RAF Khormaksar

RAF Khormaksar
Aden in Yemen

Motto: Into the Remote Places
RAF Khormaksar
Shown within Yemen
Coordinates 12°49′46″N 045°01′45″E / 12.82944°N 45.02917°E / 12.82944; 45.02917Coordinates: 12°49′46″N 045°01′45″E / 12.82944°N 45.02917°E / 12.82944; 45.02917
Type Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence
Operator Royal Air Force
Site history
Built 1917 (1917)
In use 1917 - 29 November 1967 (1967)
Airfield information
Identifiers IATA: ADE, ICAO: OYAA
Elevation 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
08/26  Asphalt

Royal Air Force Khormaksar or more simply RAF Khormaksar is a former Royal Air Force station in Aden, Yemen . Its motto was "Into the Remote Places". During the 1960s, it was the base for nine squadrons and became the RAF's busiest-ever station as well as the biggest staging post for the RAF between the United Kingdom and Singapore.

It later became Aden International Airport.

History

Established in 1917, RAF Khormaksar was enlarged in 1945 as the British spread their influence deeper into the Arabian Peninsula. In 1958, a state of emergency was declared in Aden as Yemeni forces occupied nearby Jebel Jehaf and RAF squadrons were involved in action in support of the British Army. In the 1960s, during operations around Rhadfan, the station reached a peak of activity, becoming overcrowded and attracting ground attacks by rebels. In 1966, the newly elected Labour government in the United Kingdom announced that all forces would be withdrawn by 1968. Khormaksar played a role in the evacuation of British families from Aden in the summer of 1967. The station closed on 29 November 1967.

Units and aircraft

Unit Dates Aircraft Variant Notes
No. 8 Squadron RAF Various Various See below
No. 12 Squadron RAF 1935 and 1936 Hawker Hart [1]
No. 21 Squadron RAF 1965-1967 Douglas Dakota
Hawker Siddeley Andover
CC.2
No. 26 Squadron RAF 1963-1965 Bristol Belvedere HC.1
No. 37 Squadron RAF 1957-1967 Avro Shackleton MR.2
No. 41 Squadron RAF Oct 1935-Mar 1936 Hawker Demon Mk I To Sheikh Othman Mar-Aug 1936
No. 43 Squadron RAF 1963-1967 Hawker Hunter FGA.9
No. 73 Squadron RAF 1956 de Havilland Venom FB.1
No. 78 Squadron RAF 1956-1967 Scottish Aviation Pioneer
Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer
Percival Pembroke
Westland Wessex		 CC.1
C.1
CC.1
HC.2
No. 84 Squadron RAF 1956-1967 Various
No. 94 Squadron RAF 1939 Gloster Gladiator I and II
No. 105 Squadron RAF 1962-1967 Armstrong Whitworth Argosy C.1
No. 114 Squadron RAF 1945 de Havilland Mosquito VI Originally used the Douglas Boston
No. 203 Squadron RAF 1940 Bristol Blenheim IV
No. 208 Squadron RAF 1961-1964 Hawker Hunter FGA.9 also 1956 detached from RAF Akrotiri
No. 216 Squadron RAF 1942 Lockheed Hudson VI detached from Cairo West
No. 233 Squadron RAF 1960-1964 Vickers Valetta C.1
No. 244 Squadron RAF 1944 Vickers Wellington XIII detached from Masirah
No. 259 Squadron RAF 1943 Consolidated Catalina IB detached from Dar es Salaam
No. 265 Squadron RAF 1943 Consolidated Catalina IB detached from Dar es Salaam
No. 413 Squadron RCAF 1942-1945 Consolidated Catalina IV detached from Koggala
No. 459 Squadron RAAF 1942 Lockheed Hudson III detached from LG227 and LG143
No. 621 Squadron RAF 1943-1945 Vickers Wellington XIII
No. 683 Squadron RAF 1951 Vickers Valetta C.1
No. 1417 Flight RAF 1958-1960 Gloster Meteor FR.9
No. 1417 Flight RAF 1963-1967 Hawker Hunter FR.10 / T.7

No. 8 Squadron RAF were based there on eight different occasions:

No. 84 Squadron RAF were based between 1956 and 1967 and operated the Vickers Valetta, Bristol Sycamore, Percival Pembroke, Blackburn Beverley and Hawker Siddeley Andover.

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 28.

Bibliography

  • Jefford MBE, Wg Cdr C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6. 
  • Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.
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