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Kubinka | |||||||
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Кубинка | |||||||
Kubinka, Moscow Oblast in Russia | |||||||
Coordinates | 55°36′42″N 36°39′0″E / 55.61167°N 36.65000°E | ||||||
Type | Air Base | ||||||
Site information | |||||||
Owner | Ministry of Defence | ||||||
Operator | Russian Aerospace Forces | ||||||
Site history | |||||||
Built | 1935 | ||||||
In use | 1935–present | ||||||
Airfield information | |||||||
Identifiers | ICAO: UUMB | ||||||
Elevation | 187 metres (614 ft) AMSL | ||||||
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Kubinka (Russian: Кубинка) is an air base in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located 5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of Kubinka. In close proximity to Moscow, the Kubinka facility is generally home to the best squadrons of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The 82nd aviation detachment (separate) arrived at the base in 1935, joined in 1938 by the 11th and 24th Aviation Regiments. Personnel of these units field-tested the advanced Yak-1 and LaGG-3 fighters and defended Moscow during the Second World War. After the war, the base became home to the 324th Svirskaya Fighter Aviation Division from November 1945.[1] In November 1950, the whole 324th Fighter Aviation Division was redeployed to Korea, and the base was taken over by the 9th Fighter Aviation Division from February 1951.[2]
Units which have been stationed at Kubinka include:
Most units at Kubinka were subordinated up until 2009–2010 to the Special Purpose Command of the Russian Air Force.
The 32nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment was based at Kubinka from February 1950 to 1962–63. The regiment was subordinated to the 9th Fighter Aviation Division. It was then reformed at the base after being deployed to Cuba as part of Operation Anadyr.[9] The regiment initially flew MiG-19s but by 1962 was flying MiG-21F-13s. The regiment was still in place in the late 1980s.[10] From 1968 to 1989 it was part of the 9th Fighter Aviation Division, stationed at Shatalovo (air base), Smolensk Oblast. The 32nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment was formed in 1941 as the 434th Fighter Aviation Regiment. It became 32nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment by an order of the People's Commissariat for Defence (Soviet Defence Ministry, NKO) in November 1942. The regiment was disbanded on 1 July 1989.[8]
Kubinka airfield is also used as an aeroclub for training civilian pilots. Aircraft have taken part in demonstration performances at festivals and special events in Patriot Park. Some training aircraft from Kubinka airbase were used to simulate air combat from the Second World War during the WW2 reenactment at the tank museum. The Kubinka airbase itself was also used as a venue for a large reenactment with aircraft and armored vehicles from the tank museum.[11]
On 17 August 2021, the only flying prototype Il-112V (RF-41400) suffered a fire in the right engine and crashed near Kubinka Airfield. All three crew on board were killed, including test-pilot Nikolai Kuimov, Hero of the Russian Federation.[12][13]