Info needed on Viterbo Airport in 1944

[harrison987]

Hey guys...

I am curious what Units and aircraft were stationed at Viterbo Airport (Italy) on June 11, 1944?

I have an item from a US Veteran that was removed from an Me109 on this day...does anyone have any info on this airport? Perhaps even period photos?

TIA,

Mike

[Nick Beale]

SG 4 (Fw 190s) and 3./NAG 11 (Bf 109s) had been there until the first days of June before withdrawing. I can't remember offhand whether Viterbo had satellite strips, so there may be other units as well.

[Larry deZeng]

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.

[harrison987]

Thanks for the reply guys...



Basically, I have an item that is specific to the Me109 that was liberated by Colonel Ejner J. Fulsgang on June 11, 1944. I don't recall what his rank was at that time, but he was an Army Aviator, and acted as an artillery spotter in Italy.

He removed this item from an Me109 that was abandoned on the airfield...so I am trying to narrow down what JG it "could" have been from.

Is there any possibility here?

TIA
Mike

[Larry deZeng]

Does it have to be from a JG "Me109"? The last unit at Viterbo that was equipped with Bf 109s was NAGr. 11.

L.

[ClinA-78]

What is that item? just for curiosity...

[Stig Jarlevik]

Quite impressive Larry

I never collected airfield information, but when seing your results begin to wonder if that was not a mistake of mine....

Cheers
Stig

[Larry deZeng]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

Quite impressive Larry
I never collected airfield information, but when seing your results begin to wonder if that was not a mistake of mine....
Cheers
Stig

Thanks, Stig, but I think I bit off more than I can chew. I have about 4,300 airfields I'm working on and only about 1,300 are finished. The odds of my being around long enough to complete them all are not good. Very time-consuming work!

L.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hm Larry

Perhaps I did the right thing after all then....
Good luck with your chewing...., your results are impressive enough!!

Cheers
Stig

[harrison987]

The item is a KG13A Control Stick, 100% from an Me109 based on the electrical codes.

He wrote on it - Me109, Viterbo Airport, 11 June 1944

My guess is that it may be from an abandoned Me109 (derilict)...which means it "could" have been from any JG that was stationed there, even earlier in the year, no?

I guess I am not sure if the Germans got out of there quickly, leaving good machines behind...or whether there were a lot of wrecked aircraft from various units.

hmmmmmm...
Mike