San Vittore

46°15'02"N 009°05'47"E

Runway: 08/26 - 800x25meters - asphalt (?)

San Vittore airfield name was an airfield 150 kilometers southeast of Berne.
Construction of the airfield began in January 1941. Set up as a satellite for Locarno and a training airfield, it was completed at the end of October 1941. 4 shelters for light aircraft and a repair shop were built in 1942. The airfield served throughout the war, but at some point it was closed and put on a caretaker status.

It was reactivated in 1978, when the grass runway, taxiway and parkings were covered with metal plates. Until 1995 two U-43 shelters remained in use at the airfield for Alouette-II and -II helicopters. A civilian helicopter base was built on the southwest point of the airfield. In 2005 the base was still being used for training with PC7 aircraft and Alouette III helicopters.

Sometime after 2005 the airfield was struck off by the Swiss Luftwaffe. It was used as an airfield until at least 2007. While it continues to be used by helicopters, gliders and model aircraft, plans are discussed to change the airfield into a industrial estate.

Overview of the airfield in 2003 (Google Earth)


This Boeing Stearman was photographed at the airfield on 21 April 2007 (Flickr).


San Vittore visible just above the wingtip of a glider on 31 March 2009 (Roland Henz, via Flickr).