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

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]https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2848/3...17011fb4_z.jpg

'C' type hangar comparatively close to the runway; is it Benson?

Sorry - not Benson, but no clues yet.

Perhaps Odiham?

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.

1976 doesn't seem long ago to me!

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.

Here's one for the Open House - there's a larger image if you click on it.
https://igsbbw.bl3301.livefilestore....&cropmode=none

All very silent.:(

Here's a view with some of the surrounding area if this helps.
https://ipdceq.bl3301.livefilestore....&cropmode=none

The dispersals, particularly in your second photo, look very Luftwaffe-ish. Somewhere in Italy?

Yes, in Italy, somewhere :ok:

Are those Ju-52s scattered all over the field?

Trapani-Milo on Sicily?

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.

There were bigger aircraft than Ju-52s there - link
http://www.forgottenairfields.com/up...ilo/Milo37.jpg

I once knew a chap who shot one of those down. Sadly he is no longer with us.

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.

Photobucket is actually playing nicely this morning, so I withdraw my OH.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...pskrrg8puf.jpg

No takers?

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

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...psbvdk764h.jpg

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....