Engels Air Base. Long-Range Aviation of the Russian Air Force

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

After the reform in 2009, out of 245 bases of the Russian Air Force, only 70 remained active. The rest were mothballed or are still used today, but only periodically. The Engels air base near Saratov is currently one of the largest of all functioning.

History of Creation

The construction of this facility began in 1930 by order of the Council of People's Commissars. The base is located 1.5 km from the city of Engels, a satellite of Saratov. Initially, it was organized as a school for pilots. More than 10 thousand people were engaged in its construction. The first U-2 aircraft (designed by Polikarpov) took off from the new base already in February 1932

Air Base History: Flight School

By 1936, the Engels military courses were perhaps the best in the country. At first, pilot training was carried out only on U-2 aircraft. Later, the R-5 and USB models were also used. Many graduates of this school took part in the fighting in Spain and Khalkhin Gol. Also, the pilots of the Engels base fought in Finland in 1939-1940. Then seven graduates of the school were awarded the title of Hero of the USSR. By the beginning of the Second World War, there were alreadytrained thousands of highly qualified pilots.

During the Second World War

During the war, the Russian airbase Engels sent 14 air regiments to the front. Moreover, three of them were female, formed by M. M. Raskova. This Soviet pilot-navigator was one of the first to be awarded the title of Hero of the USSR. In the late 30s, M. Raskova served as an authorized special department of the NKVD GUGB, and later was transferred to the Aviation Directorate of the NPO of the USSR. She received permission to organize women's combat units personally from Stalin. The three regiments she created - the 586th fighter, 587th and 588th bomber regiments - formed the Night Witches air group.

By the end of the Second World War, almost 200 pupils of the school became Heroes of the USSR. Pilots of the Engels base flew sorties on PE-2, PO-2, SB and other vehicles.

Base in the 50s

After the war, the Engels school was renamed the school and continued to train military pilots. Until 1951, flights were carried out on piston engines. Later, Il-28 jet bombers began to be used. In the 1950s, the construction of a new Engels-2 airfield with a runway 100 m wide and 3 km long began on the territory of the base. This GDP was put into operation in 1955. During the reconstruction, the Engels School was transferred to the city of Tambov. In 1954, a new aviation unit 201 was organized at the base. It included three regiments of heavy bombers (79, 1076, 1230).

In the winter of 1955, the Engels air base received the first M-4 bomber (developmentMyasishchev), and in the spring of 1957 - several ZM machines. These aircraft were later converted into aerial tankers.

The collapse of the USSR

In 1985, the airstrip built in 1955 was reconstructed at the base. In the same year, the management of the facility complied with the government's order to destroy all ZM bombers under the treaty on the reduction of offensive weapons. Only refuelers ZM-II and ZMN-II remained at the base. In 1993 they were replaced by improved Il-78.

After the collapse of the USSR, 201 (tbap) was transformed into the 22nd Donbass Guards Bomber Division. In 1995, the base had a Tu-160 squadron of 6 vehicles. Also, its pilots flew on ZMD machines and ZMS-II tankers.

Status today

Today, the Engels air base is in constant combat readiness. As already mentioned, today it is the only one on which the White Swan bombers are deployed. In August 2007, V. Putin made a statement that these vehicles would be on combat duty in remote areas all the time. Later, the commander of the 37th Air Army, P. Androsov, informed the public that there were no nuclear missiles on board these aircraft.

To date, Tu-160s operate mainly in the north and northwest of the Atlantic Ocean, near the coast of Canada and Alaska, as well as in other strategic directions.

In 2012, the base was reconstructed. At the same time, the 1st launch complex, the networktaxiways, treatment facilities and other facilities. New navigation aids were also installed. In 2014, the base was recognized as the best formation of long-range aviation in the Russian Federation. In the winter of 2016, another new GDP was put into operation. Since November 2015, the pilots of the base have been taking part in military operations in Syria.

Of course, the difficult economic situation in the country also affects the state of affairs at this important strategic facility. For example, not so long ago, the media considered the case of the theft of fuel from the Engels airbase. In this regard, in the spring of 2016, several criminal proceedings were initiated, the defendants of which were representatives of the command staff. The total damage due to the theft of kerosene then amounted to 131 million rubles.

Composition today

In 2009, the 22nd Donbass Bomber Division was reorganized into the 6950th Guards Aviation Base of the first category. Currently, it consists of:

• airbase office;
• air commandant's office.
• 7 aviation squadrons (4 - Engels, and 3 - Shaikovka).

Airplanes

As of 2016, Engels Air Base has 16 White Swan bombers and 20 Tu-95MS missile carriers. According to a tradition dating back to the 30s of the last century, almost every car is given its own name. Rocket carriers Tu are usually named after the Heroes of the USSR and the Russian Federation or people directly associated with aviation. So, for example, there are cars at the Engels base"Valery Chkalov", "Nikolai Kuznetsov", "Andrey Tupolev", etc.

Tu-95MS bombers are usually named after cities. The Engels base has aircraft such as Moskva, Saratov, Kaluga, etc.

Upgraded Tu-160M

The White Swan strategic missile carrier was put into service in 1984. For its time, this machine was truly a miracle of military technology. To this day, this aircraft remains the most powerful, fastest and heaviest bomber in the world.

The Tu-160 was developed as a response to the American Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft program, within which the V-1 missile carrier was created. At the same time, our car ultimately surpassed the one built in the USA in all respects.

In 2015, the general director of Tupolev PJSC announced that the modernization of the Tu-160 would soon begin at the enterprise. In fact, the new aircraft will be similar to the old model only externally. The designers plan to replace the avionics equipment with the Tu, upgrade the engines, improve the defense system, etc. The first modernized Tu will be put into service presumably in 2021.

History of long-range aviation of the Russian Federation

The main strike force of the country's Air Force is what long-range aviation is today. Engels is a base whose planes fly over the waters of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, off the coast of Alaska, etc. This modern strategic reserve is capable of solving problems almost anywhere in the world. Long-range aviation takes its origin from the one created in 1914 byDecree of Nicholas II of the squadron of aircraft "Ilya Muromets". During the years of the First World War, the pilots of this unit completed about 400 sorties.

In September 1917, German troops approached Vinnitsa, where the squadron was stationed at that time. In order to prevent the enemy from getting the equipment, the military airfield was burned along with the aircraft. Long-range aviation in Russia began to revive only a few months after the start of the October Revolution. On March 22, 1918, by decree of the Council of People's Commissars, the Northern Group "Ilya Muromets" was formed, consisting of 3 vehicles.

A new stage in the development of long-range aviation in Russia began after the development of the TB-3 aircraft by the designer Tupolev. Since these machines were produced in large quantities, it became possible in Russia to form (in 1933) the first heavy bomber aviation corps. By 1938 they were merged into three special aviation armies. During the war years, their air crews took part in all significant operations of the Red Army.

Officially, long-range aviation of the Armed Forces was created on the basis of the 18th Air Army after the Second World War in 1946. A new qualitative leap in its development was associated with the adoption of Tu-16, Tu-95 and ZM bombers. The Tu-22MZ, Tu-95MS, as well as the Tu-160, long-range aviation was replenished in the 80s of the last century. All of these vehicles are armed with missiles capable of hitting targets anywhere in the world.

Interesting facts

During the years of the existence of the base, several events worthy of mention were not quite ordinary. So, for example, in 2003 from the Engels airfieldthe Tu-160 aircraft took off, which the Minister of Defense S. Ivanov himself decided to fly. Some pilots believe that his presence in the pilot's seat created a certain threat to flight safety.

In August 2016, V. Putin made a "walk" on the White Swan plane. This time the crew performed tasks such as launching cruise missiles, refueling and reaching supersonic speed.

In 2005, the filming of the documentary film "White Swan" was carried out on the territory of the base. This tape tells about the difficult fate of the Tu-160. In 2008, some episodes of the film "The 7th Changes Course" were filmed here.

Accidents and disasters

Of course, just like any other base, the Engels base has had accidents throughout its existence. So, for example, in the summer of 1955, during takeoff, an M-4 bomber fell and exploded here. All eight crew members were killed. Exactly one year later, a similar tragedy occurred. M-4 crashed during takeoff. This time 6 people died.

The next accident happened in 1975. The 3M bomber began to smoke and exploded at an altitude of 5000 meters. 6 crew members were killed. Another 3M crashed in the summer of 1984. In the climb mode, the aircraft's engine caught fire. This time the air base lost 5 people. In the spring of 1992, two 3MS-II aircraft collided over Oktyabrsky, a little east of Saratov. One of the cars fell apart in the air. The pilots of the second tanker managed to eject. In the first plane, the entire crew died, in the second - only the captain, who did not havethe separation from the chair worked.

The last accident at the base occurred in the fall of 2003. Bomber Tu-160 "Mikhail Gromov" crashed 40 km from Saratov. The cause of the disaster was a fire on board. All crew members died in this accident.

Museum of Long-Range Aviation

On the territory of the base today, anyone can see planes, bombs, cruise missiles, etc. To do this, you just need to purchase a ticket to the Museum of Long-Range Aviation. This exposition was organized in 2000 on the initiative of the unit commander. By that time, just a huge amount of used equipment had accumulated at the base. It was a pity to throw it away. Therefore, the management of the object came to the decision to organize an exhibition. Only one aircraft exposition of the museum today includes 14 pieces. You can look at them by buying an excursion to Engels for about 600 rubles. In addition to ordinary curious people, military delegations from all over the world often come to the museum.

The most notable exhibit of the exhibition, according to many visitors, is the ZMS-2 tanker aircraft. This car was often called royal because of its very large size. Next to this aircraft is the Tsar Bomba, a cruise missile once used to deliver nuclear warheads. All military vehicles in the museum are located on one side of the concrete strip. On the other side there are training and transport aircraft. At the end of the tour, its participants have the opportunity to take pictures in the cockpit of the An-2. In the spring of 1960, futurecosmonauts, including Yuri Gagarin.