Abu Suweir Air Base is an
Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) () is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces that is responsible for all airborne defence missions and operates all military aircraft, including those used in support of the Egyptian Army, Egyptian Navy ...
(, ') base, located approximately west of
Ismaïlia and northeast of
Cairo
Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
. It is positioned for strategic defence of the Suez Canal waterway.
Second World War and Suez Crisis
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
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
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
of the United Kingdom and the American
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
during the
North African Campaign
The North African campaign of World War II took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943, fought between the Allies and the Axis Powers. It included campaigns in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts (Western Desert campaign, Desert Wa ...
against Axis forces.
USAAF
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...
units which used the airfield were:
*
376th Bombardment Group, 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 desi ...
: 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,
No. 13 Squadron RAF,
No. 37 Squadron RAF,
No. 40 Squadron RAF,
No. 46 Squadron RAF,
No. 70 Squadron RAF,
No. 80 Squadron RAF,
No. 84 Squadron RAF,
No. 89 Squadron RAF,
No. 104 Squadron RAF,
No. 114 Squadron RAF,
No. 145 Squadron RAF,
No. 208 Squadron RAF,
No. 213 Squadron RAF,
No. 214 Squadron RAF
No. 214 Squadron is a former unit of the Royal Air Force.
History
World War I
No 214 Squadron was formed from No. 14 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), itself formerly ''No. 7A Squadron RNAS'' only taking on the new number on 9 December ...
,
No. 216 Squadron RAF
Number 216 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, since reforming on 1 April 2020 and is tasked with testing future Swarm robotics, drone swarm technology. It had previously operated Lockheed TriStar ...
,
No. 223 Squadron RAF,
No. 252 Squadron RAF,
No. 272 Squadron RAF,
No. 450 Squadron RAF,
No. 458 Squadron RAF
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 Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army, being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect ...
, the last British Army fighting unit remaining in
Middle East Land Forces
Middle East Command, later Middle East Land Forces, was a British Army Command established prior to the Second World War in Egypt. Its primary role was to command British land forces and co-ordinate with the relevant naval and air commands to ...
amid the
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also known as the Second Arab–Israeli War, the Tripartite Aggression in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel, was a British–French–Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956. Israel invaded on 29 October, having done so w ...
, left on 24–25 March 1956 by ship; they had been located at Golf Course Camp in
Port Said
Port Said ( , , ) is a port city that lies in the northeast Egypt extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, straddling the west bank of the northern mouth of the Suez Canal. The city is the capital city, capital of the Port S ...
. 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
References
;Bibliography
*
External links
Royal Air Force Airfield Creation for the Western Desert Campaign
World War II airfields in Egypt
Egyptian Air Force bases
{{RAF-stub