German airfield Topolia in Greece
 

Hello guys

does any one have any photos of the Topolia german airfield in Greece? I`m trying to find out in which exact area of Greece it was located. I know it was near the Kopais flat land but i need the nearest village or the koordinats.

Byron

Re: German airfield Topolia in Greece
 

This what Gianfraco Matello wrote in his book on LW airfields
"Topolis (Topolis/Kastron)-75 km NW Athens

Re: German airfield Topolia in Greece
 

Topolia NE of Kopais-See.

Re: German airfield Topolia in Greece
 

Byron,

A.I.2.(b)/British Air Ministry list for Greece dated 7 September 1943 gives the following coordinates for Topolia: 38 29 00 N - 23 10 00 E. That places it 1.27 km SSE of the village of Kastro and 1.29 km W of the ancient Mycenaean fortress and palace of Gla. However, it is clear that Topolia was the present-day airport at Vasilis, used by the ultralight aircraft of the Daedalus Flying Club, or immediately adjacent to it.

Larry

Re: German airfield Topolia in Greece
 

Hello friends,

thanks for your infos and the map

Dear Larry,

you sent me some years ago this British Air Ministry list for Greece dated 7 September 1943. These coordinates 38 29 00 N - 23 10 00 E are identical with a place named "Stroma". Is that Topolia? Was it the same with village Kastron, so named after 1953?

Re: German airfield Topolia in Greece
 

Hi Byron,

Yes, Stroma and Topolia have the same coordinates in the British list: 38 29 00 N - 23 10 00 E. The list also gives 38 29 00 N - 23 10 00 E for "Lake Copais". So I think these coordinates were for one landing ground or emergency landing ground that had 3 different names: Lake Copais, Stroma and Topolia. My guess is that it was an emergency landing ground because it is not shown on the Aufmarsch d. fliegende Verbaende Karte dated 2.7.44.

Larry

Re: German airfield Topolia in Greece
 

Hi Larry,

Topolia was not an emergency landing ground at the beginning, a lot of soldiers (paratroopers and Gebirgsjäger 5. Geb.Div.) took off from there with the Jus 52 against Crete
Stab/Kampfgeschwader z.b.V. 2

Stab/Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 60

Stab/Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 101
Stab/Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 102


I think, after Crete, Topolia was not used any more. The Germans, as you say, may have kept it as an emergency landing ground.
Byron

Re: German airfield Topolia in Greece
 

Byron - here is all that was known by A.I.2.(b)/Air Ministry and other sources:

Topolia(GR)(c. 38 29 20 N – 23 10 15 E)
General:emergency landing ground in SE Greece approx. 75 km NW of Athens and 1.2 km ESE of Topolia (today: Kastro) at the NE corner of the drained area of Lake Copais.History:the landing ground was rapidly prepared by the Luftwaffe in April 1941, and used by large numbers of transport aircraft operating under Stab/KG z.b.V. 2 to haul paratroops and elements of the 5. Gebirgs-Div. during the invasion of Crete.Little is known of its subsequent history but it may possibly have been used by occasional transport aircraft during the summer months.Surface and Dimensions:had a peat-rich surface soil that was baked hard in summer but was quite soft in winter.Dimensions unknown.Infrastructure:none noted.
Operational Units:KGr. z.b.V. 60 (May-Jun 41); KGr. z.b.V. 101 (May-Jun 41); KGr. z.b.V. 102 (May-Jun 41).
Station Commands:none identified.
Station Units (on various dates – not complete):none identified.
[Sources:AFHRA A5262 p.387 (7 Sep 43 updated to 23 Mar 44); chronologies; BA-MA; NARA; PRO/NA; web site ww2.dk]

Re: German airfield Topolia in Greece
 

Τhanks a lot Larry,

You made it very clear

regards from Salonica

Re: German airfield Topolia in Greece