Detour Mission (DM15) ŽELJAVA AIR BASE

Željava Air Base*(also known as Objekt 505) is one of the largest and most impressive abandoned military bases in Europe — located on the border between *Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina*, near the town of *Bihać*.

✈️ *What was Željava?*
- Built in the *1950s and 1960s* by the *Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA)*
- Located *inside Mount Plješevica* — it was an *underground air base and nuclear shelter*
- Included:
- *Kilometers of tunnels* and fighter jet hangars (e.g., MiG-21)
- Hangars for up to *80 MiG-21 fighter jets*
- *Sleeping quarters*, *command centers*, *storage rooms*, *generators*, *fuel tanks*, and a *freshwater system*
- Enough food, water, and fuel to sustain *1,000+ personnel* for several months
- Aircraft could *taxi directly from underground shelters to the runways* without being exposed on the surface.

💥 💣 *Destruction in 1992*
- During the *Bosnian War*, as Yugoslav forces withdrew from the region, they *intentionally destroyed the base* to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
- Around *56 tons of explosives* were used, causing massive structural damage and sealing off many of the tunnels.
- The explosions were so powerful that they were felt *tens of kilometers away*, and much of the underground complex collapsed.

🧭 *Today – Urbex Landmark*
- What remains:
- *Long, cracked runways* that are still accessible by foot or car
- The iconic *wreck of a Douglas C-47 “Dakota”* parked on the runway, now a symbol of the site
- *Entrance portals* to the tunnels — some are partially collapsed but still visible
- There is *no official tourism infrastructure*, and visitors *enter at their own risk*.
- The area still *may contain unexploded ordnance and landmines*, especially off the main paths.Læs mere