A.B. BALACI (TELEORMAN), There is a soviet air base, I think.

[aztec]

Back to Silistea Gumesti / Balaci Airport or Airbase..
In picture, some construction with some conformity to airport.

[lucian]

Great job.
Thanks

[aztec]

Today is a wet day.. very wet.
after what I have seen in area.. i make some pictures.
Maibe i will try to locate pictures to the large picture of airbase

[aztec]

[aztec]

[aztec]

[aztec]

[aztec]

Location of picture .
bad mistake.. i dont have printed pictures with airport to me to locate at the place some others interested objective.. i dont seen the AA location of the end of runway.. becose i dont have reference.. just memories.
maybe some others time

sorry for my writing, speaks bad English( very bad )

[lucian]

Indeed, bad weather. Mid sunny october, is better.
The round holes alongside runway for light, is interesant.
And the soil/balast on runway? "get back to agriculture" ?
"C'est la vie............"

This post has been edited by lucian on July 24, 2008 05:54 am

[aztec]

tar macadam ts for road construction in area.
In sort time, asphalt roat Silistea-Gumesti to Balaci

[lucian]

General question:
is possible to find somewhere in archive (in Bucharest) the official documents with begining of this construction?


In september, I make fourth trip in place, for the 2 AAA sites and 3+1 sites for depots (thanks aztec)
And more important, to listen a man, who was and work from the begining till end, there. He live in Siliste Gumesti, Mr. Rosu.

This post has been edited by lucian on July 24, 2008 10:00 am

[Zapacitu]

Lucian,

If you manage to interview the old man, ask for as much info as possible. Dates, aircraft types (if he knows them), anything - especially if he remembers any Soviet unit being stationed there, or soviet advisers (consilieri) for the Romanian unit. I'll gladly translate everything in English and post it here - no offense, but looks like my knowledge of English is better than yours.

I don't know why the second AAA site is different in shape - the most likely reason is that it was designed for a diferent weapon - maybe the old 37 mm, or the 14,5 mm machine guns? Another site of that kind (2x3) is at Sibiu - or at least was, I don't know if it survived the modernization of the airport.

Aztec, thanks for the detailed pictures.
The extensive railway connections make sense, as most early MiG and Yak fighters were delivered by rail in the 50's. Spare parts, fuel and ammo also.

The earth embankments / berms you posted on top of this page were probably used to hide / disperse fighters in case of a war, and save at least some from destruction if the base was attacked. Let's not forget that MiGs were able to operate from grass fields (prepared in advance, of course - the average cattle grazing field won't do)

This post has been edited by Zapacitu on July 26, 2008 09:43 am

[lucian]

It's my father "livret militar".
Sorry, I don't find the words Balaci or Silistea-Gumesti. Only "regiment".

[Zapacitu]

Yes, but it does mention the 125th Regiment - which was based at Silistea Gumesti until 1958-59

This post has been edited by Zapacitu on July 26, 2008 11:54 am

[lucian]

To ZAPACITU,
No problem, I agreed with you. My first words was: "sorry for my english....."
I'll contact you at the right moment.

The 3+1 earth "biuta": about the first 3 mr. Rosu told me, that is for amunition. Is not only a "u". There are at entrance a little right elevation across.
The single one , only "u" is possible..............

I hope to meke some pictures in september to have a complet view about this forgot AB.