Abu Suweir Air Base is an
Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية المصرية, El Qūwāt El Gawīyä El Maṣrīya), is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces that is responsible for all airborne defence missions and operates all milit ...
( ar, القوات الجوية المصرية, ') base, located approximately west of
Ismaïlia and northeast of
Cairo. It is positioned for strategic defence of the Suez Canal waterway.
Second World War and Suez Crisis
During the
Second World War the airfield, then known as RAF Abu Sueir or Abu Sueir Airfield (LG-205) was used as a military airfield by the
Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom and the American
United States Army Air Forces during the
North African Campaign against Axis forces.
USAAF
Ninth Air Force units which used the airfield were:
*
376th Bombardment Group 376th may refer to:
*376th Air Expeditionary Wing, inactive wing of the United States Air Force, last stationed at the Transit Center at Manas International Airport, Kyrgyz Republic
*376th Air Refueling Squadron, inactive United States Air Force un ...
, 8 November 1942-January 1943,
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
: 512th Bombardment Squadron, 9 November 1942-10 February 1943
: 513th Bombardment Squadron, 8 November 1942-10 February 1943
: 514th Bombardment Squadron, 8 November 1942-10 February 1943
: 515th Bombardment Squadron, 8 November 1942-6 February 1943
Royal Air Force units:
*
No. 6 Squadron RAF
Number 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 at RAF Lossiemouth.
It was previously equipped with the SEPECAT Jaguar, SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3 in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles, and was post ...
,
No. 13 Squadron RAF
Number 13 Squadron, also written as XIII Squadron, is a squadron of the Royal Air Force which operate the General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle from RAF Waddington since reforming on 26 October 2012. The unit first formed as par ...
,
No. 37 Squadron RAF,
No. 40 Squadron RAF,
No. 46 Squadron RAF,
No. 70 Squadron RAF
No.70 or LXX Squadron RAF provides strategic transport.
History
First World War
The squadron was formed on 22 April 1916 at Farnborough, and was equipped with the Sopwith 1½ Strutter. The squadron was posted to France, and in 1917 re-equi ...
,
No. 80 Squadron RAF,
No. 84 Squadron RAF,
No. 89 Squadron RAF
No. 89 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron, mainly active in the fighter role during its existence.
History
Formation and World War I
No. 89 squadron was formed on 1 September 1917 as a training unit at Netheravon. The squadron was not used f ...
,
No. 104 Squadron RAF
No. 104 Squadron RAF is a former squadron of the British Royal Air Force.
History
First World War
The squadron was formed at Wyton, England on 4 September 1917 equipped with the DH 9. It then moved to Andover, prior to being posted to Fra ...
,
No. 114 Squadron RAF
No. 114 Squadron was a squadron of the British Royal Air Force. It was first formed in India during the First World War, serving as a light bomber squadron during the Second World War and as a transport squadron post-war. It was last disbanded in ...
,
No. 145 Squadron RAF
No. 145 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that operated during World War I, World War II and the Cold War.
History
The Squadron formed on 15 May 1918. Equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 fighters, it supported the final offensives ...
,
No. 208 Squadron RAF,
No. 213 Squadron RAF,
No. 214 Squadron RAF,
No. 216 Squadron RAF,
No. 223 Squadron RAF
No. 223 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. Originally formed as part of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), the Squadron flew in both World Wars.
History
What later became 223 Squadron was formed as B Flight (soon known as "B Sq ...
,
No. 252 Squadron RAF
No. 252 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force (RAF) squadron that formed as a bomber unit in World War I and as part of RAF Coastal Command in World War II.
History
Formation and World War I
No. 252 Squadron was formed at Tynemouth on 1 May 1918 ...
,
No. 272 Squadron RAF
No. 272 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as an anti–submarine unit in World War I and a coastal fighter unit in World War II.
History
Formation and World War I
No. 272 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed on 25 July 1918 ...
,
No. 450 Squadron RAF
No. 450 Squadron was a unit of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) that operated during World War II. Established at RAAF Station Williamtown, New South Wales, in February 1941, it was the first Australian Article XV squadron formed un ...
,
No. 458 Squadron RAF
No. 458 Squadron RAAF was a Royal Australian Air Force squadron that operated during World War II. It was formed in Australia under Article XV of the Empire Air Training Scheme. The squadron flew various versions of Vickers Wellington bombers, ...
In the mid-1950s, the base was the last station to be handed over by the RAF to the Egyptians. This was despite the fact that Abu Sueir and Fanara were the two bases to be retained, to be maintained by civilian contractors.
The main body of 2nd Battalion
Grenadier Guards, the last British Army fighting unit remaining in
Middle East Land Forces amid the
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, or the Second Arab–Israeli war, also called the Tripartite Aggression ( ar, العدوان الثلاثي, Al-ʿUdwān aṯ-Ṯulāṯiyy) in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel,Also known as the Suez War or 1956 Wa ...
, left on 24-25 March 1956 by ship; they had been located at Golf Course Camp in
Port Said
Port Said ( ar, بورسعيد, Būrsaʿīd, ; grc, Πηλούσιον, Pēlousion) is a city that lies in northeast Egypt extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal. With an approximate population of 6 ...
. The last remaining rear-guard company of the battalion left by air on 2 April 1956 from Abu Sueir.
Abu Sueir was handed over to Egypt on 14 April 1956.
Twenty-first century
Today, the airfield is an active Egyptian Air Force Base. Its Second World War configuration is still evident in aerial photography. It houses the 60th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 262nd Tactical Fighter Wing, flying
General Dynamics F-16C/D Block 40s Fighting Falcons.
[Scramble.nl]
See also
*
List of North African airfields during World War II
This is a partial list of British Landing Grounds (LG) In North Africa, used during World War II. There are over 250 known. Some coordinates may be incorrect. Not all of these were active airfields; some were depots, some were repair stations, and ...
References
;Bibliography
*
External links
Royal Air Force Airfield Creation for the Western Desert Campaign
World War II airfields in Egypt
Egyptian Air Force bases
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