Photos + 10-18-05

[Kari Lumppio]

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...tem=6218048207

This is a B109 from IV/JG54 photographed at Tartu (Dorpat) old airfield - Raadi. Time is Spring 1944.

The two hangars on the background survived the war and are still there* though in completely other use. The old airfield site grows trees now. There is also church tower visible in the horizont. That is peetri kirik (st. Peter's church).

I've read that the photo shown here is part of a series of photos of IV/JG54 taken at Tartu. I would love to see the rest. In the Held et al. JG54 book there is one very similar photo.

Kari




*Satellite photo of the hangars as they are today (plus pasted on old photo of the hangars):
http://www.hot.ee/carl74/fotod/raadi%20aero2%20copy.jpg

Photo from Roosi (IIRC) street NB photo is not mine!:
http://www.hot.ee/carl74/fotod/raaditag.jpg

Part of old map showing the two hangars (lennuväli = airfield, Lembitu kas. = Lembitu garrison):
http://www.hot.ee/carl74/fotod/raadi%20kaart.jpg

There is a whole thread in Estonian language about the airfield at:
http://www.militaar.net/viewtopic.ph...ighlight=raadi

There are some more new and old interesting photos of the airfield etc..


Post war Tartu-Raadi grew to a gigantic Soviet air base housing 132 TBAP (among other units) which last flew Tu-22m3 nuclear bombers before Soviets went home.