Raadi Airfield

{{Infobox airport | name = Raadi Airfield | nativename = | nativename-a = | nativename-r = | image = Raadi Airfield 2009.jpg | image-width = | caption = Main runway in 2009 | IATA = | ICAO = <s>EETR</s> | type = <s>Military</s> | owner = | operator = <s>Soviet Air Forces</s> | city-served = | location = Raadi, Tartu County, Estonia | elevation-f = 223 | coordinates = {{Coord|58|24|17|N|026|46|25|E|region:EE|display=inline,title}} | website = | pushpin_map = Estonia | pushpin_map_caption = Location within Estonia | pushpin_label = EETR | metric-elev = | metric-rwy = Y | r1-number = <s>09/27</s> | r1-length-f = <s>9842</s> | r1-length-m = <s>3000</s> | r1-surface = <s>Concrete</s> | stat-year = | stat1-header = | stat1-data = | stat2-header = | stat2-data = | footnotes = Sources: Forgotten Airports<ref>[http://www.forgottenairfields.com/estonia/tartu/raadi-closed-s285.html Raadi Airfield] at Forgotten Airfields</ref> }} '''Raadi Airfield''' ('''Tartu Air Base''') <s>{{airport codes||EETR}}</s> is a former air base in Estonia located in Raadi, {{Convert|4|km|abbr=on}} northeast of Tartu. The land once belonged to Raadi Manor and is now the new site of the Estonian National Museum.

==History== In 1940 {{convert|100|ha}} were requisitioned from the Raadi Manor estates to create a Soviet military airbase.<ref name=erm>[http://www.erm.ee/en/visit/raadi/history-of-manor History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208132405/http://www.erm.ee/en/visit/raadi/history-of-manor |date=2015-12-08 }}, ERM.ee, retrieved 31 December 2013</ref> The airfield was fought over during the Second World War and the manor house was burnt during the Tartu Offensive.

The airport became a major Soviet Long Range Aviation bomber base for fifty years. The secrecy of the airfield meant that foreigners were not allowed to visit the city. Dozens of bombers were based here making it the largest Baltic airfield. The airfield is still seen as a reminder that Estonia was occupied by Soviet forces.<ref name=where>[http://www.erm.ee/en/about-us/new-building Estonian National Museum Where is this? When is this?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101065331/http://www.erm.ee/en/about-us/new-building |date=2014-01-01 }}, ERM.ee, retrieved 1 January 2014</ref>

It was a fairly extensive base with 24 large revetments and over 30 small ones. This airfield was listed as No. 13 in USSR airfield priority, by the US in 1956. Meaning it was the only nuclear target in the Baltics at this time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://digileht.epl.delfi.ee/uudised/kulma-soja-aegne-usa-sojaplaan-nagi-ette-tartu-tuumarelvaga-havitamise?id=73276103|title = Külma sõja aegne USA sõjaplaan nägi ette Tartu tuumarelvaga hävitamise}}</ref> It was a Soviet base, home to the 132nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (132 TBAP), 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division which flew Tupolev Tu-16 and Tupolev Tu-22M aircraft.<ref>{{cite web| title = Dal'nyaya Aviatsiya | publisher = Aviabaza KPOI | url = http://airbase.ru/squad/russia/da/ }}</ref> It was also a transport base with the 192 and/or 196 Military Transport Aviation Regiments (VTAPs) flying Ilyushin Il-76M cargo aircraft until 1990.<ref>{{cite web | title = 37 Vozdushnaya Armiya VGK | publisher = Brinkster.com | url = http://www8.brinkster.com/vad777/sssr-89-91/vvs/add.htm | access-date = 2006-12-10 | archive-date = 2012-03-16 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120316065546/http://www8.brinkster.com/vad777/sssr-89-91/vvs/add.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref> These aircraft were relocated to Tver.

On 15 January 1991, a Soviet Air Force Tu-16K ''Badger'' crashed near Tartu Air Base, on landing when the undercarriage failed to extend. The pilot and co-pilot ejected, but the four crew members were killed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/project/YEAR_Pages/1991.htm |title=2005 |website=www.ejection-history.org.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060902125449/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/PROJECT/YEAR_Pages/1991.htm |archive-date=2006-09-02}} </ref>

In 1992 the 132nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment moved to Vozdvizhenka in the Russian Far East.

==Today== By 1993 it was listed as a designated emergency airfield on a Jeppesen chart for airline use although this is no longer possible as the runway has various used car lots preventing use by aircraft. On 16 January 2006 the winning works of the international architecture competition held to design the new Estonian National Museum building were revealed. In 2016, the museum was opened. <ref> {{cite web | title = The Estonian National Museum's New building | url = http://www.erm.ee./index.php?lang=ENG&node=64 }} </ref> <ref> {{cite web | title = 1 prize entitled Memory Field | url = http://www.erm.ee./index.php?lang=ENG&node=753&parent=64 }} </ref> <ref> {{cite web | title = Estonian National Museum hosts opening gala ahead of Oct. 1 opening | date = 30 September 2016 | url = https://news.err.ee/119249/estonian-national-museum-hosts-opening-gala-ahead-of-oct-1-opening }} </ref>

==Gallery== <gallery> File:Military airport of USSR in Raadi 2.jpg File:Military airport of USSR in Raadi 3.jpg File:Military airport of USSR in Raadi 4.jpg File:Military airport of USSR in Raadi 5.jpg

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==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Defunct airports in Estonia Category:Transport in Tartu Category:Tartu Parish Category:Soviet air bases in Estonia Category:Soviet Long Range Aviation bases Category:1910s establishments in Estonia Category:Buildings and structures in Tartu County Category:Buildings and structures in Tartu Category:Military airbases established in 1940 Category:Military airbases closed in 1992