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Border Aviation |
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Border Aviation |
| In
1963, an aviation unit was formed to assist the Grenztruppen
with the border mission. Known as HS-16 (Hubschrauberstaffel
16) this detachment provided
aerial observation, intelligence gathering, and liaison support
for the border units. Outfitted with
Russian built Mi-2 (Hoplite) and Mi-8 (Hip) helicopters during their
latter years, the crews of these aircraft
flew along the
border, and some times over it, scanning for activity on both sides of
the border fence and in the restricted zones. Their mission was to
look for potential escapees and to gather intelligence along the
West German border.
To support the ground regiments deployed along the border, the aviation assets of HS-16 were divided between Border Command North at Salzwedel and Border Command South at Meiningen. From 1986 -1989 an additional unit operated out of Nordhausen. As part of their surveillance duties the helicopter crews would also pace and shadow American aircraft flying the border and would occasionally engage in hovering games of nose to nose "face offs" with American flight crews on the other side of the fence. Sometimes the aerial games turned deadly. In one incident in the border sector of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment during the early 1980s, a Hind gunship crashed and exploded while pacing a U.S. helicopter on the other side of the border. The crew was killed and the remains of the helicopter were shoveled into trucks and carted away from the prying eyes of West German and American cameras Since the Grenzfliegers (border pilots) did not have attack helicopters, aerial firepower was provided by Soviet aviation units who flew the Mi-24 (Hind) helicopter gunship on border flights. Additionally, between the months of April and October, the NVA's Attack Helicopter Squadron 67 provided aviation assets and radar units to react to alerts and border violations. These assets were stationed at the following locations:
Additionally Attack Helicopter Squadron 57 provided support to the northern regions of the border. With their distinct sound, the Mi-24 Hind sent many a US soldier scurrying for his camera to capture the gunship on film as it cruised by American patrols and observation posts. After the Wall fell, HS-16 supported police work and search and rescue missions until the unit was dissolved in August, 1990. |
Pilot from HS-16. - NVA |
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Mi-2 maintenance. - NVA |
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A Hoplite faces off over the border fence - TDP photo |
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An officer from the 2nd Battalion, 9th Border Regiment in Eishausen waits to board a Mi2 Hoplite from Helicopter Squadron 16 for a border flight. - Grenztruppen photo |
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| Source: Peter Veith, http://home.snafu.de/veith/hs-16.htm | ||
