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Old 23rd Apr 2017, 05:35
  #6700 (permalink)  
Dora-9
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SE Qld, Australia
Age: 77
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It has been (very gently) pointed out to me that this airfield has appeared previously. It's Biscari (San Pietro) on Sicily, located at 37 06 04N 14 29 37E.

Initially a little-used Italian airfield, it was greatly developed and expanded by the Luftwaffe in late 1941, becoming a major base. It was extensively used by elements of JG 27, JG 53 and SKG 10 for raids on Malta and the subsequent defence of Sicily.

Having read of it's use in that excellent book "Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily", I couldn't locate this airfield (not helped by the subsequent name change of the village to Santo Pietro). The authors generously provided me with a lot of material so that I could finally find this, as well as several other airfields mentioned in the book.

The photos showing abandoned Luftwaffe aircraft at San Pietro are well known, though sometimes mis-captioned. The hangar (located at the northern tip of the airfield) has long gone, although the large low buildings immediately west of this still remain - otherwise there is simply no trace.

This location saw other, more sinister, events in WW2. This was the site of two massacres by US Army personal of German & Italian POW's, and local civilians. I rather suspect that it was Patton's bland initial dismissal and downplaying of concerns about this event that contributed to his removal, not just the better known "slapping the shell-shocked soldier" incident.

So, with apologies and in order to keep the thread moving, I declare OH....
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