Stendal Airfield August 6, 1944
 

Hello All

What is the significance of the letter markings on this photo? It appears to be "FDb". There is also what appears to be a crucifix shape marking on the lower left of the airfield and am curious as to what that signifies. The photo is best viewed in large or original size.

Stendal Airfield Germany August 6, 1944 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Thanks

Scott

Re: Stendal Airfield August 6, 1944
 

Hello Scott,

It should be read as FD6 which is the map quadrant of a German Gradnetz-map system > Stendal was in the quadrant FD, in there the 6th of nine subquadrants.

See more on: http://www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/jg26/gradnetz.htm

Best wishes, Marcel Hogenhuis
www.fliegerhorst-venlo.net

Re: Stendal Airfield August 6, 1944
 

Thanks Marcel. That was pretty much what I was looking for.

Best Regards
Scott Blyth

Re: Stendal Airfield August 6, 1944
 

Re: Stendal Airfield August 6, 1944
 

USAAF? Never know that the USAAF was already at Stendal airfield at August 6th, 1944! Do we have to rewrite the history of WWII?
I don't think so, this system was used by the Luftwaffe in 1944 to show the postion of an airfield. Like Marcel explained.
So this had nothing to do with USAAF.

Jaap

Re: Stendal Airfield August 6, 1944
 

It was probably also a good way for the PR people to verify that the photos are of the correct airfield. I don't recall seeing these Gradnetz-map system markings on all of my airfield shots but am doing a review.

Scott

Re: Stendal Airfield August 6, 1944
 

I believe it's a "landing-T", signifying the direction to land and is positioned close to the threshold. It was/is common on round shaped airfields where one always wanted to take-off and land into wind. If the left half of the horizontal bar is folded, use right hand circuit. If the right half of the horizontal bar is folded, use left hand circuit. As it is, the decision is down to the pilot.

Re: Stendal Airfield August 6, 1944
 

Hi!

Were these markings more or less permanent features? Or were they there for a short period of time while the Luftwaffe were surveying their own airfields, and this recce Spit was there at a lucky moment?

Regards,
Andreas B

Re: Stendal Airfield August 6, 1944
 

If you're referring to the landing-T, it was not permanent but moved around according to wind direction. It was probably not there when no flying took place but I don't know.

Re: Stendal Airfield August 6, 1944
 

Andreas,

The location code is only seen by us at several airfields in the Netherlands
during the spring and summer of 1944. And not only at Fliegerhorste.
Here the code at Einsatzhafen Woensdrecht at May 24th, 1944.
The Dutch text in the picture means: location fixing and was added by me.
It has not been used any more after the bombardments in July and August 1944.
We think that it was used to help the pilots to fix their position.

Jaap