RAF Sheikh Othman
| RAF Sheikh Othman RAF Unit Sheikh Othman[1] | |
|---|---|
| Sheikh Othman District, Aden, Aden Governorate in Yemen | |
Declassified satellite imagery of Sheikh Othman Airfield captured by KH-7 on 22 March, 1966. | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Royal Air Force station |
| Owner | Air Ministry |
| Operator | Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces |
| Controlled by | AHQ Aden |
| Location | |
RAF Sheikh Othman Shown within Yemen RAF Sheikh Othman RAF Sheikh Othman (Yemen) | |
| Coordinates | 12°52′44″N 44°58′03″E / 12.87889°N 44.96750°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1936 |
| In use | 1936-1950 |
| Battles/wars | Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II |
Royal Air Force RAF Sheikh Othman or more simply RAF Sheikh Othman, also known as Bir Fadhl Airfield, is a former Royal Air Force station located within Sheikh Othman District, Aden, Aden Governorate, Yemen.
History
RAF Sheikh Othman was established in 1936 and closed in 1950. By 1958, the former airfield's runways had become unserviceable due to prolonged inactivity.[2]
Units
The following units were here at some point:
- Detachment from No. 8 Squadron RAF between April 1939 and July 1940 with the Bristol Blenheim I[3]
- No. 11 Squadron RAF between 16 June and 1 December 1940 with the Blenheim I[4]
- No. 39 Squadron RAF between 13 May and 1 December 1940 with the Blenheim I[5]
- No. 41 Squadron RAF between 18 March and 11 August 1936 with the Hawker Demon[5]
- No. 94 Squadron RAF between 2 May 1939 and 19 April 1941 with the Gloster Gladiator I & II[6]
- No. 203 Squadron RAF between 15 February and 18 May 1940 with the Short Singapore III and the Blenheim I & IV[7]
- No. 73 Operational Training Unit RAF between 20 November 1941 and 30 November 1942 with the Curtiss Mohawk and Hawker Hurricane I[8]
- No. 3 (Middle East) Ferry Control RAF between 20 May 1942 and 1 February 1944[9]
- No. 30 Staging Post between 9 June 1942 and 1 June 1946[10]
- Fighter Defence Flight, Aden between 1 October 1942 and 31 January 1943 with the Hurricane I[11]
See also
References
- ^ "RAF Sheikh Othman". RAF WEB. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ "Clandestine Activity in Yemen" (PDF). CIA Reading Room. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 26.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 27.
- ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 38.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 52.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 68.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 205.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 109.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 256.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 113.
- 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.
- Sturtivant, Ray; Hamlin, John (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.