Pitomnik Airfield
Encyclopedia
The Pitomnik airfield was an airfield in Russia
, the primary of the seven airfields used by the German
Wehrmacht
during the Battle of Stalingrad
within the city.
From Pitomnik, flights went to the two main airfields outside the pocket, Tatsinskaya and Morozovskaya.
The airfield at Pitomnik was one of seven airfields within the Stalingrad pocket and the only one properly equipped to handle large amounts of traffic. It was equipped with lights for night operation.
Alongside with anti aircraft guns, the airfield was protected by fighter planes of the first group of the Jagdgeschwader 3
, its other groups being stationed outside the pocket. In mid-January, the remaining planes of the group were ordered to leave the pocket.
The airfield was used to fly out the female hospital staff, when the hopelessness of the situation became apparent. Of the male medical staff, none were allowed to leave, and none left. The edges of the runway were filled with wounded German soldiers whose conditions were deemed not serious enough. Only the ambulant were flown out.
From 15 January, Pitomnik came under artillery fire of the Red Army and two days later, the airfield was captured, leaving the 6th Army with Gumrak as its only supply airfield. Karpovka had already fallen on 13 January and alongside Pitomnik, four other airfields fell on 17 January. Gumrak eventually fell on 23 January, leaving the 6th Army without any means of direct support.
As of 2009, the location of the Pitomnik Airfield is used as farmland.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the primary of the seven airfields used by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
during the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
within the city.
From Pitomnik, flights went to the two main airfields outside the pocket, Tatsinskaya and Morozovskaya.
Overview
Pitomnik was captured by the German 6th Army when it linked up there with the 4th Panzer Army on 3 September 1942.Alongside with anti aircraft guns, the airfield was protected by fighter planes of the first group of the Jagdgeschwader 3
Jagdgeschwader 3
Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. The Geschwader operated on all the German fronts in the European Theatre of World War II. It was named after Ernst Udet in 1942.-Campaign in the West :...
, its other groups being stationed outside the pocket. In mid-January, the remaining planes of the group were ordered to leave the pocket.
The airfield was used to fly out the female hospital staff, when the hopelessness of the situation became apparent. Of the male medical staff, none were allowed to leave, and none left. The edges of the runway were filled with wounded German soldiers whose conditions were deemed not serious enough. Only the ambulant were flown out.
From 15 January, Pitomnik came under artillery fire of the Red Army and two days later, the airfield was captured, leaving the 6th Army with Gumrak as its only supply airfield. Karpovka had already fallen on 13 January and alongside Pitomnik, four other airfields fell on 17 January. Gumrak eventually fell on 23 January, leaving the 6th Army without any means of direct support.
As of 2009, the location of the Pitomnik Airfield is used as farmland.
Pocket airfields
Seven airfields were used inside the pocket to supply the 6th Army:- Pitomnik
- Bolshaia Rossoshka
- Stalingradski
- Gumrak, now Volgograd International Airport
- Basargino
- Voroponovo
- Karpovka
External airfields
Eleven airfields were used to supply the 6th Army from outside of the pocket:- Morozovskaya
- TatsinskayaTatsinskaya AirfieldThe Tatsinskaya Airfield was the main airfield used by the German Wehrmacht during the Battle of Stalingrad to supply the encircled 6th Army from outside.-Overview:...
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Sources
External links
- Stalingrad - The Battle on the Steppe with current pictures of the area
- Pictures of Pitomnik & Stalingrad