RAF Aboukir

RAF Aboukir
RAF Aboukir Bay
RAF Aboukir; RAF Aboukir Bay
Egyptian Arabic: ابو قير
Abu Qir, Alexandria Governorate in Egypt
	A Short Sunderland flying over RAF Aboukir after taking off from RAF Aboukir Bay
Site information
Type	Royal Air Force station
Code	LG-34
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Middle East
Location
	RAF Aboukir Shown within Egypt
Coordinates	31°18′05″N 030°03′40″E / 31.30139°N 30.06111°E
Site history
Built	1916
In use	1916-1947
Garrison information
Past commanders	Group Captain Tulloch
Airfield information
Elevation	−5 metres (−16 ft) AMSL
Runways
00/00	Concrete

Royal Air Force Aboukir or more simply RAF Aboukir is a former Royal Air Force station located 6.6 miles (10.6 km) northwest of Kafr El-Dawar and 7.2 miles (11.6 km) east of Alexandria, Egypt. Between 1916 and 1947 a number of units and squadrons were based there, including the central depot for RAF Middle East until 12 November 1939.

There were two RAF stations near Aboukir: RAF Aboukir was located inland and RAF Aboukir Bay located on the seafront and used by seaplanes.

History

The bases was used by the following squadrons:

Aboukir
- No. 29 Squadron RAF between 6 August 1936 and 12 September 1936 with Fairey Gordon light bombers.
- No. 56 Squadron RAF reformed here on 1 February 1920 with the Sopwith Snipe with a detachment at San Stephano until August 1923. However 56 Squadron was disbanded on 23 September 1922.
- No. 64 Squadron RAF from 1 August 1936 with the Hawker Demon until 16 August 1936 when the squadron moved to the United Kingdom.
- No. 80 Squadron RAF between 10 June 1919 and 1 February 1920 when the squadron disbanded, the squadron flew the Snipe.
- No. 94 Squadron RAF between August and October 1944 as a detachment with the Supermarine Spitfire VB.
- No. 112 Squadron RAF from 22 April 1941 and 31 May 1941 as a detachment with Hawker Hurricane I.
- No. 123 (East India) Squadron RAF between 19 June 1942 and 19 July 1942 with the Spitfire VB.
- No. 142 Squadron RAF from 13 October 1935 and 26 October 1935 with the Hawker Hart.
- No. 145 Squadron RAF was formed here on 15 May 1918 before moving to Abu Sueir on 1 June 1918.
- No. 208 Squadron RAF as a detachment between 18 April 1936 and 28 September 1938 with the Hawker Demon.
- No. 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF as a detachment between 25 February 1944 and 19 April 1944 with the Spitfire VC & IX.
- No. 252 Squadron RAF between 6 February 1945 and 10 February 1945 with the Bristol Beaufighter X.
- No. 294 Squadron RAF as a detachment between 29 March 1944 and 6 June 1945 with Vickers Wellington IC.
- No. 451 Squadron RAAF between 12 May 1941 and 1 July 1941 with the Hurricane I.
- No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron AAF between 21 December 1942 and 25 January 1943 with no aircraft.
- No. 651 Squadron RAF between 9 and 10 November 1945 with the Taylorcraft Auster V .
Aboukir Bay
- No. 204 Squadron RAF between 27 September and 22 October 1935 with the Supermarine Southampton II and Supermarine Scapa
- No. 228 Squadron RAF between 19 July and 13 September 1940 with the Short Sunderland I
- No. 230 Squadron RAF between May 1940 and 3 July 1942 with the Sunderland I/II/III
  - No. 2 Yugoslav (floatplane) Squadron between May 1941 and April 1942 with the Dornier Do 22 and Rogožarski SIM-XIV-H

The bases was also used by a number of different units during its lifetime:

Headquarters 20th (Reserve) Wing RFC between 25 July 1916 and 31 May 1917.
RAF Depot, Middle East between 7 October and 12 November 1939.
No. 103 Maintenance Unit RAF between 12 November 1939 and 30 October 1946.

Current use

The site is un-recognizable and is used for farming.

References

Citations

↑ Jefford 1988, p. 34.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 43.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 45.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 49.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 52.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 56.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 58.
1 2 Jefford 1988, p. 61.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 69.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 75.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 78.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 84.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 92.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 98.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 102.
↑ Jefford 1988, p. 68.
1 2 Jefford 1988, p. 74.
↑ Fitzsimons, Bernard (1971). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare, Volume 7. Columbia House. p. 763.
1 2 3 "Stations - A". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 12 May 2013.

Bibliography

Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.

External links

[FOOTNOTEJefford198834-1] Jefford 1988, p. 34.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198843-2] Jefford 1988, p. 43.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198845-3] Jefford 1988, p. 45.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198849-4] Jefford 1988, p. 49.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198852-5] Jefford 1988, p. 52.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198856-6] Jefford 1988, p. 56.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198858-7] Jefford 1988, p. 58.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198861-8] 1 2 Jefford 1988, p. 61.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198869-9] Jefford 1988, p. 69.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198875-10] Jefford 1988, p. 75.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198878-11] Jefford 1988, p. 78.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198884-12] Jefford 1988, p. 84.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198892-13] Jefford 1988, p. 92.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198898-14] Jefford 1988, p. 98.

[FOOTNOTEJefford1988102-15] Jefford 1988, p. 102.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198868-16] Jefford 1988, p. 68.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198874-17] 1 2 Jefford 1988, p. 74.

[18] Fitzsimons, Bernard (1971). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare, Volume 7. Columbia House. p. 763.

[AoA-19] 1 2 3 "Stations - A". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 12 May 2013.