Raadi Airfield | |||||||||||
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 Main runway in 2009 | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
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| Location | Raadi,Tartu County, Estonia | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 223 ft / 68 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 58°24′17″N026°46′25″E / 58.40472°N 26.77361°E /58.40472; 26.77361 | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  EETR Location within Estonia | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Sources: Forgotten Airports[1] | |||||||||||
Raadi Airfield (Tartu Air Base)(ICAO:EETR) is a former air base inEstonia located inRaadi, 4 km (2.5 mi) northeast ofTartu. The land once belonged toRaadi Manor and is now the new site of theEstonian National Museum.
In 1940 100 hectares (250 acres) were requisitioned from theRaadi Manor estates to create a Soviet military airbase.[2] The airfield was fought over during theSecond World War and the manor house was burnt during theTartu Offensive.
The airport became a major SovietLong 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 thatEstonia was occupied by Soviet forces.[3]
It was a fairly extensive base with 24 largerevetments 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.[4] It was a Soviet base, home to the 132nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (132 TBAP),326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division which flewTupolev Tu-16 andTupolev Tu-22M aircraft.[5] It was also a transport base with the 192 and/or 196 Military Transport Aviation Regiments (VTAPs) flyingIlyushin Il-76M cargo aircraft until 1990.[6] These aircraft were relocated toTver.
On 15 January 1991, a Soviet Air Force Tu-16KBadger 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.[7]
In 1992 the 132nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment moved toVozdvizhenka in theRussian Far East.
By 1993 it was listed as a designated emergency airfield on aJeppesen 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 newEstonian National Museum building were revealed. In 2016, the museum was opened.[8][9][10]
