Le Sers Airfield.png) | |
|---|---|
| Part ofTwelfth Air Force | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Military airfield |
| Controlled by | United States Army Air Forces |
| Location | |
 | |
| Coordinates | 36°03′21.15″N009°00′57.53″E / 36.0558750°N 9.0159806°E /36.0558750; 9.0159806 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1943 |
| In use | 1943 |
Le Sers Airfield is an abandonedWorld War II military airfield inTunisia, about 3 km of As Sars, 130 km southwest ofTunis. It was a temporary airfield constructed by Army Engineers using compacted earth for its runway, parking and dispersal areas. It was not designed for heavy aircraft or for long-term use. The prevailing temperatures in the area are some of the hottest in the world, making steel planking unsuitable for airfield use.
Its last known use was by theUnited States Army Air ForceTwelfth Air Force in 1943 during theNorth African Campaign. The31st Fighter Group flewSupermarine Spitfires from the airfield between 12 April and 15 May; the52d Fighter Group flewP-40 Warhawks between 14 April and 21 May.
The fighter units moved out after theTunisian Campaign ended to airfields closer to the coast and the airfield was closed and the airfield was dismantled. Today, there are no remaining traces of the airfield as the area around the town of As Sars consists largely of agricultural fields, which has obliterated much of the airfield. Today the remains of a runway are visible from satellite imagery.
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
