Salsola

41°32'47"N 015°27'25"E

flying field: NW/SE - 630x1700m/1900x5100ft - grass/dirt

Salsola Airfield (also known as Schifara or Foggia Satellite #3) was a temporary airfield located approximately 17km (10mi) north of Foggia in Apulia, Italy.
It was built by Italian Air Force on the south bank of a small river, the Salsola. The airfield had dispersal areas to the north and southwest of the flying field.10 fighters were spotted at the airfield on 30 July 1943. As many as 39 Ju-88 were spotted on the airfield a week later, indicating the airfield was in use by the Luftwaffe.


Salsola on a September 1943 map assessing the airfield for Allied use (AFHRC, via Reid Waltman)


Salsola relative to Foggia and other cities on a September 1943 map assessing the airfield for Allied use (AFHRC, via Reid Waltman)


Salsola as reconnaissance aircraft saw it on 30 July 1943 (AFHRC, via Reid Waltman)


Salsola while still under Axis management in 1943 (photo via Tommaso Palermo)

It was rebuilt by the US Army Corps Of Enigineers in late 1943. The only known unit to operate from the field is 1st Fighter Group, flying P-38 Lightnings between 8 January 1944 and 8 January 1945. After a brief deployment elsewhere they returned from 21 February 1945 until March 1945.
The last combat missions were flown in March 1945 and the airfield closed in April.


Salsola photographed on 23 May 1945. On the original photo there are no aircraft visible at all and the base seems to have been dismantled already (photo via Michael Seager Thomas)

The airfield was dismantled after the war and today it is an agricultural area. There is little, if any, evidence left in aerial photography like Google Earth.