Lod Airbase

Lod Air Force Base

Air Force Base 27

RAF Lydda
Lod Air Force Base; Air Force Base 27; ; RAF Lydda;
	IATA: none; ICAO: none;
Summary
Airport type	Military
Operator	Royal Air Force; Israeli Air Force
Location	Israel
Built	1940
In use	1940–1948 RAF Use; 1948–2008 Israeli Use
Coordinates	32°00′41″N 034°53′18″E / 32.01139°N 34.88833°E
Map
	Lod Air Force Base Location in Israel
Runways

Lod Air Force Base, also Air Force Base 27, was an Israeli Air Force airfield that was part of the Ben Gurion International Airport, located approximately 7 km (4 mi) north of Lod; 8 km (5 mi) east-southeast of Tel Aviv.

From 1940 to 1948 it was known as RAF Station Lydda while under British Royal Air Force control.

History

Before the Israeli declaration of independence, the airfield was a British installation known as RAF Station Lydda — a Royal Air Force station in Palestine between 1943 and 1948.

The Wilhelma Airport, built in 1936, was used by the Allies during the Second World War becoming RAF Lydda on 1 March 1943. After the Israeli declaration of independence, it became an IAF airfield and the only international airport of the new state of Israel. The airfield military base officially closed down on 2 August 2008, after its last units moved to Nevatim. On the same airfield the Ben Gurion International Airport is still operating as the main airport of Israel.

RAF Operational units

No. 14 Squadron RAF (1941) Bristol Blenheim IV
No. 33 Squadron RAF detachment (1938) Gloster Gladiator
No. 55 Squadron RAF detachment (1942) Martin Baltimore
No. 134 Squadron RAF (1942) Supermarine Spitfire VB
No. 162 Squadron RAF detachment (1942) Bristol Blenheim V
No. 203 Squadron RAF detachment (1941) Bristol Blenheim IV
No. 211 Squadron RAF (1941) Bristol Blenheim I
No. 294 Squadron RAF detachment (1944) Vickers Wellington
No. 459 Squadron RAAF (1942–1943) Lockheed Hudson III
No. 1413 (Meteorological) Flight RAF (1942–1943 and 1945)

Between July and November, 1942, the US Army, Middle East Air Force (USAMEAF) operated B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator aircraft from RAF Lydda. These aircraft were reassigned to Egypt in November.

References

Citations

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Bibliography

Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF (Retd). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.

History

RAF Operational units

See also

References

Citations

Bibliography