| Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: none – ICAO: none | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Operator | Government | ||
| Location | Libya | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 519 ft / 158 m | ||
| Coordinates | 31°54′34.22″N 023°54′34.22″E / 31.9095056°N 23.9095056°E | ||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 02/20 | 9,895 | 3,016 | Asphalt |
| 09/27 | 9,835 | 2,998 | Asphalt |
| 15/33 | 9,865 | 3,007 | Asphalt |
Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base is a Libyan Air Force (Arabic language: القوات الجوية الليبية, Berber: Adwas Alibyan Ujnna) base, located about 16 km south of Tobruk. It is believed to have once had about 60 or 70 Mirage F.1EDs aircraft assigned.
Prior to 31 March 1970 the airfield was known as Royal Air Force Station El Adem and used by the RAF primarily as a staging-post. Before the Second World War it had been an Italian Air Force airfield, and a number of the former Italian buildings were seen to remain in 2003 during a courtesy visit by former RAF personnel, at which time no military aircraft were in evidence. Royal Air Force Station El Adem was the fuel stop for the BOAC aircraft carrying the new Queen Elizabeth II on her flight from Entebbe to London on 7 February 1952.[1]
World War II[]
The airfield was largely reconstructed in 1942 by the Royal Air Force and brought into operational use on 12 December 1942. It was used during World War II by the British Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces during the North African Campaign against Axis forces.
USAAF Ninth Air Force units which used the airfield were:
- 316th Troop Carrier Group, 10 December 1942-January 1943, C-47 Skytrain
- 379th Bombardment Squadron, (310th Bombardment Group), 2–26 November 1943, B-25 Mitchell
- Attached to 235 Wing, Royal Air Force[2]
Current use[]
Today, the airfield is a Libyan Air Force airbase. Its World War II configuration is still evident in aerial photography.
A 2011 Google satellite picture shows a number of delta-winged jets resembling the MiG-21 series parked on the main apron at this air base. Judging from the picture it is hard to determine whether these aircraft are operational or not.
References[]
- ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2097057/To-Her-Majesty-thoughts-prayers-Mummie-The-message-Queen-Mother-sent-daughter-flew-home-Queen.html
- ↑
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.5
External links[]
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The original article can be found at Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base and the edit history here.