Mateur Airfield
Encyclopedia
Mateur Airfield is an abandoned World War II
military airfield in Tunisia
, located approximately 4 km north-northwest of Mateur
, 52 km northwest of Tunis
It was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force during the Tunisian Campaign. It was a temporary airfield, built by the US Army Corps of Engineers, not designed for long term or heavy bomber use. Known units assigned to the field were:
When the fighter units moved out to Sicily and Italy in the beginning of November, the airfield was dismantled and abandoned. Today, some sort of military structure is visible on the old main runway, which is fenced and restricted from public access.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
military airfield in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, located approximately 4 km north-northwest of Mateur
Mateur
Mateur is a town in northern Tunisia. It is located at around , close to the Lac Ichkeul National Park.- Overview :Located in the southwest of the governorate of Bizerte, Mateur is the county seat of a delegation of 57,562 inhabitants while its town counts 44,345 inhabitants divided in 8315...
, 52 km northwest of Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
It was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force during the Tunisian Campaign. It was a temporary airfield, built by the US Army Corps of Engineers, not designed for long term or heavy bomber use. Known units assigned to the field were:
- 1st Fighter Group, 29 June-31 October 1943, P-38 LightningP-38 LightningThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
- 325th Fighter Group, 19 June-4 November 1943, P-40 Warhawk
When the fighter units moved out to Sicily and Italy in the beginning of November, the airfield was dismantled and abandoned. Today, some sort of military structure is visible on the old main runway, which is fenced and restricted from public access.