East German State aircraft factory; enjoyed brief existence
in 1950s, with plants at Pirna/Elbe (Entwicklungsbau Pirna)
and Dresden/Klotzsche. Established 1954 to license-build
Soviet llyushin IL-14 twin-engined passenger transport and
a variety of gliders. In 1956 was selected to
152
develop
BB-152 four-jet, swept-wing civil transport (Pirna turbojets),
originally joint project from Prof Dipl Ing Brunolf Baade
(deputy director of VEB) and Soviet designer Dr Bronin.
Three twin-jet prototypes developed as Type 150 at Podberezje
in USSR, themselves derived from Junkers Ju 287
bomber. Twenty-two BB-152s laid down, but only five prototypes
completed; first flight in December 1960. Program
was closed down and state aircraft manufacture in East
Germany ended in 1961.