RAF Shaluffa
RAF Shaluffa | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
قاعدة شلوفة الجوية | |||||||||||||
| Shaluffa, Suez Governorate in Egypt | |||||||||||||
 Boeing Fortress I, 1941. | |||||||||||||
  RAF Shaluffa Shown within Egypt | |||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 30°03′10″N 32°32′30″E / 30.05278°N 32.54167°E | ||||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||||||||||||
| Controlled by | Near East Air Force | ||||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||||
| Built | 1941 | ||||||||||||
| In use | 1941 - 1955 | ||||||||||||
| Battles/wars | Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II | ||||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||||
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Royal Air Force Shaluffa or more commonly RAF Shaluffa (LG-215) is a former Royal Air Force station located in Suez Governorate, Egypt.
History
[edit]From 1942 - 1944, RAF Shaluffa hosted the No. 5 Middle East Torpedo School, and trained several Chinese aircrew. [1] The airfield had four asphalt runways and was operated by the Near East Air Force. The airfield later served as a British military base until 1955, when a ceremonial flag handover by Prime Minister Nasser was held. [2]
Layout
[edit]The runways were lighted with electric cables. The airfield had an air traffic control tower, a 14-bed infirmary, shops and an administrative building. On-site was two installed steel hangars, a swimming pool, and a cinema.
For fueling purposes, Shaluffa had a capacity of 86,000 gallons of Aviation Gas and 28,920 gallons of jet fuel. While not related to the airfield, nearby was a speedway commonly used by the people who was stationed there. [3] [4]
Crashes
[edit]On 21 February 1943, a Martin Marauder took off at Shaluffa to attack ships. However the aircraft was gunned down and six fatalities were reported.
On 12 January 1949, a four engine aircraft during training dived and crashed near the airfield with nine fatalities reported. The cause of this crash was a faulty right elevator that detached.[5]
On 22 October 1951, a de Havilland Vampire did a crash-landing on the runway in which the pilot was unfortunately killed. [6]
Units
[edit]The following units based at RAF Shaluffa:[7]
- No. 6 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 14 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 32 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 37 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 38 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 39 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 40 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 46 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 70 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 76 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 82 (United Provinces) Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 90 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 104 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 162 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 213 (Ceylon) Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 220 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 221 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 252 Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 351 (Jugoslav) Squadron RAF[8]
- No. 454 Squadron RAAF[8]
- No. 458 Squadron RAAF[8]
- No. 620 Squadron RAF[8]
Aircraft
[edit]The following aircraft either operated or were commonly visited by at RAF Shaluffa
- Martin B-57 Canberra
- Martin B-26 Marauder
- Douglas C-54 Skymaster
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules
- Douglas C-124 Globemaster II
- Gloster Meteor
- de Havilland Vampire
- Avro Lincoln
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ "The RAF and China: A Forgotten Alliance (Part 3)". RAF Museum Blog. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ "Return of the British military base Shalufa to the Egyptian army Prime Mininster Nasser handing over the flag". Getty Images. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
- ^ Stevens, D. "RAF Shallufa". Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ "Middle Eastern Airfield Report Volume 2 | Page 79" (PDF). apps.dtic.mil. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ "Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.1 in Shallufa AFB: 9 killed | Shaluffa AFB". baaa-acro.com. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ Brummell, P. "RAF Shallufa As Remembered By Peter Brummell". Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ Taynton, Montague. "RAF Kasfareet". Canal Zoners. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Jefford 1988, p. 173.
Bibliography
[edit]- Jefford, C. G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.