Sidi Ifni part of the Spanish Western Sahara, was returned by Spain to Morocco around 1969.
This saw an end to both Iberia and Aviaco flights who had been plying across from Las Palmas with Convairs DC3's and F27's.
I read that the airfield has been OOU for about 40 years.

Just in case no-one spotted it, Max Tow declared Open House.

Not the best picture ever, but just to fill the silence.......this was an international airport at the time of the picture...there might be too many clues,

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....297f6b1fa0.jpg

Is it Dubai ?

Gulf Aviation?
Bait Al Falaj?

There are several pictures of it around Abu Dhabi/Dubai

Also a photo in Bahrein

Sorry, been away, you're fishing in the right pond, but no catch yet...................I'll give you Gulf Aviation......on a scheduled service turnround.

1970 or '71. Here it is departing from the International Airport...the oil drum is the terminal seating ....the picture quality is part of the challenge (!).....

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5feb1dbe72.jpg

We know it is a Gulf Aviation Dakota, G-AGKE in the Middle East, Trucial States, say late 1950's or early 60's at an International airfield.

I don't think it is Dubai,or Doha -
So I think it maybe Al Mahatta Sharjah's first airport?
Sharjah’s strategic location contributed to mark a significant change in the Empire's international air routes. The Imperial Airways decided to shift their air routes from Persia and launch a new flight route through the Arabian Gulf region to their destinations in the Far East. The new route included Cairo, Basra, and Sharjah Air Station as main stopover airports.


Sadly Gulf Aviation lost 2 Dakotas in the region -
On 10 July 1960, the 16 passengers and 4 crew on board a Gulf Aviation Douglas C-47 VT-DGS died when the aircraft was mysteriously lost during a flight from Doha to Sharjah. As the wreckage could not be located, the cause for this worst accident in the history of the airline could not be determined.

On 17 August 1966, a Gulf Aviation C-47 G-AOFZ crashed after take-off from Muscat/Azaiba aerodrome. The aircraft was unable to climb or maintain altitude after take off due to lack of engine power on the port engine, and crashed into trees 560 yards from the end of the departure runway. The 18 passengers and two crew survived the accident.
Loss of engine power due to the carburettor air intake shutters had been selected to 'Hot air' instead of 'Ram air'. On other C-47 aircraft operated by Gulf Aviation, the air intake control levers were positioned the other way around.

Al Ain Old Airport?

I think we're close enough to 24 Hours...

Bingo, OUAQUKGF Ops has it and has control. It was Al Ain, somewhere around 1970/71, weekly service from/to Dubai, then a very bumpy 4 hours Landrover ride from Al Ayn.

It had the world's first on-board Immigration office; a Dubai official would ride both ways and check passports on route. Abu Dhabi didn't care who got on or off. This was all prior to the UAE coming into being.

The character nearest the camera is the FISO/Baggage Handler/RFFS Driver and crew/Ticket Seller/Passenger Handler/Marshaller/Yours truly.

Thanks Old not Bold.
Must say I loved the photos of Gulf Aviation's Dakota. G-AGKE phased out in 1971 as was G-AMZZ. When I joined Gulf Air in 1978 'ZZ' was standing derelict on the edge of the 'Ops Car Park'. I sometimes went and sat in her cockpit sweating in the humidity and covered in wind-blown sand. She was eventually taken away to the Bahrain Defence Force Camp at Hamalla presumably for anti-hijack exercises. A Dakota in Sharjah Aviation Museum bears this registration but in this respect is not the genuine article. Gulf Aviation Pilots I remember include Rex Edwards and Jimmy Stokes.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....f000ddb4cb.png
Thanks to Laurence Garey for his photograph which I found on Pprune!

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c003bc95e1.png

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5604351e62.jpg

A strong cross-wind would often put the airfield off limits, particularly to larger aeroplanes.

Period of Operation: 1941 - 1944.

Approximately 1000yds Grass East to West.....


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c6c0c71ba8.png

RAF East Wretham?

Good try Jenkins but not in Norfolk.

A Pilot wrote: ' This strip was hardly the sort of place where one would expect to be asked to land a Halifax. To start with it was by intent, difficult to find from the air, the only positive point of identification being a pond, a small but readily distinguished area of water near the western end of the strip. A small copse on the southern side of the strip approximately opposite the touch-down point from the west, narrowed the landing area at this point to perhaps 200 yards and because of the proximity of the trees, it was often bumpy. This left little scope for heading a large aircraft like the Halifax into wind, so if the wind was strong and across the strip, we just could not go in. '

Thanks. Norfolk was a guess, but Halifax country narrows the search. Watching rugby first though.

Thanks Jenkins.... to save you and anybody else spending hours searching 'Bomber Country' I suggest that you direct your efforts to looking South of The Thames.
You can enjoy this without leaving home. Stay safe! If needed I'll post another clue just before bedtime. Blasted cat has just brought in a Mouse. Having a real Tom and Jerry up them there stairs

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....38180c5a79.jpg

Busy, along with others, in Spring and early Summer of 1943 ferrying Halifaxes to the 'airstrip' from the factories. Here the aeroplanes received the airframe modifications necessary before being flown out to St Athan for the installation of centimetre ASV Radar Equipment. I have quoted from her book on post #19657.

Last throw of the dice here...... I'm sorry that I've not been able to source any images of the airstrip during war-time. The image of the 'Super Robin Hangar ' I obtained using Street View. There were said to be up to 20 of these hangars in the woods bordering the airstrip. Aircraft were also concealed under the trees on the edges of the airfield. The place was operated by an aircraft manufacturing company and was used as a dispersal airfield with facilities for test flying and post-production engineering.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....93ac4fa904.jpg

Several sources state that Seafires were manufactured at the airfield, however I can find no evidence to support this. They were however manufactured nearby by a sub-contractor to Supermarines. The sub-contractor operated the airstrip.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e58253d96d.jpg

The 'sub-contractor' also assembled the dreaded Airacobra again at their factory nearby. Here seen at Duxford (I think). They were not a success in RAF service. As a result a large number were stored at the air-strip before being crated up again and sent to Russia.

Seafires = Westland & Cunliffe-Owen

I have a feeling we might be in the Westbury/Trowbridge area but ................

The lady is the amazing ATA pilot Lettice Curtis, but sadly I don't have her autobiography.
I thought the Airacobras were assembled at Colerne?

If I were you I would head off south-east to join the A303 take that road until you reach the M3 junction and then take your pick.............

said Quaquk. What was so dreaded about them? I always thought that a tricycle u/g was a joy to land (not a pilot myself).

QuaqUkgf,
First my compliments for such a nice challenge without any pictures of the site itself.
I think it should be a challenge for our fellow posters to come up with some photos of the site.
The company you are referring to must be Cunliffe-Owen. The site must be Marwell Manor Eastleigh.
May I ask why you choose to post this challenge?

edit:
I found my answer here:
Solent Sky

There's a photo of Marwell Hall here...
MARWELL HALL

The zoo car park is more apparent here. I should have breakfasted earlier. Grandchildren there several lockdowns ago; sadly they were released, ho-ho. Some of the production was hidden at .......... I posted that some time ago, close to me.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....33132e2e96.jpg

Well I chose the challenge because about 35 years ago I was visiting friends who had worked at Marwell Zoo. We took a walk about the place and they told me how there had been an airstrip here with Spitfires from Eastleigh during The War. I'm not at all sure that the father of one of my pals hadn't worked there.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e8376a7c05.jpg
Photographed in 1947

All yours Bear.

Vibration was the problem, I think, a consequence of the solid-mounted rear engine with shaft-driven front propellor.
I think I remember that in his ATA Pilots' Notes Hugh Bergel referred to the whole aircraft becoming a blurr even if viewed from the pilot's seat.

The Air-cobra failed in RAF service for several reasons

Firstly the main problem was it was useless above 20,000ft - at the time they didn't have a decent turbo charger and it simply ran out of steam

The UK bought it on the basis of the performance figures of the prototype, which reached 400 mph . In service they found max speed was around 350 mph at 15,000ft - totally useless by 1941 in W Europe. The 37mm gun only carried 30 rounds and was slow firing 3 rounds a second. Because of the cockpit design it was difficult to get out in an emergency and it didn't have a clear view windscreen.

The Russians loved it - altho' most history's say they used for ground attack that's not really true - they used it as an interceptor at low levels above the battlefield taking out Stuka's , Bf 110's etc

AFAIK the engine position itself gave no real problems

Thanks Quaqukgf,
Before I post the give away clue
First this one:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....0e870ec35.jpeg

Lugano perhaps?

Is it a LET410 of South East Asian Airlines? Now SEAIR & Xplor ASia?

In the Philippines?

It is further East than Lugano
But the others strayed to far
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5a7b8552f.jpeg

Caucasus region. the prop is a LET-410 of Vanilla Sky of Georgia - Could it be the small field of Ambrolauri ?

The first picture suggests the runway is 02-20 so I'll try Mestia.

OH if correct.

Flap40 has it with Mestia.
I stumbled into this one when searching for the Khorog challenge lately.
Since 2010 they have a very contemporary architectural terminal.
They are trying hard to develop the area into a skying destination.
But so far better known for the svaneti tower houses as can be seen in the background.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....52c9ad57b.jpeg


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....8b729c1ff.jpeg

OH called

Thanks. Like you say, amazing architecture. Is that a Sea Fury?