The Military Airfield at Vaiņode
Its origins date back to the period of Latvia’s independence, when dirigibles were built for Latvia’s military needs. The first gliders were also built and tested here.
During Soviet times, Vaiņode was the site of the largest military airfield in the Baltic States. Its origins date back to the period of Latvia’s independence, when dirigibles were built for Latvia’s military needs. The first gliders were also built and tested here. Two large dirigible hangars were built here – Valter and Valhalla. They were dismantled in 1926 and brought to Rīga, where they were turned into the famous pavilions of the Rīga Central Market – they’re still there. In 1940, the site became the largest military airfield in the Baltic States, with two 2.5-kilometre runways used by the super-modern MIG-29 and SU-27 battle planes. The capacities of these planes were respected by NATO military forces. The last military plane took off from the airfield in 1992. Between 1995 and 1997, the airfield was partly dismantled, leaving just one runway with a length of 1.8 kilometres. The cement plates of the runways were transferred to the Liepāja port and used to reconstruct the surfaces of its terminals and piers. There were debates in the press as to whether this was the right thing to do. Some 16 airplane hangars or parts thereof are still visible at the former airfield.
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During Soviet times, Vaiņode was the site of one of the Soviet Union’s largest military airfields in the Baltic States. During the period of Latvia’s independence, the country’s first dirigibles were based here. Eventually their hangars were dismantled and brought to Rīga, where they were used for the Rīga Central Market. They are still there today. Some of Latvia’s first gliders took off from Vaiņode. During the Soviet occupation, the airfield was home to an air defence and destroyer squadron, with 38 SU-27 “Flanker” destroyers on site. After the restoration of Latvia’s independence, the Vaiņode airfield was dismantled in part, and the big plates of concrete that covered the runways and the rest of the airfield were used to improve the Liepāja port. There are still 16 hangars at the airport, and 1,800 of the formerly 2,500 metres long runway are also still there. More information about the airfield can be found at the Vaiņode Regional Research Museum. |
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