Pse ID the airfield in Bucharest 1946

I am attaching a few photos from the collection of Vernon
who served during WWII at Grotagglie and then in
Rumania as Nav for AVM Stevenson and
for his pilot Flt Lt Archer (Archer is buried in Bucharest )

Can anyone identify the airfield if Baneasa , Pipera or
Otopeni ? At Kisselef Nr 61 was the RAF /RAAF mission
Hdq in Bucharest between 1945-46. Is this house still existing today ?
If yes, can anyone provide a clear resolution photo for Vernon ?

Thanks

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/7/cop...easaairpor.jpg/

PS: If just out of curiosity anyone is interested to know who'se standing
right and left of AVM Stevenson these are Gen.Sisyakov and Gen.Tolbukin
while right of Tolbukin is Malinovsky. The chief Stalin prosecutor Vishinsky
was also attending the ceremony.

This post has been edited by yugit on September 06, 2011 11:18 pm

I'm not very knowledgeable of that street's numbers but it appears 60-61 does not exist anymore, highest i could find is 57, here are some links with the actual location, maybe if your friend has internet access he could take a look, he'll surely recognize the old/actual placement of the HQ

http://maps.google.ro/maps?q=soseaua+kisel...86-eBkxY84YB5QQ

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rd9zxkk55...y=u&form=LMLTCC

Hello and thank you lots for both links.....Based on your link
location I presume that the airfield in question must be Baneasa
as was kind of real close to Kisselef ....though I may be wrong.

According tp the LI-2 or PS-84 winter photo...it seems to me
that the airfield is Baneasa,

In any case many thanks

This post has been edited by yugit on September 07, 2011 07:31 am

Interesting the picture with the Mustang from 325FG. Looks like Bazu Canatacuzino stand nearby. Most probably the picture (stillshot) was taken at Popesti Leordeni airfield.
There were two P51 ( B,C ) nicknamed Margaret in the group. I can not ID wich one is in the picture.

P-51C-5-NT Sn 42-103443 No 73 “Margaret” 319sq Pilot Edwin L. Williams ( Salvaged/9-2-45)

P-51B-15-NA Sn 43-24876 No 83 “Margaret V. “ 319sq Pilot Edward Strauss ( Transfer to 318th)




Uploaded with ImageShack.us

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on September 07, 2011 08:25 am

Yes you are absolutely right....the photo depicting an earlier C model
and perhaps you can determine which is which by the model. I am
attaching an other photo, whereby also Mihai was attending..so
I guess was shot at Ops Reunion at Popesti Leordeni between
Aug 28 through Sept 3, 44. I am kind of puzzled that Mihai will
show up at AAR wearing an Admiral uniform rather his AAR class A
uniform. On his right LtCdr Frank Wisner. As you well know the
325th doesn't have a real deep history book unlike the other
FG's of the 305th and 306th wings....therefore all about 325th
goes by guessing, though a good tool about this FG is a book
called "Herky!" which I hope you red it.

Best Regards

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/3/wisner9.jpg/

This post has been edited by yugit on September 07, 2011 08:50 am

You are right, the building is still there renumbered 57 ( near "Arcul de triumf").

URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/339/91765593.jpg/][/URL]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I just noticed the same pic in the stream and was about to post the same thing

It's a nice looking building !

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Kiseleff+Par...230.86,,1,-4.21

Thanks very much for the recent photo at Kisselef...pse check
the attachments.On the last photo at Lido I believe that the Rumanian
captain named Peter ,was the famous POW's English interpretor named Toma
but I need a confirmation on that.


http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/20/co...1bucharest.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/10/co...2bucharest.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/841/c...64buchares.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/5/cop...424buchare.jpg/

This post has been edited by yugit on September 07, 2011 09:08 am

Logic dictates that if this was a military operation, the location was Otopeni. Baneasa was a relatively busy civilian airport, while Otopeni was a moden military air base.

The house on Kiseleff 61 is still standing. It is in a beautiful location, just across from the Arc de Triumf. The Google Earth co-ordinates are 44deg27'54.29"N by 26deg04'39.86"E and you can see it in Street View also.
It appears to be some sort of official building.

As for the location, indeed this is closer to Baneasa, but it is on the same road to Otopeni which is only 12 Km further north.

HTH
Radu

Thanks, but with the coordinates you gave I came up with
Ambasada Suediei si Fundazia Titulescu, also based on
the hangar photo that leaves me to believe that is either
Baneasa or Popesti.

Otopeni was indeed used for military airlift ops like
you stated, though the Beechcraft was used as a
VIP plane for Air Vice M. Stevenson which didnt
require any lenghty runways neither modern
facilities.

From his collection an other attachment


http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/153/c...easaairpor.jpg/

This post has been edited by yugit on September 07, 2011 09:24 am

Yugit,
I am only trying to help...
I placed a drop-pin right in the centre of the building. Here are the "copy and paste" co-ordinates as provided by Google Earth:
44°27'59.19"N
26° 4'39.86"E
Now, if you think these are wrong, please write to Google.

In any case, if you want to help Vernon to see the house in Google Street all you need to do is find the Arc de Triumf, and then look South towards Kiseleff Road. With the Arc de Triumf behind you, the house is the first building on the right at the top of Kiseleff Road. The house also has an entrance on Averescu Boulevard.

I have no idea whether it was Otopeni or Baneasa. All I know is that Otopeni was a military airbase while Baneasa was a civilian airport - I pointed the difference in the hope that maybe such details can help. Now, in as far as I understand, Vernon is still around. All you need to do is ask him how long it took him to drive from the house on Kiseleff to this airport. Baneasa should be about 10 minutes drive. Otopeni should be about 30 minutes drive.

The photo you linked shows the Lakes Herasatrau and Baneasa and they are indeed next to Baneasa airport.

Popesti was on the opposite side of Bucharest. (I think Popesti was a grass airfield.) Ask him again how long it took him to get to the house from the airport. This should take about one hour.

HTH
Radu

This post has been edited by Radub on September 07, 2011 10:09 am

Yes, Vernon is still around and I will definitely be in touch with
him , though his recollections are scanty , that's why I asked
what I've asked

Thanks for your help

This post has been edited by yugit on September 07, 2011 10:08 am