The Abandoned Airfield Croatia
Close to the border of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the abandoned airfield in Croatia is a truly surreal place. It’s here following the conflict of the 1990’s Yugoslavia war, that the last airplane to land here now lies. This unknowing artefact and relic is, as we’re soon to find out, quite a sight.
Driving the short, 20 minute route from Plitvice Lakes brings us through relatively unspoiled countryside.
The actual airfield is situated at Zeljava, an unassuming small town where we begin to wonder if we have the right place.
There’s nothing much going on here at all, but a quick glance at google maps, confirms we’re heading in the right direction.
Ahead is a narrow road, with nothing either side but high hedgerows, fields and the odd small house.
Background History
The Zeljava airbase was built by the former Yugoslavia between 1958 and 1968 during the Cold War. It is absolutely vast, consisting of 5 runways and a labyrinth of huge underground tunnels.
These tunnels were built to withstand a nuclear bomb, made out of concrete, the construction was one of the most expensive in Europe. Housing aircraft and enough space for 1000 soldiers, the sheer scale is hard to imagine.
Shrouded in secrecy, the airbase was in operation until the 90’s war, when it was abandoned in 1992.
Afterwards, the bombs fell, significantly damaging the airbase and leaving it to the elements. The site was also then subject to land mines which were left after the war.
The Airplane – The Abandoned Airfield Croatia
The military airplane, which sits on a runway at the entrance to the base, has been here since May 1992.
It’s a Dakota, Douglas C-47 and over the years, treasure hunters, decay and nature have left their mark.
Arriving at the site
The long tarmac road seems to lead to nowhere. We’re following google maps as we drive, knowing the next corner should bring us out at the airplane site. The Pljesevica mountains rise beyond giving an ever more remote feel.
The trees are tall, overgrown and shrubbery thick. All around is a mass of green, there’s not much to see beyond the foliage.
We’ve no idea where the airbase is from our position on the approach, but then we find ourselves face to face with the most incredible sight. Yes, we’re directly in front of the almost eerie aircraft, sitting as if in a museum, right there beside us.
Seeing it up close
We’re the only people here and it’s slightly creepy. Strangely enough we’re now in a rather open setting, the trees and overgrowth cleared around the airplane. From images we’ve seen from a few years ago, this aircraft was once amongst the wilderness.
Today, it’s as if it’s a purposely positioned relic from a bygone era.
We park the campervan on the tarmac next to its larger neighbour. It’s sitting on a grassy mass, which in the heavy rain of the last week or so is quite a mud bath in places.
The cockpit and fuselage are covered in stickers, the “Insta” age got here a long time before us.
Although there’s the obvious shell of the aircraft, the finer details and fitments are missing. Possibly a mix of souvenirs to those who’ve been here in it’s earlier days or maybe just rotten to the elements.
Inside the fuselage – The Abandoned Airfield Croatia
Climbing into the fuselage brings a sense of trepidation to what’s inside. Then Nigel appears in the cockpit window, looking out at me, where I’m glancing under the wing.
The airplane is big and empty but you can clearly envisage it in its heyday. Imagining the noise of the engines, those other aircraft coming and going and the secrecy surrounding their movements.
This aircraft could tell a tale or two, but it also brings to life this site and what it must have been like in the war years of the 90’s.
The rest of the airbase
We walk around the aircraft for some time, it’s absolutely fascinating. There’s a large display sign at the far end of the tarmac which says work to clear land mines was to be underway between 2017 and 2018.
That’s the only information here. Whether this was successful isn’t clear. With that in mind we choose not to venture further into the airbase itself. With such close proximity to the border of Bosnia, it’s also unwise to start venturing close too close to unofficial border crossings. We don’t want to look like we’re trying to smuggle ourselves into another country!
Although, people have gone into the underground tunnels in the past, that type of exploration isn’t for us. Not only is it dangerous, with structures collapsed and decayed, but hazardous substances could be around too. Who knows what’s lurking in the underground passages.
Now, we’re going to head back to the coast, leaving this former airbase behind. We wonder if perhaps one day, they’ll officially open some of the tunnels to visitors. It feels as if there’s a story to tell here. History, after all has left it’s mark on this place, and the intrigue of its past is waiting to be told.
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