Boccadifalco

38°07'06"N 013°18'47"E

runway: 17/35 - 1220x40m/3985ft - asphalt

Air field Palermo-Boccadifalco (Italian: Aeroporto di Palermo-Boccadifalco, ICAO: LICP ) is a small airfield in Palermo, on Sicily, Italy.
The airfield is one of the oldest in Italy and was built between 1926 and 1931 between the city of Palermo and Monte Cuccio as a replacement for an earlier site. On 28 June 1931 the Ministerial go-ahead was given for the opening of the Palermo airport. For its construction several historical Palermo villas were demolished.

The airfield was very active during World War II. It had become a base for the Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian Air Force) as well as the headquarters of the 4th Aerial Zone. At the time the airfield was about 20% larger than today and stretched out into a field south of the current airfield. Here tunnels were dug to shelter aircraft from air raids.
After Allied forces seized the airfield during Operation Husky in July 1943 it became a combat airfield for the 52nd Fighter Group. Their Supermarine Spitfires flew from the airfield from July 1943 until December. Twelfth Air Force handed over control of the airfield to the Cobelligerent Italian authorities when the Allied forces moved further north into Italy.


Luftwaffe Ju52/3m at Boccadifalco in 1941 or 1942


An AMI CANT Z-1007bis of 176° squadriglia R.S.T. (Ricognizione Strategica Terrestre) after suffering a mishap at Boccadifalco (Coll. Vincent Abbate, via Picasa).




A Macchi C.202 of 90 Squadriglia at Boccadifalco with Monte Cuccio in the background (Coll. Vincent Abbate, via Picasa).


A fuel fire in 1943 caused significant damage to the airfields infrastructure (Coll. Vincent Abbate, via Picasa).


A Fiat CR42 'Falco' double decker of 377 Night Fighter Squadron (Italian Air Force) at Bocadifalco in the summer of 1942 (Italie 1935-1945 - le forum (french)).

Shortly after the war it grew in importance and for some time it became the third busiest airport in Italy. By 1960 civilian air traffic was moved to a newer civilian airport well outside the city. Boccadifalco then returned to its military use. The airfield was used by Carabinieri and Polizia (State and local police), the Guardia di Finanza (Financial Police of the Treasury), the Protezione Civile and the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI, or Italian Air Force) itself. Its operations were staffed by AMI personnel, although it was under joint civil and military use.
The military airfield was also home to one of Italys olders and most prestigious aeroclubs, "Beppe Albanese", which has 300 members and 6 aircraft, and several private sports aircraft. On 1 January 2009 the airfield became fully civilian when the AMI withdrew from the airfield. As a result of the AMI withdrawal the AFIS, rescue services and ATC closed, and communications around the airfield now take place directly between pilots. The airfield is now owned and operated by ENAC, the Italian aviation authority.


Boccadifalco in 2004 (Google Earth).


Boccadifalco in 2007 (Google Earth).


Approach to runway 17 in 2007.


Preserved G-91 jet trainer at Boccadifalco in 2008.


Flying activities continued in the summer of 2011.