Rumbula Air Base Infrastructure
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Located in the southeast of Riga, in Rumbula, between Maskavas Street and the Daugava River.
Rumbula was home to a Soviet Army Air Force airbase and a civilian airport alongside Riga's main airport in Spilve. Both airports existed until the opening of Riga Airport. Before World War II and the occupation of Latvia, Rumbula was home to an airfield for the Latvian Army Aviation Regiment.
After World War II, the Soviet Union began producing jet-powered aircraft, which required longer and smoother runways. Old airfields were expanded and new ones were built. The changing weather conditions in the Baltics and the short flight time of the first jet aircraft were the reason for the creation of many backup airfields. The noise of jet aircraft caused dissatisfaction among the residents of Riga, because the military airfield was located too close to residential areas and could create dangerous situations. In 1973, it was closed and the Lielvārde airfield was built in its place, to which combat aircraft were transferred. Shortly before the closure, an international scandal broke out. A US Air Force officer, who was one of the military attaches in Moscow, was beaten there. He was allegedly attacked by 14-20 airport employees who suspected that the airfield was being photographed.
Today, you can visit the abandoned airfield area.
Used sources and references:
1. Upmalis, I., Tilgass, E., Dinevičs, J., Gorbunovs, A. Latvia - USSR Military Base. Riga: Zelta grauds, 2006.
2. Eglīte, M. Environmental Health. Riga: Riga Stradins University, 2008.
3. Jachimovičs, J. US diplomat beaten in Riga. Australian Latvian, 1972.
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