Originally Posted by
Ultranomad
False on two counts: firstly, Yak-52's full-tank range is about 500 NM, and secondly, there were many DOSAAF flying clubs much closer to the border than that - for example, St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) one was less than 90 NM away from Finland.
Allrighty then I’m wrong and stand corrected, but it does beg the question why were all those poor folks going to the trouble of trying to climb over the Berlin Wall with bullets whistling round their ears and Alsatians nipping at their ass when they could have joined a Commie Sports Flying Club and lined up for a straight-in to Tempelhof and freedom.