Helwan Airfield

Helwan Airfield Helwan Martial Airfield RAF Helwan
Arabic: مطار حلوان
Helwan, Cairo Governorate in Egypt
Site information
Type	Airfield
Operator	Egyptian Air Force
Location
Helwan Airfield Shown within Egypt
Coordinates	29°49′18″N31°19′49″E / 29.82167°N 31.33028°E / 29.82167; 31.33028
Site history
Built	1919 (1919)
In use	1919 - present
Airfield information
Elevation	41 metres (135 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 03L/21R 2,902 metres (9,521 ft)  Asphalt 03R/21L 3,006 metres (9,862 ft)  Asphalt

Helwan Airfield is a Aerodrome located near Helwan, Cairo Governorate, Egypt. It was formerly RAF Helwan, a Royal Air Force station operational up to and during World War II.

History

During World War II, it was evacuated by RAF fighters due to its runway conditions. It had accommodations for 500 personnel, 32,000 gallons of aviation gas, and 3 hangars. In 1958, Helwan Airfield was used in conjunction with nearby aircraft industry. ^[1]

Units

The following RAF squadrons were here at some point:

• No. 6 Squadron RAF between 13 and 22 January 1942 with the Gloster Gladiator I & II, Westland Lysander I & II, Hawker Hurricane I and Bristol Blenheim IV ^[2]
• No. 8 Squadron RAF between 18 October and 11 December 1920 with the Airco DH.9A ^[2]
• No. 11 Squadron RAF between 1 December 1940 and 28 January 1941 with the Blenheim I & IV ^[3]
• Detachment from No. 18 Squadron RAF between January and March 1942 with the Blenheim IV ^[4]
• No. 29 Squadron RAF between 20 July and 6 August 1936 with the Fairey Gordon ^[5]
• Detachment from No. 30 Squadron RAF between June and November 1940 with the Blenheim IF ^[6]
• No. 33 Squadron RAF initially between 24 April and 25 May 1939 with the Gladiator I, then between 25 June and 22 September 1940 with the Gladiator II and Hurricane I ^[7]
• No. 39 Squadron RAF between 1 December 1940 and 23 January 1941 with the Blenheim I ^[8]
• No. 45 Squadron RAF initially between 1 April and 11 July 1921 with the DH.9A, then between 21 October 1927 and 3 January 1939 with the Fairey IIIF, Hawker Hart, Vickers Vincent, Gordon, Vickers Wellesley. ^[9]
• No. 47 Squadron RAF between 1 February and 1920 and 21 October 1927 with the DH.9A ^[9]
• No. 55 Squadron RAF initially between 3 June and 1 July 1941 with the Blenheim V then between 22 March and 3 April 1942 with the Blenheim IV ^[10]
• No. 70 Squadron RAF between 30 August 1939 and 11 June 1940 with the Vickers Valentia ^[11]
• No. 74 Squadron RAF between 21 June and 8 July 1942 with the Supermarine Spitfire VB ^[12]
• No. 80 Squadron RAF between 16 January and 15 July 1939 with the Gladiator I ^[13]
• No. 112 Squadron RAF between 26 May 1939 and 19 July 1940 with the Gladiator I & II ^[14]
• No. 113 Squadron RAF between 23 and 30 December 1941 with the Blenheim IV ^[14]
• No. 134 Squadron RAF between 9 June and 6 July 1942 without any aircraft ^[15]
• Detachment from No. 142 Squadron RAF between October 1935 and August 1936 ^[16]
• No. 145 Squadron RAF between 30 April and 25 May 1942 with the Spitfire VB ^[16]
• No. 206 Squadron RAF between 27 June 1919 and 1 February 1920 with the DH.9 ^[17]
• Detachment from No. 208 Squadron RAF between April 1936 and September 1938 with the Hawker Audax ^[17]
• No. 211 Squadron RAF between 12 May 1938 and 31 January 1939 with the Hawker Hind ^[18]
• No. 318 "City of Gdańsk" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron RAF between 23 and 24 April 1944 with the Spitfire VB ^[19]
• No. 601 (County of London) Squadron AAF between 11 and 22 August 1942 with the Spitfire VC ^[20]

See also

• List of North African airfields during World War II

References

1. "Middle Eastern Airfield Report Volume 2 | Page 192" (PDF). apps.dtic.mil. Retrieved 2025-05-14.
2. Jefford 1988, p. 26.
3. Jefford 1988, p. 27.
4. Jefford 1988, p. 30.
5. Jefford 1988, p. 34.
6. Jefford 1988, p. 35.
7. Jefford 1988, p. 36.
8. Jefford 1988, p. 38.
9. Jefford 1988, p. 40.
10. Jefford 1988, p. 42.
11. Jefford 1988, p. 46.
12. Jefford 1988, p. 47.
13. Jefford 1988, p. 49.
14. Jefford 1988, p. 56.
15. Jefford 1988, p. 60.
16. Jefford 1988, p. 61.
17. Jefford 1988, p. 69.
18. Jefford 1988, p. 70.
19. Jefford 1988, p. 86.
20. Jefford 1988, p. 98.

• 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.