Almost 100 years have passed since the Spanish Civil War broke out. That month of July 1936 changed the lives of citizens and a country. This war, produced by a military uprising directed against the constitutional government of the Second Republic that emerged from the February elections of that year, lasted three years and led to the construction of new defense infrastructures in small municipalities.
A few weeks ago we discussed the history of the bunkers or machine gun nests that were located on the coast of Xàbia and of which there are hardly any signs left today.
Today, we return to this episode of the history of Spain, that of the Civil War, to bring to light that Xàbia was one of the 38 municipalities of the Region that housed an aerodrome in this War.
The airfield of the Civil War in Xàbia
The airfield, made up of two landing strips, was located in the Plà area. It was in 1937 when the aviation bases were set up on terraces for agricultural use.
According to the blog 'The corner of Thucydides' In his article on the Xàbia aerodrome, "the republican government decided to build an aerodrome in Xàbia because it was a population that had escaped from enemy targets, near Dénia, in a territory that up to now had not been well covered in terms of to the existence of aerodromes and also Xàbia had two strategic elements for the army of the Navy that had to be defended, the lighthouses of Cabos de San Antonio and de la Nao".
Aerodrome characteristics
The aerodrome, as can be seen in a photograph of an Italian aviation flight, was in the shape of an 'L' with a runway of about 1000 x 570 meters and a NE-SW orientation (the largest), and another of 920 x 200 meters, NW-SE orientation and perpendicular to the previous one (smaller). Although according to a Historical Archive of the Air Force (AHEA) the typology of two arms with an east-west axis (of 833m and 845m) and one in a north-south direction (of 775m); it is cited as with four tracks as with two.
The aviation base was intended for military transport and a maximum of 6 biplanes could fit at the same time. The installation of this infrastructure led to the construction of "fuel and pump depots, guard and command posts (M. Puchol. 2005"); also coming to occupy a Rebaldí farm, Casa Carlos Carbonell, which was used as a pavilion for the pilots.
-
Esplanade of what was the aerodrome. Photo Italian Aviation
-
Current simulation of what was the aerodrome of the Civil War in Xàbia
Nothing remains of the aerodrome. After the war was over, he was removed and his land was cultivated again. Many of these lands were sold years later for the construction of apartments and a campsite. And it is that the aerodrome -according to the article- was located at the back of what was the small Arenal lagoon, currently dried up. It almost occupied the angle formed by Carretera del Pla (north-south) and Camí Cabanes (east-west) and divided the Camí de les Bases (north-south) in half.
Farewell to the architecture of the War, but the history remains.
Bibliography and archives
- «The Xàbia aerodrome», Blog Thucydides' corner, 25-2-2013.
- «The bombardment of Xàbia. July 23, 1938», M. Puchol.
- Xabiga Magazine, number 9, 2005. The bombardment of Xàbia. July 23, 1938.
- Arxiu Municipal Xàbia.
- Web page: Valencian aerodromes of the Civil War.
