Sidi Haneish Airfield
Sidi Haneish Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield complex in Egypt, in the western desert, about 376 km west-northwest of Cairo.
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. 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.
The airfield was later used by the United States Army Air Forces United States [Air Forces Central Command|Ninth Air Force] during the Eastern Desert Campaign by the British Eighth Army, which the 57th Fighter Group, flew Curtiss 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
The LG-12 North site is given as –Units:
- No. 33 Squadron RAF
- No. 213 Squadron RAF
- No. 229 Squadron RAF
- No. 238 Squadron RAF
- No. 250 Squadron RAF
- No. 450 Squadron RAAF
Units:
- No. 73 Squadron RAF
- No. 80 Squadron RAF
- No. [92 Squadron RAF|No. 92 Squadron RAF]
- No. 145 Squadron RAF
- No. 238 Squadron RAF
- No. 250 Squadron RAF
- No. 274 Squadron RAF
- No. 335 Squadron RAF
- No. [601 Squadron RAuxAF|No. 601 Squadron AAF]
Units:
- No. 33 Squadron RAF
- No. 74 Squadron RAF
- No. [203 Squadron RAF]
- No. 213 Squadron RAF
- No. 238 Squadron RAF
- No. 250 Squadron RAF
- No. 260 Squadron RAF
- No. 450 Squadron RAAF
Units: