Sidi Haneish Airfield

Sidi Haneish Airfield
Haggag el Qasaba Flugplatz
Coordinates
Type Military airfield complex
Site information
Controlled by
Site history
Built 1941
In use 1941–42
Battles/wars Western Desert Campaign
Sidi Haneish Airfield
Location of Sidi Haneish Airfield, Egypt

Sidi Haneish Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield complex in Egypt, in the western desert, about 235 miles (376 km) west-northwest of Cairo.

The airfield, known as Haggag el Qasaba by the German Luftwaffe, was the location of one of the most daring raids during World War II by the British Special Air Service (SAS). On the night of 26 July 1942, SAS Detachment "L", also known as "Stirling's Raiders", attacked the airfield, then under Luftwaffe control. Driving a convoy of 18 American jeeps, the raiders destroyed 18 German aircraft and damaged several other aircraft in a night raid. The attack damaged the Luftwaffe's capability during the German invasion of Egypt and also, by the destruction of many transport aircraft, severely diminished its ability to re-supply German land forces in the field.[3]

The airfield was later used by the United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force during the Eastern Desert Campaign by the British Eighth Army, which the 57th Fighter Group, flew P-40 Warhawks from on 8–12 November 1942.

It was apparently abandoned after the western desert campaign moved into Libya, and eventually was taken over by the desert. Close examination of aerial photography of the desert shows some evidence of disturbance which could indicate where it existed.

British airfields

See also

References

  1. ↑ German map of Haggag el Qasaba East Airfield
  2. ↑ German map of Haggag el Qasaba West Airfield
  3. ↑ Mortimer, Gavin (2015-04-21). Stirling’s Desert Triumph: The SAS Egyptian Airfield Raids 1942. Peter Dennis, Johnny Shumate, Alan Gilliland (First ed.). Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781472807632.

 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 (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
  • RAF Squadrons by C. G. Jefford. ISBN 1-84037-141-2 (page 133 airfield locations)

Further reading

  • Vick, Alan (1995). Snakes in the Eagle's Nest: A History of Ground Attacks on Air Bases. Rand. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-8330-1629-4. Lists several airfields in the area.
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