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PPRuNe Forums Thread Wiki: Which Aerodrome Mk III
Please read: This is a community-maintained wiki post containing the most important information from this thread. You may edit the Wiki once you have been a member for 90 days and have made 90 posts.
 
Last edit by: nvubu
Here is a read only link to the Aerodrome Database - WhichAerodrome.xlsx. Up to date as of 1/5/2019. Catching up slowly - up to May 2019 now (Mar 2020).

Here are some "rules" for Which Aerodrome. These are based upon the original suggestions from the very first thread, and have a few additions. Also please be patient as when you are active others may be asleep.
  • A historic picture of an aerodrome will be posted. Newer pictures are allowed but the theme here is to compare/contrast old with new as well as identifying aerodromes which no longer exist.
  • The person who correctly identifies it will be declared the 'winner' by the original poster.
  • That winner shall either post another challenge or declare the floor open. Anyone may then post the next challenge.
  • If the winner of the challenge does not respond to the notification of their success within 48 hours, an Open house can be declared when there is consensus between multiple other posters which are on line.
  • When the poster of a challenge does not respond within 48 hours of a posted answer, this poster can be declared winner if the answer is considered correct in a consensus of multiple other posters.
  • If Open House is declared, regular posters should not jump in immediately, but time should be given for those who are not great at naming the correct location as they may have some good images.
  • There will only be one challenge running at a time.
  • Try to use elderly photos and not Google Earth, Zoom Earth or any other search engine, pics
  • Try to post images that are not already present on internet, as Google Image Search will find them if they are.
  • Personal photos are acceptable as they show the aerodrome as it is now.
  • When confirming the correct location, the location and winner should be stated to negate any deletion of posts.
  • Please don't delete your posts, let everyone see your successes, failures and challenges.
Anyone can edit it so long as they have been here for 90 days with 90 posts. Let's get consensus before changing and not go crazy Thanks to Self Loading Bear for suggesting that we use a wiki. Which Aerodrome I Which Aerodrome II nvubu.

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Which Aerodrome Mk III

Old 15th Apr 2017, 21:37
  #6681 (permalink)  
 
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Biggin Hill it is, Shackman has control

Taken in the late 60's when as Chevvron states the RAF still retained their tower and 21/03 runway.

GA flying was conducted on 29/11 which would have been at the picture takers back. Surrey & Kent occupied the 'right' half of the hangar in the background, so out of sight. Left half occupied by Fairflight and their Doves, shared with Sportair and their Fourniers.

Asw28866
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Old 16th Apr 2017, 11:51
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Could even be me taxiing in the background; I recognised the Rover which was always parked by the 'tower'. At the time you could suddenly find all three runways active at the same time - my first solo I found a Hunter landing on the main (03/21 military) runway and a Devon on finals to 24 (?) whilst I was on finals to 29 (?) as one of 6 in the circuit- and no one thought anything of it.

Anyway, here's my offering, although I apologise for the quality - taken a long time ago.

[IMG]
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Old 16th Apr 2017, 13:07
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'C' type hangar comparatively close to the runway; is it Benson?
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Old 16th Apr 2017, 14:23
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Sorry - not Benson, but no clues yet.
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Old 16th Apr 2017, 14:29
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Perhaps Odiham?
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Old 16th Apr 2017, 16:45
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BN - Correct, all yours.

Didn't think it would last long. Taken from the North c 1976 with Wessex and Pumas on what is now the Chinook pan and none of the new buildings.
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Old 16th Apr 2017, 17:22
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1976 doesn't seem long ago to me!
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Old 16th Apr 2017, 18:13
  #6688 (permalink)  
 
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I was living in Laffans Road MQ as a nipper!

I'll rummage around, but in the meantime OH if anyone wants to post ahead of me finding something suitable.
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Old 19th Apr 2017, 12:15
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Here's one for the Open House - there's a larger image if you click on it.
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Old 20th Apr 2017, 06:11
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All very silent.

Here's a view with some of the surrounding area if this helps.
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Old 20th Apr 2017, 06:48
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The dispersals, particularly in your second photo, look very Luftwaffe-ish. Somewhere in Italy?
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Old 20th Apr 2017, 08:14
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Yes, in Italy, somewhere
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Old 20th Apr 2017, 08:17
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Are those Ju-52s scattered all over the field?
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Old 20th Apr 2017, 10:40
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Trapani-Milo on Sicily?
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Old 20th Apr 2017, 11:06
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Dora-9 has it - Trapani-Milo on Sicily it is.

2 different raids - First image is 5th April 1943, second is 10th May 1943.

You have control.

Are those Ju-52s scattered all over the field?
There were bigger aircraft than Ju-52s there - link
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Old 20th Apr 2017, 15:56
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I once knew a chap who shot one of those down. Sadly he is no longer with us.
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Old 20th Apr 2017, 19:01
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I'm sorry, it's computer mayhem here currently, so OH.

The clues were your "Italy somewhere" comment, plus I42's "are they Ju 52's?" question, which got me thinking about the Luftwaffe's airlift to Tunisia in late 1942.

The airfield has changed greatly now, although some blast pen walls remain visible on GE. Those odd turning circles on the runway (faintly visible in the original photos and confirming my suspicions as to the location) remain.
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Old 20th Apr 2017, 19:22
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Photobucket is actually playing nicely this morning, so I withdraw my OH.

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Old 21st Apr 2017, 18:25
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No takers?

Here's some further, and perhaps better known, photos.

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Old 23rd Apr 2017, 05:35
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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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