Keila-Joa

59°24'22"N 024°20'19"E

Runway: 10/28 - 1000x50meters/...feet - grass/metal
Runway: 15/33 - 1000x50meters/...feet - grass

Air field Keila-Jola was an airfield 24 kilometers west of Talinn.
The airfield was built in the 1920s by the Republic of Estonia, very close to the Baltic sea shore. During World War 2, the airfield was used by the Luftwaffe. Amongst others, they built the control tower, whose ruins still exist today.

By the time the Cold War had begun after World War 2, Estonia had become part of the Soviet Union. The Soviets began to actively strengthen their borders, and with an active submarine base nearby Keila-Jola became a logical choice to set up an air defense air base. In 1953, the base hosted the 572th Figther Aviation Regiment (IAP) of the 90th Fighter Division. Possibly, the Soviets were operating Consolidated PBY Catalinas from the base up to that time.
The 572 IAP operated the MiG-15bis "Fagot". For this, the primary runway was covered with metal sheets and enlarged to 1000x50meter (appx 3000x150 feet). The officers and their families were living on base.

In February 1958 (although March 1960 is also mentioned) 572 IAP was relocated and the airfield closed. For some years the airfield remained unused, until the 1142nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment of the 14th (Talinn) Air Defense Division was formed at the site. In the summer of 1968 it reformed into the 94th Anti-aircraft Missile Brigade. It was initially equipped with S-75 "Desna" (SA-2 "Guideline") missiles, which were later replaced with S-75M "Volkhov" (updated SA-2) and S-125 "Neva" (SA-3 "Goa") missiles, as well as 2 groups of nuclair capable S-200 "Angara" (SA-5 "Gammon"), the first to be operationally fielded.
In 1990-1991 the Soviet Union deployed the new S-300PS "Volkhov" (SA-10 "Grumble") to Estonia, but the unit moved to Opochka in Russia in 1992 because of Estonia's independence from the desintegrating Soviet Union.
In the initial years of Estonian independence, much was stolen from the former Soviet installations. Organised crime gangs stole everything, including parts of weaponry and there was widespread looting of any and all copper found at the site. The rumour that there were ample amounts of gold (parts of electronics used at the site) in the soil lead to chemicals being spilled at the site in an attempt to retrieve the percious metals.

Judging from the photos that can be found on line, not much is left of the base. The grass runways have slowly become overgrown and most of the buildings and shelters have been thouroughly ravaged. The only noteworthy and easily identifiable building is the former control tower.


The missile base in a snowy March 2006. The runways are covered in snow and barely visible, but the 6-missile SAM positions are clearly seen.


Former control tower of Keila-Joa (pilots.ee)