German airfield Topolia in Greece

[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

[Aviator]

Dear Byron,

With high possibility its a landing ground at Belica Bulgaria ( Strumatal) with the planes belonging to JG 27 while attacking Greece at the early days of the campaign.

Regards,

Aviator

Ps: Thanks Larry for the info!

[byron-]

Thanks Aviator,
nice picture

here another photo of the airfield Paramythia with a British plane in Marz 1941

[Aviator]

Byron,

This pic is really exceptional and Paramythia for sure,thx. The link: http://www.211squadron.org/across_the_styx.html contains lot of pics of that aerodrome.
Any 1941 pics & Info from Kalambaka-Vassiliki or Florina airfields available?These are the most difficult to find because the airfields were used mainly by the greeks. But maybe there is some possibility.

Regards,

Aviator

[Larry deZeng]

Aviator: it would be a tremendous help if you could direct us to the photos of the airfield that you say are on that website. I just spent 15 minutes trying to find them but without success.

Thank you.

Larry

[Aviator]

Sure Larry,

It's a very detailed site,that's true.The pics are scattered under different topics like in the menu side bar : "CFR Clark": http://www.211squadron.org/cfr_clark.html#Paramythia. and "Across the Styx":http://www.211squadron.org/across_the_styx.html and " The Sphere":http://www.211squadron.org/the_sphere___.html and "EL Cooper": http://www.211squadron.org/el_cooper.html and "RJ Dudman" http://www.211squadron.org/rj_dudman.html.

Regards,

Aviator

[byron-]

Hi,

i don`t have any pics of Florina or Vassiliki, but here an unusual one of Servia