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William Dalrymple (historian)
RAF El Amiriya | |
|---|---|
| Alexandria in Egypt | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Military airfield |
| Operator | Royal Air Force (RAF) |
| Controlled by | RAF Middle East Command |
| Condition | Abandoned |
| Location | |
  RAF El Amiriya Location in Egypt | |
| Coordinates | 31°02′19.46″N 029°47′59.64″E / 31.0387389°N 29.7999000°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1917 |
| In use | 1917 – 1946 |
| Fate | Abandoned after World War II |
| Battles/wars | North African Campaign |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | 79th Fighter Group (USAAF) 324th Fighter Group (USAAF) |
RAF El Amiriya is a former Royal Air Force station in Egypt, located approximately 16 km south-southwest of Alexandria; 180 km northwest of Cairo, Egypt.
El Amiriya was a pre–World War II airfield, first used in 1917. During the Second World War, the station was also referred to as Landing Grounds 85 – 99, 154 and 171–175, it was used as a military airfield by the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces during the North African campaign against Axis forces.
History
USAAF Ninth Air Force units which used the airfield were:
- 79th Fighter Group, 19 November 1942 – 14 January 1943, Curtiss P-40 Warhawk[1]
- 324th Fighter Group, December 1942 – 2 February 1943, P-40 Warhawk
After the war, the airfield appears to have been closed about 1946. Today, the area is abandoned with various concrete parts of the station still in evidence when viewed by aerial photography.
- British Coordinates
- LG-85 30°47′0″N 29°51′5″E / 30.78333°N 29.85139°E
- LG-99 30°48′5″N 29°54′5″E / 30.80139°N 29.90139°E
- LG-154 30°46′5″N 29°50′5″E / 30.76806°N 29.83472°E
- LG-171 30°56′0″N 29°31′0″E / 30.93333°N 29.51667°E
- LG-175 30°55′0″N 29°55′0″E / 30.91667°N 29.91667°E
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- 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. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016.
- Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. pp. 30–31. ISBN 978-0-7643-3401-6.
- Royal Air Force Airfield Creation for the Western Desert Campaign
