by Kevin Wright
The operations were conducted in great secrecy, despite the circumstantial and anecdotal information that the Soviets and East Germans were well aware of them. These flying activities went largely unhindered by Soviet and GDR forces. Indeed the Soviets became complicit in the whole process by being prepared to keep their knowledge of the Western flights largely to themselves. The Allies conducted the flights covertly, keeping them largely secret from their own armed forces, let alone the wider public. This allowed the Soviets to ‘turn a Nelsonian eye’ to them, largely impotent as they were to prevent them, without provoking a serious crisis with the West. Had the Soviets been determined to hide their activities and equipment from the West, they could have done so more effectively. By not constantly trying to hide all their operations and equipment, sometimes doing the complete opposite by putting them openly on display, the Soviets helped foster an element of stability, even at very tense times across a vulnerable divided city at the heart of the Cold War.
The Wall comes down in 1990.
Notes
1 David Brog to Stephen Barranco communication, 26 February 2008.
2 van Waarde (2010), p. 9.
3 Aldrich (2011), pp. 111–12, 126–31.
4 Interviews with David Clark and Brian King.
5 The National Archive: CAB/128/36, CC 14 (62), 15 February 1962, p. 3.
6 The National Archive: FO371/163670. Telegram No. 645, Berlin to FO, 23 July 1962, and Telegram No. 648, Berlin to FO, 24 July 1962.
7 Interview with Paul Fallon.
8 The National Archive: PRO DEFE 71/8, Doc’s 2A to 2C, 6 May 1975.
9 The National Archive: PRO DEFE 71/8 ‘BASC Form 11’, Doc. 3.
10 Wright (2011), p. 27.
11 Williams (2006), p. 23.
12 The National Archive: FCO 33/5043, BASC/1/1/AIR, 27 March 1981. Although his protest was rapidly dismissed, if it was was in any way accurate, it again illustrates the Soviets were well aware of the Allies activities.
13 Marsden (1998), p. 192.
14 Aircrew interviews.
15 http://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=312848&dt=2082&dl=.
16 Aircrew interviews.
17 Aircrew interviews.
18 Peter Jefferies’ Flying Logbook entries for 1977.
APPENDIX
Targets Covered by the Corridor and BCZ Flights
Location
Corridor
Nationality
Target type
Allstedt
South
Soviet
Airfield and SA-3 Site
Alt Rüdersdorf
BCZ
Soviet
Barracks
Bad Frankenhausen
South
East German
Barracks
Bad Langensalza
South
Soviet
Barracks
Bad Salzungen
South
East German
Barracks
Basdorf
BCZ
East German
Barracks
Beelitz
South
Soviet/East German
Barracks/hospital
Behnsdorf
Centre
Soviet
Radar Site
Berlin-Karlshorst
BCZ
Soviet/East German
Barracks and headquarters
Bernau
BCZ
Soviet
Barracks
Bernberg
South
Soviet
Barracks
Biesenthal
BCZ
Soviet
Logistic
Bittkau
Centre
Soviet/East German
Training area
Börgitz
Centre
Soviet
Barracks
Born
Centre
Soviet/East German
Barracks
Brand
BCZ
Soviet
Airfield
Brandenburg
Centre
Soviet/East German
Barracks
Brandenburg-Briest
Centre
East German
Airfield
Brück
South
Soviet/East German
Logistics installation and training area
Burg bei Magdeburg
Centre
Soviet
Barracks and logistics
Cochstedt
South
Soviet
Barracks
Colbitz
Centre
Soviet
Barracks
Dallgow-Döberitz
BCZ
Soviet
Barracks
Damgarten (Putnitz)
North Coast
Soviet
Airfield
Dessau
South
East German
Barracks
Eisenach
South
Soviet/East German
Barracks
Eisenach-Haina
South
Soviet/East German
Airfield and training area
Finow (Eberswalde)
BCZ
Soviet
Airfield
Finsterwalde
BCZ
Soviet
Airfield
Gardelegen
Centre
Soviet
Barracks
Genthin
Centre
East German
Logistic
Glau
BCZ
Soviet
Barracks and SAM site
Gotha
South
Soviet/East German
Barracks
Gross Behnitz
North
East German
Barracks
Gross Dölln (Templin)
BCZ
Soviet
Airfield
Gross Glienicke
BCZ
East German
Barracks
Hagenow
North
Soviet/East German
Barracks
Havelberg
North
East German
Barracks
Hillersleben
Centre
Soviet
Barracks
Jävenitz
Centre
Soviet/East German
Training area
Jüterbog
BCZ
Soviet
Airfield, barracks and training area
Jüterbog (Altes Lager)
BCZ
Soviet
Airfield
Kehnert
Centre
Soviet/East German
River-crossing area
Kirchmöser
Centre
Soviet
Logistics and radar site
Kochstedt
South
Soviet
Airfield
Königs Wusterhausen
BCZ
Soviet
Workshop
Köthen
South
Soviet
Airfield
Krampnitz
BCZ
Soviet
Barracks
Kummersdorf
BCZ
Soviet
Barracks
Ladeburg-Lanke
BCZ
East German
Logistic
Lehnin
South
East German
Barracks
Letzlinger Heide
Centre
Soviet/East German
Training area
Ludwigslust
North
Soviet/East German
Barracks
Lübtheen
North
East German
Training area
Mahlwinkel
Centre
Soviet
Airfield and barracks
Mittenwalde
BCZ
East German
Logistic
Mühlhausen
South
Soviet/East German
Barracks
Neuruppin
North
Soviet
Airfield
Nordhausen
South
Soviet
Barracks
Oranienburg
BCZ
Soviet/East German
Airfield and barracks
Parchim
North
Soviet
Airfield and barracks
Peenemünde
North Coast
Airfield
Perleberg
North
Soviet
Barracks
Planken
Centre
Soviet/East German
Barracks
Potsdam
BCZ
Soviet
Barracks
Rangsdorf
BCZ
Soviet
Barracks and logistics
Rathenow
Centre
Soviet
Barracks
Rechlin-Lärz (Mirow)
North Coast
Soviet
Airfield
Ribnitz-Damgarteh (Pütnitz)
North Coast
Soviet
Airfield
Ringfurth
Centre
Soviet/East German
River crossing area
Rosslau
South
Soviet
Barracks and training area
Schlotheim
South
Soviet
Barracks and airfield
Schönfelde
BCZ
East German
Airfield
Schönwalde
BCZ
Soviet
Barracks
Sondershausen
South
Barracks
Sperenberg
BCZ
Soviet
Airfield
Stahnsdorf
BCZ
Soviet
Barracks
Stendal
Centre
Soviet
Airfield and barracks
Storkow
BCZ
Soviet
Logistic
Strausberg
BCZ
East German
Barracks and airfield
Tangermünde
Centre
Soviet/East German
River crossing area
Templin
North
Soviet
Airfield
Töpchin
BCZ
Soviet
Logistics
Werder
BCZ
Soviet
Logistics
Werneuchen
BCZ
Soviet
Airfield and SAM site
Wittstock
North
Soviet
Airfield
Zerbst
South
Soviet
Airfield
Zossen-Wünsdorf
BCZ
Soviet
Headquarters
GLOSSARY
2ème Bureau
Intelligence Branch (France)
10 GTD
10 Guards Tank Division
10 RG
10th Reconnaissance Group
10 PCS
10th Photo Charting Squadron
16 TAA
16 Tactical Air Army, previously 24 TAA
20 GA
20 Guards Army
19 MRD
19 Motor Rifle Division
21 AGPIU
21st Army Group Photographic Interpretation Unit
21 Int Coy (V)
21 Intelligence Company (Volunteers)
24 TAA
24 Tactical Air Army, later 16TAA
2ATAF
Second Allied Tactical Air Force – NATO formation
2TAF
Second Tactical Air Force – RAF command
3 Int & Sy Coy
3 Intelligence and Security Company
3 SA
3 Shock Army
35 MRD
35 Motor Rifle Division
4 MFPS
4 Mobile Field Photographic Section
4 MFPU
4 Mobile Field Photographic Unit
4025 SRS
4025th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
45 RS
45th Reconnaissance Squadron
6 Inf Regt
6th Infantry Regiment
7 Avn Flt AAC
7 Aviation Flight Army Air Corps
6911 RS (M)
6911th Radio Squadron (Mobile)
6916 RS (M)
6916th Radio Squadron (Mobile)
7 Flt AAC
7 Flight Army Air Corps
7 SOS
7th Special Operations Squadron
7010 Flt RAFVR
7010 Flight Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
7167 TS
7167th Transport Squadron
7405 SS
7405th Support Squadron
7406 SS
7406th Support Squadron
7407 SS
7407th Support Squadron
7499 SS
7499th Support Squadron
7499 SG
7499th Support Group
7575 OG
7575th Operations Group
7580 OS
7580th Operations Squadron
A-26/B-26 Invader
US twin-engine light bomber used on Corridor photo-graphic missions
AAA
Anti-Aircraft Artillery
AB
Air Base
ACC
Allied Control Commission
ACIU
Allied Central Interpretation Unit
ADF
Automatic Direction Finder(ing)
ADIZ
Air Defence Identification Zone
AdlA
Armée de l’Air – French Air Force
AFB
Air Force Base
AFN
Armed Forces Network
ALAT
Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (France)
AMARC
Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center
AMLM
Allied Military Liaison Mission(s)
Andover
British twin-engine transport aircraft designed by Hawker Siddley
Anson
British twin-engine light transport aircraft manufactured by Avro
AO
Aerial Observer
AOB
Air Order of Battle
AOP
Air Observation Post
APC
Armoured Personnel Carrier
APIS
Army Photographic Interpretation Section
APIU (BAOR)
Army Photographic Interpretation Unit (British Army of the Rhine)
APU
Auxiliary Power Unit
APR
Air Photographic Reading
ASF
Aircraft Servicing Flight
ASTAC
Analyseur Superhétérodyne TACtique
ATC
Air Traffic Control
ATCC
Air Traffic Control Centre
AVM
Air Vice-Marshal
B-17G
Flying Fortress US Bomber aircraft used on Corridor and BCZ flights 1947–53
BAOR
British Army of the Rhine
BARTCC
Berlin Air Route Traffic Control Centre
BASC
Berlin Air Safety Centre
BCZ
Berlin Control Zone
BE
Bombing (later Basic) Encyclopaedia of targets
BFBS
British Forces Broadcasting Service (formerly BFN)
BFLB
Berlin for Lunch Bunch. Title bestowed on 7405 SS crews
BFN
British Forces Network (later BFBS)
BGÉ
Bureau de Guerre Électronique
BIB
Berlin Infantry Brigade (UK)
