Report from the Air Force abandoned airfield in the Gomel region Bashny.Net

I suggest you see what's left of the former military airfield, a neighborhood which once shook the roar of jet turbines.




It all started in the 41st.
Our guide and the conductor - a local resident Boris Kozlovsky - a former pilot Regiment, now a military retiree and member of the County Council. On the way to the airport Boris S. devotes to the history, the roots of which go back to pre-war period.



Formation of the regiment began in April 1941 at the airport in Ukurey Baikal, and complete the process within a month after the war began. Part of the crew, and then an entire squadron was sent to the front.
In total the regiment in the fighting did not participate. He was a member of the air base, which was stationed in the Far East in the event of an attack by Japan. War with the Kwantung Army pilots had been since May 1945.
In 1951-1952-m respectively regiment was transferred to the Gomel region, highlighting the area of ​​the territory of the village council of the village Pribytki. The new location was selected based on several factors. One of them - before there was already an airfield, which was built during the war by the German occupiers. This was the so-called "advance airfield." It used prefabricated runways, which could be transported by truck, and if necessary be deployed. Iron elements of these designs can be found even today in the cellars of the inhabitants of the surrounding villages.
Actually, until 1951 are based in turn more air units, then for a long time "registered" 290th separate long-range reconnaissance aviation regiment (ODRAP). Families flying and technical personnel have built military town number 56 "Zyabrovka." The name was linked to the railway junction and station of the same name.
Replacing an appointment with "Bomber" in the intelligence, even in peacetime regiment performed combat missions. For example, some crews were sent to Afghanistan.
Not without loss. Basically during accidents on new types of aircraft. The most famous case - a feat Oskina Victor, who died in the summer of 1992 during a training flight in the "TU-22".
Shortly after takeoff, the engine caught fire. Colonel Os'kin ordered the crew to eject, and he began to take the incident aircraft was in the time of Navabelitski Gomel region. It is possible to avoid the destruction and casualties. But the Victor Os'kin not had time to escape. The title of Hero of Russia he was awarded posthumously.
Incidentally, in 1980, was killed in similar circumstances other zyabrovsky pilot - Lieutenant Colonel Victor Perushev. And it's only two names from the mournful list.
Almost every day the first 290 planes flew ODRAP exploration along the borders of the Soviet Union, carried out aerial surveys - in the regiment had a good lab, makes high-quality images. Hence, perhaps, come and intended for military photo albums conscripts, who went home after the demobilization of the Soviet Union.







What was it ...
Paced the runway 80 meters wide and 3000 - in length. Its parameters and today it could take any aircraft. Of course, if there was, as once, in perfect condition. For this airport attendants responsible head. Even a small crack on the strip peeling urgently "sealed" as could lead to an accident. As debris, getting it into the engine during acceleration or landing.



Now the aerodrome used paratroopers Gomel flying club, and in the warmer racing suit motorists. Several times they spent here motorsports festival "Extreme breakthrough." More or less a decent view of the strip is just where it may be as a clean racer.
- Right now we are on the taxiway, - says Boris Kozlovsky. - On it lie at the planes parking. There's a little further - a jumper by which went directly at the band ... But where mountains of garbage, you see? It was the KDP - control tower, from which management went flying.
In service in the regiment had 30 aircraft - 10 in three squadrons.





In between flights machine "rested" in the open air. Parking - relatively small concrete snouts, lined plates in the form of a honeycomb.
Another version of "parking" - caponiers, fenced in bulk, which is called the Dike. In the case of the bombing of the airport, it protects the aircraft from the shock wave. In addition, near the sites of the plate were fences, protective functions are executed by a flame when running jet engines.
It was a very good plate: the looting of the airport, which - just below, looters dragged them first. Razvolokli and sand of the embankment, and are of high quality.





Of course, in the event of a nuclear attack and bomb shelters were provided for staff. Inside, it resembles a concrete pipe. Along the walls - hard benches.
Sense short cover - to hide itself from the explosion, and the light emission of the shock wave. And wait until settles radiation. Then the staff puts on chemical protection suits, gets out and leaves the infected zone.
There are many shelters around the airfield, the capacity of each - up to 30 people. The period of threat they were zatarivatsya water and food from the warehouses. Fortunately, the real intended use is not reached.
But soldiers looked here regularly, as evidenced by preserved graffiti - the city name or abbreviation DMB - Track star of any draftee. It was also found letters "SC" left players in "Fight".





Military airport - is not only "Vzletka" and planes, but also an extensive infrastructure, the remains (to be exact - the remains) we see around.
For wire fences were a fuel depot. Requirements regiment in the fuel were enormous. Fuel, spent one lasted 2-3 hours flight, the average farm of that time would be enough for a whole year.











But most impressive of seen objects - alternate command post. From above it looks like a normal hill, if you do not know what a bunker beneath a maze of offices.
Even our desperate photographer Natalya Osheka not immediately decided to go inside. And in a sarcastic question whether she is afraid of living in the dark mutants, said in all seriousness:
- I'm afraid the homeless ...
Homeless people inside was not, but to roam the back streets, lighting the way to a mobile phone, it was really scary. Of course, in "Shadows of Chernobyl", sitting in front of the monitor is doing is playing, but no such luck AKM in their hands, nor the ability to survive ...
Finally tank passed through - up to the light in a doorway on the opposite side.























In adjacent to the airfield woodland once housed bombosklady. Discover them on top thanks to disguise as it was virtually impossible. Alarm (fortunately, only training) bomb carried on the airfield.







Naturally, all are protected by guards and was fenced with several rows of barbed wire. Her long gone - stolen. That, however, is only the tip of the "iceberg of thieves", to cover the airport after the withdrawal Regiment.
- What is going on - it is difficult to convey in words - says Boris Kozlovsky. - All stolen anything. Initially, trying somehow to protect, first military and then the police, but to no avail.
The trenches, you see? This communication cables dug - they were here dozens of kilometers. People then actively hunting for non-ferrous metals. Get, the shell was cut immediately, the wire was taken and taken to pass.
And around the airfield had a lot of discarded parts - wheels, chassis, rack, engines. All cleaned up.
There was even one school fizruk who came with their children and with them the Non-Ferrous collected. But what is most interesting, with the money then bought sports equipment - you know, what if the funding was. Well, at least cleared the forest ...









Do not touch the Marauders just concreted road on which we travel. She dies of itself - is overgrown with grass and destroyed.
From the whole complex of buildings is preserved so-called "Arab hotel." It is home to the special contingent - trained in aerobatics regiment of cadets of Libya, Syria, Iraq.



Its present appearance speaks for itself, but once it was quite comfortable "hotel" economy class. Some of the rooms allocated for service housing for officers and their families.























Most of the other buildings, which were not used, demolished. Their existence resemble the ruins of a pile of bricks.
By the way, demolition intensified after the tragic accident in 2007, when came down floor slab crushed to death of two teenagers. The boys 'knock out' the bricks from the wall of the former studio to then sell them to the residents of local villages and earn pocket money.











Boris Kozlovsky said that when the object of military infrastructure - serviceable buildings, utilities, water, heating -More was intact, many entrepreneurs were willing to take a room for rent, to establish production. However, for some reason it did not.
Today, the airport could revive the construction of the existing logistics center project. In addition it would create hundreds of jobs for residents voengorodka and the surrounding villages. Discussions about this are conducted periodically. The case for small - to find an investor.
Require urgent solutions and communal problems of the military town. One of them - an unfinished high-rise building, the fate of which is still years "in a fog».









"Forgive us, the Belarusian land ...»
After the collapse of the Soviet Union regiment three years to carry out combat tasks, obeying directly to Moscow. The dashing 90 remained to serve only the most dedicated officers, thinketh no existence without the sky and aircraft.
Someone transferred to new duty stations, someone was trying to find a niche in civilian life. Many families left the town, to the delight of the local neighbors, since almost nothing to sell apartments.
In 1994, the last plane 290 of the separate long-range reconnaissance aviation regiment ever broke away from the runway airfield zyabrovskogo. Part fully relocated to Russia. But history sometimes repeats itself ...





Source: news.tut.by