Amendola Airfield

Amendola Air Base
Part of Italian Air Force Aeronautica Militare
Province of Foggia, Italy
Alenia/Aermacchi/Embraer AMX at Amendola Air Base
Amendola Air Base Location of Amendola Air Base, Italy
Coordinates	41°32′29″N 015°43′05″E / 41.54139°N 15.71806°E / 41.54139; 15.71806Coordinates: 41°32′29″N 015°43′05″E / 41.54139°N 15.71806°E / 41.54139; 15.71806
Type	Military airfield
Site information
Controlled by	Italian Air Force
Site history
Built	1941
In use	1941-1945; 1947-Present
Battles/wars	World War II

Amendola Air Base (ICAO: LIBA) is a military air base of the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare). It is the home of 32º Stormo.

Amendola Air Base was primarily a training base for pilots of the AMX International AMX ground attack aircraft and the main base for Italy for AMX pilots.

The 28th Group operates the training center for Italian Air Force MQ-1C and MQ-9A Predator UAVs. The 632d Squadron provides connections through the aircraft supplied (MB339) training, flight personnel under the 28th Group in order to ensure adequate training level on traditional piloted aircraft.

Aircraft assigned to Amendola Air Base include the following:

Amendola was also used operationally by NATO forces in 2011 as part of Operation Odyssey Dawn and Operation Unified Protector

Amendola Airfield a pre-war Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica) facility, built about 1931. With the surrender of Fascist Italy to the Allies on 3 September 1943, the German Luftwaffe seized control of the field upon hearing of Italy's capitulation, and briefly used it as a combat airfield, however Allied forces seized control of the Tavoliere plain in late September/October and occupied the airfield.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers rebuilt the facility into a heavy bomber-capable airfield. it had two 6,000' x 100' runways laid over Pierced Steel Planking, oriented 11/29. There were two perimeter tracks, and several other loop taxiways each containing about 100 aircraft parking hardstands. both of the double loop for bombers and single frying pan type for fighters. There may have been some temporary hangars and buildings, however it appears that personnel were quartered primarily in tents, and most aircraft maintenance took place in the open on hardstands. It also had a steel control tower.

Operationally, Amendola became one of the largest USAAF bases in Italy. Its first use was by the Twelfth Air Force 57th Fighter Group, which operated three P-40 Warhawk squadrons from 27 October 1943. A second Twelfth Air Force Group, the 321st Bombardment Group moved in on 20 November 1943 with four B-25 Mitchell squadrons.