Along the fence in Eastern Germany #2, Lärz

[Hans Rolink]

A base also known back then as Mirow, it housed the MiG.27D's of the 19th Guards Aviation Regiment Fighter Bombers. The Guards (Gvardiskaya) appelation given due to exceptional service during the Great Patriottic War. A visit on 29 July 1992 to the Gilze-Rijen like base as far as accesabiliy went produced the following:













Also based on the northern side of the base were the Mi.8T´s of 439 Independent Combat Helicopter Regiment. One of theirs is seen here on the western side of the base which had equal viewing possibilities as the eastern end. If only there would be more bases nowadays like that....



Thanks for your attention! Let's see what you think of it.

Hans.

[dreamcacher]

totaly awesome top work love the mig-23 shots

[scotthldr]

Amazing that you were allowed to get so close to them. I would've thought the Rusians would've been well twitchy. maybe they didin't care anymore with their country in meltdown at that time. Again thanks for sharing

[tu114cleat]

Thanks for sharing Hans.

[planejunky]

Fantastic shots!

[dunny]

More superb shots Hans - love to see former Soviet hardware!
Cheers,
Paul

[Mad Dan]

Hi Hans,

I was there on the same day and think I must have been standing next to you when you got that shot of Yellow 28 just moving away from the 'last chance checks'... As I recall, it meant a short walk from the main road to a slightly elevated spot that overlooked the flight line and was very close to where they did the final ground check before moving out to the runway.

But do you remember the car that stopped between the traffic lights right under the approach path? It came very close to being modified to a convertible when Yellow 90 came in to land! I also recall chatting to some Dutch guys from Leeuwarden - perhaps you were one of them...

And I do wonder if you were there on 22 and 23 March 1993 - when 109 MiG-27s and MiG-23UBs left from Finsterwalde, Grossenhain and Mirow. Admission at Finsterwalde on the 22nd was 5 Deutschmarks and was followed by a mad cross-country dash to Grossenhain, where the Russians wouldn't let us on base, so we basically crossed the railway line and "gained access" to a spot on a disused revetment right next to the taxiway, for standard lens shots (i.e. 50 mm) as they left in pairs. And then on the 23rd, it was up to Mirow to see the last 37 aircraft leave - again with admission for 5 Deutschmarks... I shot just over 100 'Floggers' at these three bases, but missed the first few at Grossenhain...

Great days indeed - and sorely missed...

[KarlADrage]

Absolutely superb! What I'd give to be able to do that now!

[Hans Rolink]

Hi Hans,

I was there on the same day and think I must have been standing next to you when you got that shot of Yellow 28 just moving away from the 'last chance checks'... As I recall, it meant a short walk from the main road to a slightly elevated spot that overlooked the flight line and was very close to where they did the final ground check before moving out to the runway.

But do you remember the car that stopped between the traffic lights right under the approach path? It came very close to being modified to a convertible when Yellow 90 came in to land! I also recall chatting to some Dutch guys from Leeuwarden - perhaps you were one of them...

And I do wonder if you were there on 22 and 23 March 1993 - when 109 MiG-27s and MiG-23UBs left from Finsterwalde, Grossenhain and Mirow. Admission at Finsterwalde on the 22nd was 5 Deutschmarks and was followed by a mad cross-country dash to Grossenhain, where the Russians wouldn't let us on base, so we basically crossed the railway line and "gained access" to a spot on a disused revetment right next to the taxiway, for standard lens shots (i.e. 50 mm) as they left in pairs. And then on the 23rd, it was up to Mirow to see the last 37 aircraft leave - again with admission for 5 Deutschmarks... I shot just over 100 'Floggers' at these three bases, but missed the first few at Grossenhain...

Great days indeed - and sorely missed...

Hi Dan,
yes, we may have met and talked that day, but after all those years I can't put faces anymore to the peole I met. I do remember having had a conversation with a few Brits who mentioned something about friends in RAF Germany not being allowed to come over for security reasons or something.
Indeed, in order to capture Yellow 28, we had to make our way through some undergrowth and climb an embankment. It was worth the effort!
I do remember the ahem ill advised persons stopping their car almost at the threshold and also the fact that we had to alert the Russian sentries to move them along as the Russians were too busy dealing cigarettes while we had seen the incoming jets on the horizon! Among them as it turned out Yellow 90.
I still hear the howling of the MiG.23UB's engine, much more beautiful and reminiscent of the famous Starfighter howl than that of the MiG.27 single seaters. I was on my own at both Lärz and Wittstock, but I knew the guys from Leeuwarden.
As for the next year, I missed out on that as I was busy redecorating my house I just bought... Ill planning I suppose.

Great days indeed. Thanks for your comments!

Cheers,
Hans.

[ChrisL]

Must have missed this series the first time around. I remember that corner well and the great views it provided of the last chance area. Times never to be repeated.

[IanH]

I remember this corner too.....in my dreams. Is there no end to this glory. All fab

[Dolly Gimble]

Mad Dan,
I don't think i was on this forum when these were first posted, and i have really enjoyed them, can we keep them coming with all them great captions as well ?