Royal Air Force Heliopolis or more simply RAF Heliopolis is a former Royal Air Force station located to the east of Cairo City centre, Cairo Governorate, Egypt.
During World War I the aerodrome was operated by the British Royal Flying Corps, housing several squadrons as well as a training wing, and then the Royal Air Force, being designated RAF Heliopolis in April 1918. In the inter-war period it remained an active RAF base, housing several squadrons, including No. 208 Squadron RAF which was based there almost continuously from 1927 until 1942.
At the end of a training regime from January to mid-March 1942 (involving the handling of Italian and German weapons, sabotage and parachutism), the French SAS company executed a surprise mock attack against the aerodrome of Heliopolis without the knowledge of the garrison and its commander.
History
The following RAF squadrons were also here at some point:
- Detachment from No. 6 Squadron RAF between February and April 1941 with the Hawker Hurricane I
- Detachment from No. 11 Squadron RAF between May and June 1940 with the Bristol Blenheim I
- No. 14 Squadron RAF between 12 April and 1 May 1941 with the Blenheim IV
- No. 17 Squadron RAF between 18 December 1915 and 2 July 1916 with the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2C
- No. 30 Squadron RAF between 19 and 25 February 1942 with the Hurricane I
- No. 33 Squadron RAF between 29 September and 3 October 1938 with the Gloster Gladiator I
- No. 39 Squadron RAF between 7 and 13 May 1940 with Blenheim I
- No. 40 Squadron RAF between 13 and 20 January 1943 with the Vickers Wellington IC
- No. 45 Squadron RAF between 25 April and 21 October 1927 with the Airco DH.9A
- No. 55 Squadron RAF between 15 February and 10 March 1941 with the Blenheim IV
- No. 58 Squadron RAF between 2 May 1919 and 1 February 1920 with the Handley Page Type O/400 and the Vickers Vimy
- No. 64 Squadron RAF between 1 March and 9 April 1936 with the Hawker Demon
- No. 67 Squadron RAF between 12 September and 17 December 1916 with the B.E.2C and the Avro 504K
- No. 70 Squadron RAF between 1 February 1920 and 16 January 1922 with the HP 0/400
- No. 73 Squadron RAF between 30 November and 30 December 1940 with the Hurricane I
- Detachment from No. 80 Squadron RAF between November 1943 and January 1944 with the Spitfire IX
- No. 84 Squadron RAF between 24 September and 16 November 1940 with the Blenheim I
- No. 92 (East India) Squadron RAF between 30 April and 4 August 1942 without any aircraft
- No. 113 Squadron RAF between 11 May and 29 September 1938 with the Hawker Hind
- No. 173 Squadron RAF between 9 July 1942 and 29 February 1944 with multiple aircraft
- No. 206 Squadron RAF between 19 and 27 June 1919 with the DH.9
- No. 208 Squadron RAF between 27 October 1927 and 24 January 1936 with the Hawker Audax
- No. 211 Squadron RAF between 23 and 27 April 1941 with Blenheim I
- No. 216 Squadron RAF between 15 April 1921 and 7 October 1941 with multiple aircraft
- No. 267 Squadron RAF between 20 August 1940 and 18 August 1942 with multiple aircraft
- Detachment from No. 272 Squadron RAF between March and November 1942 with the Bristol Beaufighter IC
- Detachment from No. 417 Squadron RCAF between October 1942 and January 1943 with the Spitfire VC
- No. 451 Squadron RAAF between 27 January and 16 February 1942 with Hurricane I
Current use
After the Second World War, the site was turned into an army barracks then, turned into the Egyptian Air Force Headquarters.
See also
- List of former Royal Air Force stations
- List of North African airfields during World War II
References
- 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.
