"The Campaign in Sicily 1943" The Drive for Messina 10 July - 17 August 1943: The Allies possessed almost complete air superiority during the campaign, enabling them to disrupt Axis communications and troop movements. One of the reasons was the capture and use of local airfields early in the campaign. Comiso Airfield was captured on the first day. The picture shows the airfield's mobile RAF Operations Unit at work in front of a battle scarred farmhouse within hours of the airfield's capture.