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Old 25th November 2012, 15:39
Larry deZeng Larry deZeng is offline
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Larry deZeng will become famous soon enoughLarry deZeng will become famous soon enough
Re: Info needed on Viterbo Airport in 1944

Viterbo (ITAL) (42 26 10 N – 12 03 35 E)
General: landing ground in C Italy 66 km NNW of Rome and 4 km WNW of Viterbo. History: built for the Italian Air Force in 1937. It was usually occupied during the war by a bomber group and a bomber training group. Parachute training was also carried out at Viterbo in 1942. The Luftwaffe began using Viterbo about Jun 43 and after that it became one of the Luftwaffe’s main airfields in C Italy to May 1944. Dimensions: 1,550 x 1,200 meters. Runway: a firm, well-drained grass surface. Infrastructure: well stocked with full service and support facilities. Three hangars with concrete aprons were located along the SE boundary, a large barracks with 4-floors just E of the center hangar, and a number of other buildings that served as admin offices, supply storage and garages. The nearest rail connection was 5 km SE at Viterbo. Dispersal: 35 large single-bay blast shelters ranged along the SE boundary and outside the NW boundary and W corner. Defenses: no details.
Remarks: repeatedly bombed and strafed by Allied bombers and fighters from Jul 43 to May 44 - the USAAF alone attacked it at least 30 times, and the RAF an unknown number of times.
29 Jul 43: bombed by B-17 Fortresses - 4 x Ju 88 A-4s from I./KG 30 and 3 x Ju 88 A-4s and A-5s from III./KG 30, 2 x He 111Hs from TGr. 30, plus 1 x He 111 P-2 from KGr.z.b.V. 25 destroyed or damaged on the ground.
16 Aug 43: bombed - 2 x Ju 88 A-4s from I./KG 30 destroyed on the ground in another Allied bombing.
15 Sep 43: bombed – 1 x Ju 52 from II./TG 2 badly damaged on the ground.
19 Sep 43: bombed - 2 x He 111Hs from TGr. 30 severely damaged on the ground.
8 Feb 44: bombed by 15th AAF – results unknown.
9 Jun 44: Viterbo liberated by U.S. 5th Army troops.
Operational Units (Regia Aeronautica): 26º Gruppo BT (Jun 40, Jan 41, 1942); 27º Gruppo BT (Dec 41 – May 43?); 28º Gruppo BT (Dec 41 – May 43?); 29º Gruppo BT (Jun-Sep 40, Dec 40 – Jun 41, Jan-Jun 42, May-Sep 43); 30º Gruppo BT (Sep 40 – Apr 41); 32º Gruppo BT (Sep 40 – Apr 41); 33º Gruppo BT (Dec 40 – Jun 41, Jan-May 42, Nov 42 – Jun 43); 37º Gruppo BT (Dec 41 – Nov 42); 50º Gruppo BT (Feb-May 43); 51º Gruppo BT (Jul-Sep 43); 88º Gruppo BT (Feb-May 43); 172ª Squadriglia BT (Jun 43); 248ª Squadriglia T (Apr 43).
Operational Units (Luftwaffe): III./KG 30 (May-Oct 43); I./KG 1 (Jul 43); Stab, I./KG 30 (Jul-Sep 43); Stab, II./SKG 10 (Sep-Oct 43); II./SG 4 (Oct 43? – Apr 44); Stab/JG 53 (Jan-Feb 44); Stab, I./SG 4 (Jan-Mar/Apr 44); detachment of 2./NSGr. 9 (Apr 44); Stab, 3./NAGr. 11 (Jun 44).
Station Commands: Fl.H.Kdtr. E 14/VII (Jul 43 – Mar 44); Fl.H.Kdtr. E(v) 214/VII (Apr-Jun 44).
Station Units (on various dates – not complete): Stab/Kommandierender General der deutschen Luftwaffe in Mittelitalien (May-Jun 44); Stab/Fliegerführer 2 (Luftflotte 2) (c. Sep 43 – Feb 44); Koflug 9/VII (Montefiascone Jan-Jun 44); part of 112. Flugh.Betr.Kp. (Qu) (Dec 43 - ?); 2.Zug/LT-Betr.Kp. 2 (Aug 43 - ?); LM-Zug d.Lw. 3 (? - Sep 43); Stab/Flak-Rgt. 39 (Jan 44); Stab/Flak-Rgt. 149 (Jun, Nov 43); elements of 2.(Betr.)/Ln.-Rgt. 2 (Jan 44); elements of 7.(Betr.)/Ln.-Rgt. 200 (Oct 43); Stab and elements/Ln.-Abt. 62 (Oct-Nov 43); Ln.-RV-Abt. (mot) z.b.V. 1 (Sep 43 – May 44?); elements of Ln.-RV-Abt. (mot) z.b.V. 2 (Soriano nel Cimino, Jan 44).

Note: many aircraft from a variety of other units that were based elsewhere were constantly in and out of Viterbo, but the above with dates are the ones that were officially stationed there. The others flew in for a couple of days to stage attacks on targets further to the south, or stopped over to refuel, etc.
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