News

Forthcoming première of Aeròdrom 311 documentary

A showing of Aeròdrom 311, a documentary on the former Celrà aerodrome (or “airfield”), will take place at the Ateneu in Celrà on 30 December at 8.30pm. The 40-minute film was made by Quim Paredes, a regular collaborator of Girona City History Museum.

The military airfield was operative from the first quarter of 1937 until February 1939, becoming the main base for the Tupolev SB-2 bombers (nicknamed «Katiuskas») in Catalonia. The planes took off from Celrà to bomb military objectives on the Aragon front and Mallorca, although their original mission was to patrol the coast of Girona province and defend it from attacks by both Franco’s air fleet and the Mallorca-based Italian aviation.
During its operational years, the aerodrome became a major military objective and suffered up to ten bombings, which took a heavy toll of human lives as well as causing material damages. When the airfield sirens signalled the arrival of enemy planes, civilians and air base soldiers alike ran to take refuge in the trenches and shelters built for the purpose, eight of which are still extant today.
We also recommend a visit to the Aviators of the Second Spanish Republic exhibition in the Guard Room of Montjuïc Castle (Barcelona), which will be open to the public every day from 9am to 5pm, until 29 January 2012. The exhibition was made possible through the support of AENA, ADAR, Barcelona City Council, Democratic Memorial, and the Autonomous Government of Catalonia.