Winter Airfield

Winter Airfield is an airstrip constructed by Gustav Winter, a German engineer and business man. It is located on the Canary Islands, Spain.

Winter Airfield
Winter Airfield
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Former airstrip (small)
Owner	Gustav Winter
Serves	Jandía Penisuela
Location	Cofete Village, Fuerteventura, Canary Island, Spain
Coordinates	28°04′36″N 014°28′07″W
Map
Winter Airfield Shown within the Canary Islands Winter Airfield Winter Airfield (Africa)
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 05/23 1,005x45 gravel/dirt/sand

History

Winter Airfield was located on the Jandía Peninsula of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, Spain. It was constructed by German engineer Gustav Winter, either just before or shortly after World War II. The airfield featured a gravel or dirt runway measuring approximately 1,005 meters in length and 45 meters in width.

Gustav Winter, born in 1893 in Zastler a small town near the city of Friburgo, Germany, moved to Spain in 1915. In 1924, he founded the CICER Power Plant in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, which began operations in 1928. His involvement with the Jandía Peninsula began in 1933 when he signed a lease with the heirs of the Conde de Santa Coloma from Lanzarote. In 1937, Winter traveled to Berlin seeking funding for his projects.

Puerto de la Cruz Airfield airstrip that looks similiar to Winter Airfield's.

In the early 1930s, Winter purchased extensive land on the Jandía Peninsula, including the area around Cofete. He constructed Villa Winter, a large villa on the first slopes of the mountain, and undertook significant agricultural projects. The small village of Cofete grew, reaching over 100 inhabitants, many employed by Winter.

This airstrip was likely established to improve accessibility to this remote part of the island, which may have previously been harder to reach by land. Fuerteventura, due to its position in the Atlantic Ocean, has long been a stopover point for international flights, especially with the development of air travel in the 20th century.

World War II

The airfield's history is intertwined with various legends and speculations. Some narratives suggest that during World War II, the Jandía Peninsula served as a secret base for the German Navy's U-boats, utilizing volcanic lava tunnels along the coast. There are also claims that Winter's villa, located near the airfield, was used as a clinic where Nazi criminals underwent plastic surgery before relocating to South America. However, distinguishing fact from fiction in these accounts is challenging.

Post-War

After World War II, the airfield fell into disuse. Gustav Winter died in Las Palmas in 1971. His villa (Villa Winter) remained under private security until the early 1990s. Today, the remnants of Winter Airfield serve as a historical curiosity, reflecting a complex blend of documented history and local folklore.

Closure

However, the Fuerteventura government denied him permission to use it, leading to its abandonment. Winter then attempted to repurpose the area for a sports pier and tried to use the old Los Estancos airport, but these plans also faltered. Over time, the airstrip fell into disuse and was left behind as the region remained isolated.

The airstrip shrouded in mystery and tied to legends surrounding Gustav Winter, who managed the area in the mid-20th century. It is speculated that the airstrip may have been constructed for secretive activities during World War II, potentially involving German military operations, and submarine base. However, evidence for these claims remains scarce, and the site's history is primarily anecdotal, making it a subject of fascination for historians and visitors alike.

See Also

• Puerto de la Cruz Airfield
• Cofete