Sidi Haneish Airfield

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Sidi Haneish Airfield
Haggag el Qasaba Flugplatz
Coordinates
TypeMilitary airfield complex
Site information
Controlled by
Site history
Built1941
In use1941–42
Battles/warsWestern Desert Campaign
Egypt adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
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 376 km (235 miles) west-northwest of Cairo.

Contents

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 eighteen jeeps, each carrying 3 or 4 British or French commandos, the raiders destroyed or damaged around forty Luftwaffe aircraft. 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 8–12 November 1942.

It was apparently abandoned after the western desert campaign moved into Libya and eventually was taken over by the desert. Aerial photos show some evidence of where it existed.

British airfields

See also

* List of North African airfields during World War II

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The Raid on Sidi Haneish Airfield was a military operation carried out the night of 26 July 1942. A British Special Air Service unit commanded by Major David Stirling attacked a German-held airfield in Egypt during the Western Desert Campaign of Second World War. Several Luftwaffe aircraft used to ferry supplies to the Axis forces were destroyed or damaged with machine-gun fire and explosives. Axis front line units were diverted to reinforce the garrisons in the rear vulnerable to attack.

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.

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Further reading