Ancona seaplane base (mil)

43°37'25"N 013°30'16"E

runway: n/a - water

The military seaplane base Ancona (It: Idroscali Militare Ancona) was an airfield in Ancona, 210 kilometers north-northeast of Rome
The airfield was built in the summer of 1917 for the defense of Ancona. Three hangars were erected to serve as shelter for the first FBA naval reconnaissance aircraft. They formed 264 seaplane squadron, tasked with patrolling the open seas.
In May 1918, the reconnaissance squadron was joined by Macchi M5 seaplane figthers of 287 Sqn. The intruduction of the M5 meant that for the first time Ancona received a proper means of defense. They were soon put to good use, defending the city on 18 July and 5 September.
Upon the end of hostilities, the Ancona seaplanes formed the first connection to the liberated lands of Istria and Dalmatia. They also operated the postal connection to Zara (Zadar). As early as December 1918 the base was demobilised, as the Sanita Pier was needed for cargo shipping. For a while the buildings remained in use for transitting seaplanes. By 1924 however, the airfield was replaced by the new Idroscalo Ancona across the harbour on the south pier.




Captured Lohner L-1 Albatros L127 on the dock in Ancona in 1918. L127's story is remarkable. The aicraft was stolen by two disgruntled sailors of the Royal Austrian Navy. Vincenzo Splivalo, a Dalmatian, and Carmelo Foresti of Trieste, hijacked the aircraft whilst having no flight experience at all. Both worked at the Austrian Naval base in Lussino when they decided to flee to Italy, using one of the stations' two Lohner Albatroses. They sabotaged one of the Albatroses (L113) and put the other one (L127) in the water. After having taken off they flew into a fogbank, but still made it to Fano. From there, the aircraft was flown to Ancona by the Regia Aeronautica. There it was taken out of the water and stored, never to be flown again. The aircraft still exisits. Having spent most of its time in the Bari Historical Museum (until 1973), it was later aqcuired by the Italian Air Force. In 1978 a restauration began, which was completed in 1988. L127 is now (sans engine) on display in the AMI Museum at Vigna di Valle (aviazionemarche.org).
 
Today, nothing remains of the former military seaplane base.


The port of Ancona today, with the location of the military seaplane base marked in red (Google Earth)