Vainode
Encyclopedia
Vaiņode is a former USSR air base in Latvia
, located 31 kilometres (19 mi) south of Skrunda
. It was abandoned in 1993. It is only 4 kilometres (2 mi) from the border with Lithuania
.
During World War I
it was a German
airship
base with two 240 metres (787 ft) long airship hangar
s. After the war, they were dismantled and parts of them reused as top cover of Riga Central Market
's pavilion buildings. They are still in use today.
Vaiņode was home to the 54th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (54 Gv IAP), in 1967 flying some of the first Sukhoi Su-15
aircraft ever fielded. These planes were upgraded to Su-27 aircraft in the 1980s, and there is some evidence that MiG-23 aircraft were flown. The 54th Regiment was withdrawn to Savasleyka
in the Moscow Military District
after 1990.
The 54th Guards IAP PVO was activated in May 1941 as the 237th Fighter Aviation Regiment (IAP) equipped with the Yak-1. On 3 February 1943 it became the 54th Guards IAP; "Kerch" designation from Apr 1944; 1944 equipped with P-39 Aircobra, as part of the 1st Guards IAD; reequipped with Su-15 in 1967, Su-15TM from the 2nd half of the 1970's, and Su-27 from the 2nd half of the 1980's.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, located 31 kilometres (19 mi) south of Skrunda
Skrunda
Skrunda is a town in Latvia. It lies 150 km west of the capital city Riga.- Skrunda-1 :Skrunda is best known as the town nearest the former Soviet secret city, Skrunda-1, which housed two major radar installations during the cold war period. Skrunda-1 is currently a ghost town, as the last...
. It was abandoned in 1993. It is only 4 kilometres (2 mi) from the border with Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
it was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
base with two 240 metres (787 ft) long airship hangar
Airship hangar
Airships are sheltered in airship hangars during construction and sometimes also for regular operation, particularly at bad weather conditions. Rigid airships always needed to be based in airship hangars because weathering was a serious risk.- History :...
s. After the war, they were dismantled and parts of them reused as top cover of Riga Central Market
Riga Central Market
Riga Central Market is Europe's largest market and bazaar in Riga, Latvia. It is one of the most notable structures from 20th century in Latvia and has been included in UNESCO World Heritage Site list together with Old Riga in 1998. It was planned from 1922 and built from 1924 to 1930...
's pavilion buildings. They are still in use today.
Vaiņode was home to the 54th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (54 Gv IAP), in 1967 flying some of the first Sukhoi Su-15
Sukhoi Su-15
The Sukhoi Su-15 was a twin-engined supersonic interceptor developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s to replace the Sukhoi Su-11, which was becoming obsolete as the United States and Britain introduced newer and more capable strategic bombers...
aircraft ever fielded. These planes were upgraded to Su-27 aircraft in the 1980s, and there is some evidence that MiG-23 aircraft were flown. The 54th Regiment was withdrawn to Savasleyka
Savasleyka
Savasleyka is an air base in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia.It is located near the village of Savasleyka in Kulebaksky District, between the towns of Vyksa , Kulebaki and Navashino .The name of the base is also often transcribed into English as...
in the Moscow Military District
Moscow Military District
The Moscow Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Leningrad Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District.-History:In the beginning of...
after 1990.
The 54th Guards IAP PVO was activated in May 1941 as the 237th Fighter Aviation Regiment (IAP) equipped with the Yak-1. On 3 February 1943 it became the 54th Guards IAP; "Kerch" designation from Apr 1944; 1944 equipped with P-39 Aircobra, as part of the 1st Guards IAD; reequipped with Su-15 in 1967, Su-15TM from the 2nd half of the 1970's, and Su-27 from the 2nd half of the 1980's.