Catania Control Tower ???
 

Hi all,

Attached is a picture of a control tower from an airfield in Sicily. Can anyone confirm that this is the one from Catania airfield?

Thanks in advance,
Rudi.

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

I have photos of a 6/LG 1 Ju 88 destroyed in an attack on Catania on 16 Jan 41. What looks to be a camouflaged tower is in the background and it defintely doesn't look like your photo

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

It must depend on where the photographer is :

A vague likeness here :
http://www.ww2incolor.com/italian-fo...NIA-MC200.html

More convincing here (2nd pic) : fuzzy, but seems the same building at an angle of approximately 75 °
http://mab.forumfree.it/?t=64935698

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

This is the photo I have which is definitely Catania. It is possible that as mine is an early photo that it was modified but it looks as if Rudi's photo has had some structures taken away?

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

Two tower-like buildings ?
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209275

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

Thanks everyone for your input. Very much appreciated.

According to this website, there were several airfields in the Catania area. (Click on the picture and scroll down to Sicily). So probably both germans and allies would have some trouble identifying them. I think that therefore we should be cautious with inscriptions on the back of pictures stating that they were taken at "Catania".

Maybe Doug Stankey can give us more information about these airfields?

Regards,
Rudi.

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

Doug Stankey is not the airfields guy. I am the airfields guy. You want airfields, I got airfields. But I don't do pictures of airfields.

Catania had something like 9 outlying satellite and dispersal strips, none of which had control towers. Since Catania was the largest and most important airfield on Sicily during the German years (Dec 40 - Jul 43), it's a good bet that the photo is of the Catania control tower. The only three other possibilities would be Trapani-Milos, Gerbini or Comiso. But that tower is too big and prominent for these latter three, I would think. Only additional photos or an Italian researcher can ultimately clear this up, at least that would be your best option.

Larry

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

My photo has a date no location-it was subsequent research that identified the burned out Ju 88 as being at Catania

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

with the odd 1% that that report having an error. (I seem recall having had an hand in it) I do have some Ju 88´s reported crashed on a certain airfield in Sicily, but then wreck found at another by Allies. Besides I have often wondered why so few have done the airfields (and their structures) as these problems seem come up all the time, and then the same errors always crop up at a later date. My two pennies be that (we) Chris has Catania correct but RudyS pic is not same building

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

I just checked the A.I.2.(b)/Air Ministry maps for all of the airfields on Sicily. Catania is the only one that had a multi-storey building used as a control tower. There was none at Trapani, Palermo, Gerbini or Comiso, or any of the others.

L.

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

Sorry Larry. I seemed to have you mixed up with Doug.

Thanks everyone for your input. It's very much appreciated. So Catania it most likely is.

Regards,
Rudi.

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

As a postscript, the map (dated 8.11.42) shows Catania's 4 large main hangars all in a row along the NW boundary of the airfield and the other station buildings, including 3 small hangars and the flight control center with tower (Flugleitung) all in a row along the NE boundary.

L.

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

another image, said be Catania
http://www.ww2incolor.com/d/615614-2/CATANIA-43

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

Here is a picture of the 4 aircraft hangars in Catania Larry is referring to. The picture is from march 1942.

Regards,
Rudi.

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

That's an excellent shot, Rudi. It clearly was taken from the flight operations/control tower building because the map shows a much smaller one-storey building right next to it on the side facing south. The angle and alignment of the 4 hangars from the building is 100% in accordance with the map, too.

L.

Re: Catania Control Tower ???
 

Just bought a picture of Catania airfield and it not only shows the tower in the picture in post #1 but also the building in Chris' post #4. So it was definetely at Catania.

Regards,
Rudi.