Kogula

58°18'25"N 022°16'06"E

Runway: 15/33 - ....meters/....feet - unknown

Kogula airfield (Estonian: Kogula lennuväli, german: Flugplatz Kagul, russian: Аэродром Кагул) was an airfield 190 kilometers southwest of Talinn.
The airfield was built before 1941. In 1941 the airfield was used by bombers of the Soviet Naval Air Force to bomb Berlin, on a mission authorised by Josef Stalin personally. On the night of 7-8 August 1941, 15 DB-3 bombers of 1 Torpedo Bomber Aviation Regiment (1. MTAP) flew their first 870 kilometer mission to Berlin. They carried only a few 50-pound incendiary bombs per aircraft though, which outraged Stalin when he found out. The mission was of no millitary significance, but it was a great propaganda sucess for the Soviets, who were retreating across the front line at the time. On 8 August Stalin signed Special Order #0265 "On the Promotion of participants bombing of Berlin," which, in addition to his gratitude, announced each crew member 2000 rubles extra pay. 5 of the bomber crews are still remembered as Heros of the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War (World War II). 
Spurred on by the success of the first mission, the Sovietes launched 8 more strikes on Berlin. Of the 86 sorties only 49 succeeded in droping 3,6050 kilos (about 70,000 pounds) of ordnance. The Germans retaliated on 6 September by attacking the airfield in force. Only 4 bombers survived the attack.
The airfield remained in use for the duration of the war.


Russian map depicting the 1941 bomber mission to Berlin

I could not trace when the airfield was closed. At some point it was ploughed under, but its outlines can still be recognised. Only parts of the runway remained visible until at least 2004.


Kogula (Kagul) airfield in 2004