Vyškov

49°18'00"N 017°02'00"E

runway: 02/20 - 1840x60m - Grass with concrete ends
runway: 02/20 - 2100x20m - Highway strip (CLOSED)

Air field Vyškov (Czech: Ježkovice Vyškova , also known as Vyškov air base, Vyškov Highway strip and Flugplatz Wischau, ICAO: LKVY) is an airfield northeast of Vyškov in the southeast of the Czech Republic.
The airfield was built in 1936 when the area was still a german language enclave in Czechoslovakia. After the Germans annexed Czechoslovakia they expanded the airfield, and raised the number of hangars from 3 to 5. The workforce at the baser consisted of Czechs, Austrians, Czech-germans and Germans.
During the war it was home to the Fliegertechnische Schule 5, which dissolved in February 1945. Attack Training Wing (Schlachtflieger-Schulgeschwader) 101 is known to have been based at the airfield between 5 April 1944 and 16 February 1945. In the evening of 27 April 1945 the airfield was completely destroyed by retreating German forces, with the vast majority of the buildings completely razed to ground level.
The airfield was captured by Soviet and Romanian forces around 8 May 1945.

After May 1945, sportsaviation enthousiasts began rebuilding the airfield. The Ministry of National Defense allowed them to build their own hangar and a wooden administration building. In June 1946 the Aeroclub Vyskov was officially registered. The rebuild of the airfield was halted in 1948, when all businesses and organisations were nationalised by the Communist government. The aeroclub became part of DOSLET, which became Svazarm in 1952. The grass runway was extended to 2500 meter and made capable to handle MiG-15, Il-28 and transport aircraft.
The aeroclub, now mostly restricted to glider planes, was moved to Olomouc in 1972.
In 1989 the grass runway was shortened and slightly shifted and it got concrete starting platforms, which were about 300m long. Parallel to this runway an emergency secondary runway was constructed on the E462 highway. Although narrower than the primary runway, it was also considearbly longer; 300meters on each end. Why the Czechs chose for this unusuial option is unknown.

After the Velvet Revolution the airbase was abandoned by the military. After the Cold War ended and the subsequent disappearance of Svazarm, it was returned into a civilian air field with the return of the Aeroclub Vyškov. The highway strip runway remains a military project, but is not used.


Vyškov air field in 2004

Today the former air base still serves as an airfield, but it is also home to the Museum for Flying and Military Technology (Czech: Muzeum letecké a vojenské techniky). Minor ruins of the World War II era still remain. The Highway strip was closed for aviation purposes, but is still VERY recognisable in aerial photography. The main (concrete) platform is now used by the aviation museum to display their aircraft. It features a nice collection of aircraft, including 8 different versions of MiG-21 'Fishbed', and is well worth a visit. The grass runway is open for General Aviation aircraft.


Cold War Hardware at the Vyskov Highway Strip Museum by Han de Ridder on Vimeo.
(© 2010 Han de Ridder, used with permission)


Il-10 cockpits lined up on the platform (© Han de Ridder)


Overview of the platform.

The Su-25 'Frogfoot' in front used to be a very popular guest at West-European airshows in the early 1990s, with a frog having a tank in one hand, and a sledgehammer in the other painted on the tail (© Han de Ridder).
Aside few airframes of Su-7UBMK (dual training variant) while few MiG-21s are on the back.

An old Mil Mi-1 'Hare' (© Han de Ridder)