Ghisonaccia-Gare

42°03'18"N 009°24'07"E

runway: 19/01 - 1850x50m - Pierced Steel Planking (closed)
runway: 14/32 - 1850x50m - Pierced Steel Planking (closed)
runway: 18/36 - 800x18m - asphalt (19/01 was renamed 18/36 on 5 April 2012) 

Ghisonaccia Airfield (Ghisonaccia-Gare, ICAO:  LFKG) was a military airfield on Corsica during World War II.
It was an all-weather temporary field built in late 1943 by the XII Engineer Command, using Marsden Matting for runways, parking areas, as well as for dispersal sites. In addition, tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities; an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure; a dump for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water and minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting. The airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces Twelfth Air Force and formed part of "USS Corsica" during World War 2.
Combat units assigned to the airfield were:
HQ 57th Bombardment Wing, 20 April-5 October 1944
310th Bombardment Group, 10 December 1943 - 7 April 1945, flying B-25 Mitchells
414th Night Fighter Squadron, (Twelfth Air Force), 9 January - 4 February 1944;and 20 March - July 1944, flying Bristol Beaufighters
417th Night Fighter Squadron, (Twelfth Air Force), 7 January - February 1944 (Ground echelon only)


Historical map of Ghisonaccia-Gare airfield in September 1944 (USAAF, via AFHRC)




Ghisonaccia 1952, when all of the airfield was still clearly visible (IGN, via geoportail)


Ghisonaccia in 1960. The northwestern part of the airfield was slowly disappearing (IGN, via geoportail)


Ghisonaccia 1962. Only two years later, large parts of the second runway and the taxiway have all but  disappeared (IGN, via Géoportail)


Just a little part of the main runway of the old airbase was still visible as late as 1990 (IGN, via Géoportail)


In the 1990s the airfield was partially brought back to life. A 800x20m section of the runway was covered with asphalt to form a runway for light aircraft and helicopters. The airfield is controlled by Base Aérienne 126 Solenzara of the French Air Force.


Ghisonaccia 2007 a little part of the primary runway has been covered by bitume and still in use for ultra light aircraft. (source Google Earth)


Ghisonaccia 2007 the runway 19/01 just before to be renamed in 18/36 since april 5th 2012  (Google Earth)


Local flying with a Cessna 172 from Ghisonaccia to Calvi via le Cap Corse. (Youtube JL Santoni)

(Thanks to Olivier for his research on this airfield!)