Latvian Army Aviation Regiment
I World War I, I Wars of Independence, Independence of the Baltic States, II World War II

Located in the territory of Vecgulbene Manor - in the historical center.

In the interwar period, Gulbene was home to a Latvian army garrison, where the 7th Sigulda Infantry Regiment battalion was stationed. In the mid-1930s, the creation of a military aviation base began, because for the successful operation of military aviation, an extensive network of airfields must be ensured even in peacetime. Airfields are especially important in places where important railway and road junctions have been established. On November 11, 1935, construction of a military airfield began here. In 1937, a newly formed Aviation Regiment unit was stationed in Gulbene, which became the 6th reconnaissance squadron of the Latgale Division, increasing the number of army units near the eastern border of Latvia.

The Orangery building is visible.

Located near the Vecgulbene Manor, on Litenes Street.

In the second half of the 1940s, the Soviet Army Unit No. 75568 radar company was stationed in the Vecgulbene Manor orangery and the adjacent manor gardener's house. For its needs, locator mounds were built and locators were installed at the airfield (former Latvian military aviation airfield). At the end of the 1980s, they were moved to Beļava parish. The Soviet army left Gulbene in 1993.

A square is visible, with two artificially raised mounds on Litenes Street.

The only sewing machine collection in Latvia with more than 200 different sewing machines from the pre-war and Soviet periods, which played a direct role in the production of military clothing in the pre-war and war years. Collection creator - Juris Beloivans

The “Jāzeps Baško – Gaisa Fūrmanis” (“Jāzeps Baško – Air Cab man”) exhibition is dedicated to the 125th birthday of General Jāzeps Baško, the commander of the “Iļja Muromec” squadron and the organiser of the Latvian Air Force, and to the 100th anniversary of World War I.

The exhibition of the museum collection resembles a design object – a model of the Ilya Muromets aircraft that has been reduced in size 6 times, with information in the form of texts and images provided on the model. The exhibition is enriched by exhibits from the collections of the Latvian War Museum and newly acquired information from the Latvian State Historical Archive, the Spilve Aviation Museum and private archives of individuals. Jāzeps Baško is rightly one of the most awarded Latvians and pioneers of global aviation. He set 4 global aviation records flying Ilya Muromets aircraft. His name is inscribed in the Louis Blériot Golden Book in Paris, i.e., the Golden Book of the world’s best aviators. Jāzeps Baško was awarded all orders of the Russian Empire of his time, in Latvia – the Order of the Three Stars, 3rd Class, the Order of Viesturs, 2nd Class, the Home Guard Cross of Merit, as well as the highest awards of Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Finland, and Poland.

He served in the army of the Russian Empire, the Bolshevik Red Army, and, in 1921, he joined the Latvian Army. He retired from service after the occupation of Latvia.

Vaiņode airfield still has 16 Soviet-era aircraft hangars and an 1800 m section of the once 2500 m long runway. The airfield can only be visited with a previous booking. Vaiņode airfield was established during the Latvian independence as one of the cradles of Latvian aviation and was later one of the largest military airfields in the Baltic States. In 1916, two hangars for German Army airships were built. Airships were used to gather intelligence and bomb the positions of the Russian Army. Later the city of Riga bought the airship hangars and used their roof structures to build the pavilions of the Riga Central Market. In May 1940, the 31st Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment of the Red Army moved to Vaiņode, and the construction of a standardized concrete slab runway began. At the end of the summer of 1944 the partially completed airfield was used by various German aviation units, however, at the end of World War II, the same airfield was used by the Red Army aviation units fighting the German Army group called ‘Kurzeme’. After World War II the Soviet Air Forces were stationed in Vaiņode until 1992.

Located in Riga, Pārdaugava, in the Spilve meadows near Iļģuciems.

Spilve is famous in the history of military heritage for the grandiose Battle of Spilve in the 18th century and the Spilve airfield. Starting in the 20th century, it was used for testing aircraft, but during World War I it became a witness to the history of Latvian aviation.

During World War I, the Spilve meadows were used by the Russian army's air force for the purposes of fighting the German army. With the creation of Latvia, the airfield became the country's most important air force base and a training ground for pilots. The airfield's previous names were "Spilves Air Port" or "Riga Air Port", later "Riga Central Airport". It was the main airport in Latvia until the opening of the airport "Riga" in 1975.

Perhaps the Spilve airfield near Riga and the dream of reaching for the stars have contributed to the impressive achievements of many Latvian pilots. Perhaps, however, the beginning of Latvian aviation is much older and can be found in Priekule, where a Latvian blacksmith Zviedris made a flight from a church tower with a homemade device.

Today, the Spilve airfield is still in operation. You can see the airport building, built in 1954, which embodies the Soviet classicism or “Stalin Empire” style.

Sources:

Irbītis, K. Latvian aviation and its pioneers. Riga: Zinātne, 2004.

Brūvelis, E. History of Latvian Aviation: 1919-1940. Riga: Zinātne, 2003.

Official website of the state agency "Civil Aviation Agency". Available: https://www.caa.gov.lv/lv/latvijas-aviacijas-vesture-isuma [accessed 22.02.2021].