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Gamal Abdel Nasser Airbase () is a
Libyan Air Force The Libyan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الليبية) is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the Libyan Civil War, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000 ...
( ar, القوات الجوية الليبية, translit=al-Quwwāt al-Ǧawwiyya al-Lībiyya,
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
: Adwas Alibyan Ujnna) base, located about 16 km south of
Tobruk Tobruk or Tobruck (; grc, Ἀντίπυργος, ''Antipyrgos''; la, Antipyrgus; it, Tobruch; ar, طبرق, Tubruq ''Ṭubruq''; also transliterated as ''Tobruch'' and ''Tubruk'') is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near th ...
. It is believed to once have had about 60 or 70 Mirage F.1EDs aircraft assigned. Prior to 31 March 1970, the airfield was known as Royal Air Force Station El Adem ( after the nearby settlement al Adm), and used by the RAF primarily as a staging post. Before
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, it had been an
Italian Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello , mascot = , anniversaries = 28 March ...
airfield. A number of the former Italian buildings were seen remaining in 2003, during a courtesy visit by former RAF personnel, at which time no military aircraft were evident. Royal Air Force Station El Adem was the fuel stop for the
BOAC British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the British state-owned airline created in 1939 by the merger of Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd. It continued operating overseas services throughout World War II. After the passi ...
aircraft carrying the new
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
on her flight from
Entebbe Entebbe is a city in Central Uganda. Located on a Lake Victoria peninsula, approximately southwest of the Ugandan capital city, Kampala. Entebbe was once the seat of government for the Protectorate of Uganda prior to independence, in 1962. The c ...
to London on 7 February 1952. In 1994, the remaining wreckage of '' Lady Be Good'', a US Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
heavy bomber that crashed-landed deep in the Libyan desert during WWII in 1943, was brought to the air base by a local Libyan team led by Dr. Fadel Ali Mohammed (tasked with recovering the plane wreck) for storage and safekeeping. The remnants of the aircraft still remain there.


World War II

The airfield was largely reconstructed in 1942 by the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
(RAF) and brought into operational use on 12 December 1942. It was used during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
by the RAF and the
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
during the North African Campaign against Axis forces. RAF units which used the airfield were: * No 31 Air Stores Park (8 Mar – 10 Apr 1941); * HQ No 262 Wing (11–20 Dec 1941); * HQ No 258 Wing (12–xx Dec 1941, 3–xx Feb 1942); *
No. 2 Squadron RAAF No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadron that operates from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales. From its formation in 1916 as part of the Australian Flying Corps, it has flown a variety of aircraft types ...
(19–21 Dec 1941, 2–3 Feb 1942, 15–17 Feb 1942); * No 33 Air Stores Park (23 Dec 1941 – 31 Jan 1942); * No 53 Repair and Salvage Unit (26 Dec 1941 – Feb 1942); *
No. 80 Squadron RAF No. 80 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1969. It was operative during both World War I and World War II. Establishment and early service Founded on 1 August 1917 at RAF Montrose, equipped ...
(28 Dec 1941 – 3 Feb 1942); * Air Sea Rescue Flt (10–31 Jan 1942); *
No. 73 Squadron RAF No. 73 Squadron, Royal Air Force was formed on 2 July 1917 during the First World War. It was disbanded in 1969. World War I It was initially a unit of the Royal Flying Corps and was formed out of the Central Flying School, based at Upavon, Wilts ...
(3–18 Feb 1942, 20–27 May 1942, 17–28 Nov 1942); *
No. 94 Squadron RAF No. 94 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force that served during World War I & World War II. The squadron has been formed a total of four times. World War I The squadron was formed at Harling Road on 1 August 1917 as a training unit ...
(15–17 Feb 1942); * HQ No 211 Group (12 Mar – xxx 1942) * No 211 Group Communications Flt (20 Apr 1942 – 17 Sep 1943) * No. 267 Squadron RAF (Aug 1942 – Jan 1943) * HQ No 243 Wing (17–xx Nov 1942) *
No. 33 Squadron RAF Number 33 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Westland Puma HC.2 from RAF Benson, Oxfordshire. History First World War No. 33 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed from part of No. 12 Squadron at Filton on 12 January 1916. ...
(18–28 Nov 1942) *
No. 117 Squadron RAF No. 117 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed to be a bomber unit in World War I and reformed as a transport and communications unit in World War II. History Formation and World War I No. 117 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed ...
(19 Nov 1942 – 9 Jan 1943) *
No. 213 Squadron RAF No. 213 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. The squadron was formed on 1 April 1918 from No. 13 (Naval) Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service.Halley 1988, p. 278. This RNAS squadron was itself formed on 15 January 1918 from the Sea ...
(20–25 Nov 1942) *
No. 238 Squadron RAF No. 238 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was first formed in 1918 by combining number 347, 348 and 349 Flights at RAF Cattewater by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. It was reformed for the Second World War, the ...
(20–25 Nov 1942) * No 12 Staging Post (8 Mar 1943 – 1 Aug 1945) * HQ No 7 (SAAF) Wing (17 Apr – 18 May 1943) * No 2915 Sqn RAF Regiment (May 1943 – xxx 194x) *
No. 47 Squadron RAF No. 47 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Lockheed C-130 Hercules from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, England. History First formation No. 47 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed at Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire on 1 March 19 ...
(14–25 Nov 1943) * HQ No 240 Wing (28 Dec 1943 – 4 Feb 1944) *
No. 178 Squadron RAF No. 178 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a bomber unit based in Egypt, Libya and Italy in World War II. History Formation in World War II The Squadron was equipped with Liberators at Shandur, Egypt on 15 January 1943 and ...
(1 Jan – 1 Mar 1944) *
No. 462 Squadron RAF No. 462 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadron which forms part of the Information Warfare Directorate in the RAAF's Air Warfare Centre. The squadron was first formed in 1942 as a heavy bomber unit and saw combat in this role i ...
(1 Jan – 15 Feb 1944) * No. 336 Squadron RAF (31 Jan – 5 Mar 1944, 15 Jul – 16 Sep 1944) * No 1900 AOP Flt (15 Jan – 1 Jul 1952) *
No. 249 Squadron RAF No. 249 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active in the sea-patrol, fighter and bomber roles during its existence. It was one of the top scoring fighter squadrons of the RAF in World War II. History First formation No. ...
(11 Mar – 3 May 1957) * Swifter Trials Flt (Jan–Jul 1960) * No 1564 Flt (1 May 1969 – 31 Mar 1970) * No 1 Sqn RAF Regiment USAAF
Ninth Air Force The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint De ...
units which used the airfield were: * 316th Troop Carrier Group, 10 December 1942–January 1943,
Douglas C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in ...
* 379th Bombardment Squadron, (
310th Bombardment Group 31 may refer to: * 31 (number) Years * 31 BC * AD 31 * 1931 CE ('31) * 2031 CE ('31) Music * ''Thirty One'' (Jana Kramer album), 2015 * ''Thirty One'' (Jarryd James album), 2015 * "Thirty One", a song by Karma to Burn from the album ''Wild, ...
), 2–26 November 1943,
North American B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in e ...
: Attached to No 235 Wing, Royal Air Force


Current use

The airbase is named after the Egyptian revolutionary
Gamal Abdel Nasser Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, . (15 January 1918 – 28 September 1970) was an Egyptian politician who served as the second president of Egypt from 1954 until his death in 1970. Nasser led the Egyptian revolution of 1952 and introduced far-re ...
, who served as President of Egypt. In 2013, the airport was officially reopened as Tobruk International Airport, with flights to
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
,
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
.


References


External links


Royal Air Force Airfield Creation for the Western Desert Campaign

RAF El Adem Station Crest
{{authority control Libyan Air Force bases Airports in Libya Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Libya World War II airfields in Libya Royal Air Force stations of World War II in Africa