German airfield Topolia in Greece

[Larry deZeng]

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]

[byron-]

Τhanks a lot Larry,

You made it very clear

regards from Salonica

[Aviator]

Larry,
impressive info about airfield condition,thx. Where is the AFHRA A5262 available?

Regards,

Aviator

[Larry deZeng]

AFHRA = Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Alabama, USA. They have a web page. "A5262" is the microfilm roll number, which also can be purchased as a DVD disc at the same price.

L.

[byron-]

Dear Larry,

i have an other question about the German airfields in Greece. Pictures of the smaller ones are very rare, for example that of Paramythia. The first pic shows how it looks today, the next is an airfield near the mountains, supposed to be the same. Any ideas? Could that be Paramythia, Sept. 1943 with planes of JG 27 ?

regards
Byron

[Larry deZeng]

Hi Byron,

Excellent photo.Here are the basics, but I will let you do the analyzing.At a quick glance, I think it is probably Paramythia.

Paramythia(GR)(a.k.a. Paramithiá)(39 25 40 N – 20 31 00 E)
General:landing ground (Landeplatz) in NW Greece 36 km SW of Jannina (Ioäa), 4 km S of Paramythia and 2 km W of Prodromi.“The landing ground lies near the N end of a narrow valley running N/S.Mountains ruse sharply to 5000 feet within 4.86 km E and rather less sharply to 2000 ft. within 4.86 km W.The valley extends for approximately 4.86 km N of the landing ground but beyond that distance there are other steep mountain slopes.The only clear take-off is southward down the valley.”History:a pre-war landing ground established by the Greek Air Force.Surface and Dimensions:naturally drained grass covering a stony foundation soil with 2 airstrips – (1) 1190 x 275 meters (1300 x 300 yards) aligned NNW/SSE, and (2) 1005 x 275 meters (1100 x 300 yards) aligned ENE/WSW.Fuel and Ammunition:both brought in as needed.Infrastructure:no hangars, workshops or other infrastructure identified or reported in mid-1943.Dispersal:no organized dispersals.Defenses: no information found.
Remarks:
1943: no record of use by Axis forces until early 1943 when some work was started on it.
27 Sep 43: landing ground now in use – present there this date were 2 Ju 52s, 1 medium and 3 small aircraft.
Operational Units:detachment of III./JG 27 (Sep 43).
Station Commands:Fl.Pl.Kdo. B 5/VII (Aug-Dec 43).
Station Units (on various dates – not complete):11. Staffel/Feldwerftverband 70 (Oct 43); Ldssch.Zug d.Lw. 58/XII (1942/43 – 1944).
[Sources:AFHRA A5262 p.359 (4 Aug 43 updated to 27 Sep 43); chronologies; BA-MA; NARA; PRO/BNA; web site ww2.dk; (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=30830)]

Larry

[byron-]

Thanks Larry,

as always very helpful information

Byron