By Travel for 5 reveals the secrets of Željava airport
Not far from Japodski Islands, there is one of the most fascinating military sites of the former Yugoslavia – Željava Airbase. This impressive underground complex holds stories of military power, secret operations, and architectural achievements that were ahead of their time.
Thanks to the team from Putovanja za 5, we bring you an exclusive travel story that provides a detailed account of the history and fascinating facts about this military airbase.
Željava Airport has always been an enigma – a guarded secret and an inexhaustible source of mystery
Željava Military Airport, the largest underground airport and a former JNA base. An airport that arouses the curiosity of many because of its military significance, achievements, performances, but also many intriguing theories related to its past.
We ourselves wanted to we look into its bowels, we see its greatness, we sense its military might which he had and all that first hand, from someone who worked inside it, who lived in it, who knows it to the core.
Although ruined, offers a special adventure.
What a tour of the Željava military airport looks like with the guidance of its former mechanic, how the airport itself was organized, why it was built here, what are its performances, what you can see inside it now, how you can tour it, what you need to bring, where it is located, what you can see in the military air base and how the children experienced it, we write everything below. It was mostly interesting and exceeded our expectations.
What was the Željava military airport?
Željava Military Airport is built in 1968 and only 14 years have passed since the design and development of the project (since 1954). During the Cold War, due to fears of an attack with atomic weapons, the highest Yugoslav military leadership decides to build in total secrecy one of the two duty military airports in Yugoslavia which will provide defense and aerial surveillance of the territory, but also which will remain immune to nuclear attack.
Željava military airport was used in full function from 1968 until in 1992, when it was destroyed by the activation of mines and explosive devices during the retreat of the JNA.
Željava Military Airport, also known as Željava Airport, Military Airport near Bihać, Airport near Plitvice, Željava etc. are increasingly attracting interest from visitors today.
Self-guided tour is not recommended due to its ruined condition, as well as a labyrinth of completely dark tunnels which welcome you in its underground part. Don't walk too much on your own around runways and underground entrances either, because still the area of the Željava military airport is not completely demined
What does a tour of the Željava military airport look like?
Tour underground part Željava military airport begins in Croatia, from the village of Željave, which is located near Plitvice, i.e. Lički Petrovi Selo.
At the entrance military air base was set up Douglas plane. A sign that we are in the right place. It was a gift to Yugoslavia after the end of World War II. The plane was originally used for the transport and landing of paratroopers. According to unofficial data, based on the serial number, it was even found that this particular plane participated in the Normandy landings.
It shone brightly until the very withdrawal of the JNA. Now it has already been eroded by the ravages of time, and everything that could be taken from the interior was taken. However, It is an unavoidable photo spot.. It's really cool, you'll admit. And across the street hard-to-see barracks (base) buildingsThey say there were 40 or so. Now left to time and nature, they were brought into a state of unrecognizability even by those who resided in them permanently.
He was stationed there. command center, cinema hall, classroom, exercise room, bedroom, mechanical workshops, generators, kitchen, playgrounds, training areas for employees...
What is particularly interesting is that not all employees at the base had access to the underground part of the airportEverything was subordinate. top secret Željave military airport.
We were surprised by the presence of private houses in the military base, right after the barracks.
During the construction of the military airport the village of Baljevac was completely evacuated. Only the cemetery is left, which is located between entrances 3 and 4 to the underground facility. A village of Zeljava is on that occasion partly evicted. However, there were a couple of houses of the residents of Željav left in the vicinity of the airport whose owners had special passes for possible access to the house. After 3 km driving from the very entrance, that is, the barracks, we arrive at entrance to the underground part of the facility officially called Klek or O-505 (Object 505).
Željava military airport had 4 entrances to the underground part of the facility, and around them 5 runways, 2 of which are takeoff and landing, and three are takeoff.
Now the underground part, runway 4 and parts of runways 1 and 3 belong to the Republic of Croatia (Korenica Municipality), while runways 2 and 5 are located in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina (City of Bihać). In front of us entrance inland Plješevica mountains. It's shaped like an airplane. MIG-21. The other entrances were of the same shape, but some collapsed during blasting. Headlamps, we light the lamps, another lamp in hand and the tour begins.
At the first knock on the door. The guide introduces us to how they are deflectors designed to direct shock waves and conduct them into a specially designed chamber. Darkness in the distance. The smell of dust and the taste of kerosene can be felt. They are expecting us. tunnels (galleries) 3.5 km long, interconnected in the shape of the letter M.
The guide tells his life story. He brings to life the visibly collapsed tunnels and auxiliary rooms. He conjures up the atmosphere that prevailed at the Željava military airport. At the base at the time, The 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment (LAP) with the 124th and 125th Squadrons, as well as the 352nd Reconnaissance Squadron, is located there.. Armed were then the most modern MIG-21 aircraft of various versions and purposes.
The underground part of the airport could accommodate approx 60 aircraft, and at every moment it was in him about 500 employees.
Whether it was peacetime or wartime, all planes were always undergroundOnly engaged aircraft would be allowed to take off during the flight day and on-call couple who was always ready and armed for takeoff. I don't need to tell you how delighted the children looked when he told them that in the event of an emergency call, they had to take off in their underwear, if necessary, but the on-duty couple had to take off in the sky in 2 minutes.
Željava Military Airport it was not used for training, but for units of the first combat lineThey only arrived there the bestShe was honor and very significant success to work in O-505.
The underground part of the airport is made so that it is in the event of an impact, it could survive on its own for 30 days, and some even claim 6 monthsHe owned everything. belonging and necessary supporting premises which made it possible for him.
The Željava military airport had to provide accommodation and smooth operation of 3 to 5 squadrons in conditions of both classical and nuclear warHe had to do it all the time. provide air traffic control and a weather station.
The guide takes us through the tunnels, that is galleries. Endless tunnels. Each lengths of 400, 500 and 350 m. They are vaulted in shape, each 8 m high and 12 m wide, and on intersections up to 12 m high.
We spread the dust on the floor with our foot, the red marks are still visible. The guide explains to us where the footpaths led, that there were parts in the depressions fire protection system.
Every parking space in the tunnels there was its own port for refueling the aircraft. Some parts are still well preserved.
The children wondered how the planes got to their parking lot. They helped them in that electro-accumulator tractors.
We also took a peek at one of 11 air conditioning chambers which provided constant 22ﹾC and 95% humidity. We followed the protected ventilation shafts, which were also backup exits to the surface of the earth. We chased the remains with our heads electrical, water and sewage networks. He owned the Željava military airport and a special one public address and video surveillance system.
The guide led us to the room where it was preserved aggregate, one of the three that were there, and the one that produced 1 MVA. Otherwise, the entire underground part of the airport consumed 8 MVA. And the children were amazed at every button and every handle that could still be moved.
We also met with algae that live in jet fuel.
Shining our flashlights, we entered rocket storage, dormitories, mechanics' quarters...
Always in the dark and with special care when moving. It's a lot parts of the ceilings and bricks on the floor, there are a lot of holes, open channels. Often there are ponds, cables and fittings hanging from the ceiling.
But it only added a little more curiosity to all of us for greater and deeper research. Many new questions arose.
And the children, they became real little detectives. They took the front row next to the guide. They took the lead.
They were most excited when we entered to the LAP headquarters. In all directions scattered and half-destroyed military maps, booklets, manuals, notes...
They found a map of Florence, and other cities, and they could have put together all of Italy. They could only see as far as the lamp would allow them, with abnormal amounts of dust everywhere. But they didn't give up. They rummaged, turned over, searched, and were delighted. The detectives in them woke up.
The guide introduced us and into tanks in the fuel storage. They make cisterns. We entered their interior until one o'clock. They learned how to pour kerosene and enjoyed it.
Željava Military Airport supplied with kerosene not only from these warehouses, but also 10 km long pipeline which led from the warehouse on Pokoj hill near BihaćHe was completely assured that he could withstand a nuclear attack.
And towards the end of our journey, we came to Stars. The central location of the Željava military airport. 5 tunnels led from it, hence the name Zvijezda. He welcomed us and bat. Oh yes, there are also them in the galleries and rooms.
The guide introduced us and into tanks in the fuel storage. They make cisterns. We entered their interior until one o'clock. They learned how to pour kerosene and enjoyed it.
Željava Military Airport supplied with kerosene not only from these warehouses, but also 10 km long pipeline which led from the warehouse on Pokoj hill near BihaćHe was completely assured that he could withstand a nuclear attack.
And towards the end of our journey, we came to Stars. The central location of the Željava military airport. 5 tunnels led from it, hence the name Zvijezda. He welcomed us and bat. Oh yes, there are also them in the galleries and rooms.
A guide takes us through operations center, medical office, room for special pilot suits.
They were amazed by the enormous kitchen. They found out that the pilots had a special menu. They were surprised that the tiles in the kitchen had survived, but they didn't want to see what kind of tiles were in there morgues. They thought of everything when they considered that they could be isolated in a nuclear strike.
We also walked through the room. cipherman, but what attracted us the most was the photo lab. On all sides of the Lorap (aerial photo shooting) strip. A paradise for children. Even when the guide explained to them how the photos were made, it was as if we had come to the best interactive workshop.
We also experienced complete darkness. That is not so difficult at the Željava military airport. Just turn off all the lamps at any time and that's it. In every place, pitch darkness awaits you.
In the end, we came to the door again, but preserved, closed. We got acquainted with the niches on the side where the doors were inserted. Powerful to watch. All doors had anti-shock valves. They were opened manually or electrically, and one even hydraulically.
And here we are again outside, in front of the underground part. He shows us the guide control tower between entrances 2 and 3. We wouldn't have noticed it without it. It is not wise to even go to him, because the area is not demined.
The control tower allowed visual inspection of the runways and the triangle - intersection of the runways that led into the tunnels. There used to be an elevator leading to it, but now it's not even safe to peek into.
We went by car and parts of runways 1 and 3, and who could resist driving a car on the runway. Well, it's like you're in a movie.
Do not refer to runway number 4, keep in mind that the Željava military airport is on the territory of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that's where you will come across police and state border.
On runways in Croatia now organizes 402 Street Races with cars which have more than 1,500 horse pages.
And yes, if you happen to have heard of documentary "Houston we have a problem" Slovenian director Žiga Virac, who talks about selling Tito's space project to US President F. Kennedy so that the USA could overtake the USSR in the development of spacecraft, we are talking about the Željava military airport, which allegedly developed that very Yugoslav space program.
NASA, of course, denied the entire story.
6 conditions that the Željava military airport had to fulfill?
✅ To be on the then Yugoslav geostrategic basis. 🌍
📍 He had to be deep enough in state territory. The bases at that time in Sombor and Batajnica were considered extremely vulnerable in the event of a Warsaw Pact attack. It was even estimated that all Jastrebi-G1s would be destroyed within 20 days of fighting.
✅ It had to be evenly spaced from the most important strategic objectives. 🎯
✅ It was supposed to withstand the impact of a 20-kiloton bomb in the first burst. 💥
✅ To serve the purpose in the following decades without major modifications and thus justify the huge investment. 🏗️
✅ That all contractors sign a contract on the strictest secrecy for the next 50 years. 🔒🤐
✅ To provide living and working conditions for intended use with full autonomy for up to 30 days, whereby it should accommodate three to five squadrons with comfortable accommodation and work in conditions of conventional and nuclear war, air traffic control and a meteorological station. 🏠🛩️☢️🌦️
Why was the secret military airport Željava built here?
First of all, because he met all the above conditions.
On the other hand, the geomorphological picture was favorableThis area it has natural bays for entrances and reefs that separate them.
Plješevica Mountain represented an ideal obstacle in the event of an attack. It couldn't be no one secretly approaches the objectOn the other hand, it also enabled tactical surpriseThe planes were safe when taking off from the radar shadow of the mountain.
What should you bring and how should you dress when visiting the Željava military airport?
And now that you've read everything, you must be interested in tour of the Željava military airport.
We can help you. recommend a guide with whom we visited the airport. Please, just us WRITE.
The tour of the Željava military airport lasts 2 hours.
If you are wondering if the military airport is Željava radioactive, don't worry, it's notAccording to official analyses, there is no presence of radioactive materials.
What to wear when visiting the underground part of the airport?
- Comfortable deeper waterproof footwear;
- Warmer clothes, because it is inside constants 10ﹾC (hat and gloves are also preferred);
- Wardrobe adapted to stay in rooms with a lot of dust;
- Water;
- Scarves or masks to cover the face if a large amount of dust bothers you;
- Lamps (bring a guide with you).
When you finish visiting Željava airport, you know what you must not miss, and it is located in the immediate vicinity, Plitvice Lakes.
Discover more attractions located near the Japod Islands
Željava Military Airport
The military underground airport and complex Željava was built in 1960 during Yugoslavia. Built during the Cold War.
Ostrozac Castle
Located on a dominant elevation above the left bank of the Una, the Ostrožac castle is noticeable and unmissable.
The medieval town of Sokolac
The town of Sokolac is located 10 KM from the Japod Islands, and you can reach it by bicycle.
Una National Park
The protected area of the Una National Park begins just a few kilometers from the Japod Islands
