Sidi Haneish Airfield

Sidi Haneish Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield complex in Egypt, in the western desert, about 376 km (235 miles) west-northwest of Cairo.

TypeMilitary airfield complex

OperatorLuftwaffe
Royal Air Force
United States Army Air Forces

Coordinates

• 31°08′30″N 027°31′15″E (East Airfield)^[1]
• 31°08′30″N 027°31′10″E (West Airfield)^[2]

Built1941

Quick facts Site information, Type ...

Sidi Haneish Airfield
Haggag el Qasaba Flugplatz
Sidi Haneish in Egypt
Site information
Type	Military airfield complex
Operator	Luftwaffe Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces
Location
Sidi Haneish Shown within Egypt Show map of Egypt Sidi Haneish Sidi Haneish (Mediterranean) Show map of Mediterranean
Coordinates	31°08′30″N 027°31′15″E (East Airfield)[1] 31°08′30″N 027°31′10″E (West Airfield)[2]
Site history
Built	1941
In use	1941–42
Battles/wars	Western Desert Campaign

Close

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 (SAS). 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.^[3]

The airfield was later used by the United States Army Air Forces 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.