Romanian airfields

Any of you have pictures with the follwoing romanian airfields: Rosiorii de Vede, Popesti Leordeni, Pipera, Bacau, Tecuci, Mizil ?

-Mizil-




-1943, Mizil Aerodrome. from left to right; Adj-Aviator Economu Alexandru, Adj-Aviator Popescu Constantin, 2nd-Lt Aviator Carciuvoianu V., and Adj-Aviator Encioiu Dumitru Mitrica in front of Mitrica's Gustav.

Orizont Aviatic

Der Maresal "multzam fain !" (thank you very much) - any ideea if in photo number one what we can see at planes 2 ock are buildings for living or hangars ?

In the first pictures the big hangars in the background ( built by germans) and the concrete runaway indicate that the airfield is Otopeni ( also a night fighters base ). The picture is probably taken in the spring '44 where the 53sq was for a short period on this airfield. ( you can see also german technicians around the planes)
The second pictures is probably Mizil airfield because of grass and the picture was taken in summer '43, when the 53sq pilots took off and fought against B-24 in first american massive attack Tidal Wave on 1 aug.'43. Adj.av. Encioiu Mitrica got a victory in that fight with Bf-109 G "white 1" ( Cpt.Toma Lucian mount).

Thank you fo the info Cantacuzino.Anyone else knows anything about airfields used by ARR inside Romania ? (even a hand drawing would be great )

Tecuci

This post has been edited by Carol I on October 14, 2004 06:46 pm

Attached Image

Carol great pic, thank you very much !

Anyone knows where this pic was taken:
?

This post has been edited by D13-th_Mytzu on October 16, 2004 06:36 pm

Without any visible features it's impossible to locate the airfield.
By the way, what is the source of the photo?

Gen. Dénes

You're welcome.

Right click on it and properties http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/foto/vizanti2.jpg

The airfield in the picture is Popesti Leordeni. The 6thFG ( grupul 6 Vanatoare )used white spinners on IAR 81 C in summer '44. In this particular picture we can see a flight ( patrula) with a IAR 81C with 2 triangles wich means the leader of " Patrula a 2-a " of the third squadron in 6FG.

Cantacuzino thanks a lot, that is very good info ! Do you know by any chance if on Popesti Leordeni they were keeping planes out in the open or they would get them inside hangars ?

What Cantacuzino wrote sounds logical, but it's not necessarily true, unless a clear proof is given.

Here is another plausible scenario. Since the photo certainly comes from a German source (I believe the negative is currently held by ECPA France), an I.A.R. 81C flight/squad visited, or was dispersed to an airfield where Germans were also based. Since the airplane type represented a novelty to the photographer, he took the photo(s).

The bottom line is unless a visible and recognizable features is seen, or a written proof is found, it's impossible to locate the airfield based solely on the enclosed photo.

Gen. Dénes

In my opinion in summer '44 because of the daily american raids the planes, most of the time were in the open area ready to take off ( the german radars Freya and Wurzburg given in time alarm signals) and only the damaged planes were put in hangars for repairs.
Denes, these are my clues for indentified the Popesti Leordeni airfield :
1. White spinners (seen only on 6thFG planes in summer '44)
2. Triangles on the Flight leader planes in 6thFG ( also on Lt. Limburg mount)
3. Popesti-Leordeni had grass airfield.
4. In summer '44 Popesti - Leordeni was the main airfield for 6thFG.
5. Other pictures ( from other angles) with these white spinners IAR 81C
indentified on Popesti-Leordeni airfield by authors in aviation media.

BTW, in the picture we can see also a " Ford " fuel truck used by romanians on airfields. ( A well known picture with a white spinner IAR 81C and a Ford fuel truck in the back ground was also indentified for Popesti-Leordeni airfield).