to 62, including a full transport staffel with 19 Ju 52. The presence of two reconnaissance (Aufklärung) units was indicated by two Fw 189 “Uhu”, five Do 17, ten Bf 109 and one Hs 126. Ten Fi 156 “Storch” light aircraft comprised a courier element (Graphic).

At least four buildings in the airfield support area appeared to have been built or modified for the protection of the newly-arrived headquarters elements. One of these, a large bunker, was nearing completion on 15 May and a blast wall around a nearby building was completed between September and October. In addition, two smaller buildings in the vicinity of the aircraft hangars were also protected by blast walls built before and after 15 May.

More than 100 vehicles possibly from Luftgau Nachrichten Regiment 27 were observed in the Minsk Süd support area on 7 October. (see Intelligence Facilities article, Facilities & Installation section). The vehicles were not present on 26 September, but by that time, a possible training site for the unit had already been set up at the north side of the airfield (Graphic).

Subsequent coverage of Minsk Süd from May 1944 showed the number of aircraft had decreased to about 35; most aircraft were dispersed around the field and new parking revetments had been built at the east side of the landing area (Graphic). A German target graphic from July after abandonment showed facilities had been destroyed and the landing area had been plowed; however, an additional dispersal area had been added south of the field (Graphic).

Other Minsk Airfields

Minsk Ost had very limited support facilities. Coverage between 1943 and 1944 shows it was regularly used, although fewer than 10 aircraft were ever observed. Nevertheless, additional aircraft parking revetments were added in 1944. It is not clear how much Minsk Machulishchi --now a major airbase-- was used. One aircraft was at the field on 7 October 1943; two transportable maintenance tents in the support facility did indicate a permanent Luftwaffe presence.