Oran Tafraoui Airport
| Oran Tafaraoui Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: TAF – ICAO: DAOL | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public/Military | ||
| Location | Algeria | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 367 ft / 112 m | ||
| Coordinates | 35°32′27.85″N 000°32′02.02″W / 35.5410694°N 0.5338944°W | ||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 26/08 | 9,037 | 2,738 | Asphalt |
| Source:World Aero Data [1] | |||
Oran Tafaraoui Airport is a joint civil/military airport in Oran Province, Algeria (IATA: TAF, ICAO: DAOL).
Contents |
[edit] World War II
During World War II, it was a primary mission objective of the United States Army 34th Infantry Division during the Allied Operation Torch landings on 8 November 1942, and became a major Twelfth Air Force base of operations during the North African Campaign against the German Afrika Korps.
Tafaraoui became a staging and transit point for many units:
- 11–20 November 1942 - 1st Fighter Group HQ and the 27th, 71st and 94th Fighter Squadrons, flying P-38 Lightnings, arrived then departed Tafaraoui.
- 14 November 1942 - HQ 14th Fighter Group, HQ 62d Troop Carrier Group, and the 4th and 7th Troop Carrier Squadrons arrive at Tafaraoui with C-47 Skytrains
- 16 November 1942 - 8th Troop Carrier Squadron, 62d Troop Carrier Group, arrive at Tafaraoui from the UK with C-47s; the 111th and 154th Observation Squadrons, 68th Observation Group, moves from St Leu to Tafaraoui with A-20s
- 17 November 1942 - 437th and 438th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 319th Bombardment Group (Medium), move from Saint-Leu to Tafaraoui with B-26s.
- November 42 - HQ 319th Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 439th, and 440th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move from St Leu to Tafaraoui with B-26 Marauders; "A" flight of the air echelon of the 15th Photographic Mapping Squadron, 3d Photographic Group, arrives at Tafaraoui with B-17 Flying Fortresses and F-4s (B-17 photo reconnaissance aircraft).
The new desert Spitfires of the 31st Fighter Group were also assigned to Tafaraoui. Other aircraft at the field included P-38s of the 14th, B-26s, B-25 Mitchells, A-20 Havocs, Gen. Doolittle's B-17-G, some {Amiat} French bombers around, and some old wrecks fixed up as dummies.
[edit] References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
[edit] External links
- Accident history for TAF at Aviation Safety Network
- Airport information for DAOL at Great Circle Mapper.
- Current weather for DAOL at NOAA/NWS
[edit] References
Airport information for DAOL at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.
