Latitude 12°49'25"N Longitude 44°54'20"E

   

ACQUISITION

Lodger facility for an RN Air Section on RAF station.

Transferred to Admiralty for development as RNAS.

 

COMMISSIONED

As HMS RAPAX December 1944 accounts on 'books of SHEBA'

 

CLOSED

Unclear, but to Care & Maintenance post war

 

PAID OFF

June 1945 to Care & Maintenance until Mid 1950s

   

C.O./O.I.C.

 
   

FUNCTION

Support of 2 disembarked squadrons.

Reserve aircraft storage.

War Reserve airfield on Care & Maintenance basis post war.

 

ADDRESS

R.N. Air Section

R.A.F. Station Hiswa

Aden Protectorate

 

LOCALITY

The airfield is situated in flat, desert country, ½ mile from the NW. shore of Bandar Tawahi, and 5 miles WNW. of Steamer Point, Aden.

It lies 4 miles N. of Little Aden peninsular, and 2½ miles WSW. of the village of Hiswa.

 

LANDMARKS

The peninsular of Aden and Little Aden.

Wadi Al Kahir, with stretches of cultivated land along its banks, distant 2 miles ENE. running in a SSE. direction to the coast, at Hiswa.

The runways show up distinctly against surroundings.

 

ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS

Access by road to Sheikh Othman (distant 7 miles (R) ENE.), to Khor Maksar airfield 11 miles (R), to the town of Aden and to Steamer Point 16 miles (R). No railweay.

   
   

CONTROL

Control Building on S. side of landing area, 180 Yds. S,. of runway intersection.

 

ELEVATION

 23' above M.S.L.

 

RUNWAYS

Two, all weather, Gypsum laid on prepared ground with strips of cleared ground, 25 yards wide, on either side; the cleared strips are apt to become muddy after rain, which is very infrequent.

 

05/23 QDM. 045° -225° ....1970 x 50 yds. 
13/31 QDM. 125° -305° .... 2000 x 50 yds. 

 

TRACKS

40' perimeter track.

 

OBSTRUCTIONS

Navigation

Little Aden peak (1218'), distant  4 miles SSW. and Jabal Shamahan, Aden (1725'), distant 6½ miles ESE.

Circuit

None.

Approach

None.

 

APPROACH

No special approach recommended.

 

WIND INDICATOR

Two windsocks, to E. and to W. of runway intersection.

 

   
   

HOMING - VISUAL

By day

None.

By night

None.

 

HOMING--RADIO

D/F

VHF.

Beacons

None.

 

APPROACH - VISUAL

By day

None.

By night

Mobile beacon lights, paraffin flares, glim lamps, angle of glide indicators.

 

APPROACH - RADIO

None.

 

COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

M/F & H/F

6 transmitters, 6 receivers.

VH/F

2 transmitters, 2 receivers.

 

GROUND RADAR

None.

   
   

ACCOMMODATION

Temporary living quarters in bungalow huts, S. of landing area.

 

Capacity:

Officers:

99

Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings:

641

W.R.N.S. Officers:

None.

W.R.N.S.  Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings;

None.

 

ARMOURIES

To accommodate 2½ squadrons.

 

COMPASS BASE

One combined with A/C Radar test base.

 

DISPERSAL

Six hardstandings in storage hangar area.

 

HANGARS

On SW. and S. of landing area.

 

Number /Type

Size

Door Height

Door Width

4 x Mainhill

60' x 84'

17'

55'

2 x Bellman

175' x 95'

25'

87' 9"

 

MEDICAL

Sick Bay on airfield. R.A.F. Hospital at Steamer Point, Aden.

 

METEOROLOGICAL

Air Ministry provide Meteorological facilities.

 

Prevalent winds: September - April, ME. to E. May - August, variable.

Herat is intense at Middy.

The airfield lies outside the main dust storm area.

 

FUEL AND OIL

Aviation:

10,000 gallons, stored in drums.

M/T:

1,000 gallons, stored in drums

Oil :

Drum storage.

   

TEST BASE

A/C Radar base combined with Compass base.

 

TEST BUTT

Suitable for Cannon, under construction.

 

WORKSHOPS

One A.R.S. hangar (Callendar), E.R.S. and general workshops under construction.

 

EXPLOSIVES

Not known.

 

BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES

Mone.

   
   

Information taken from CB 4368 B. Admiralty Handbook of Naval Air Stations Aug. 45 and B.R. 1807 andbook of Royal Naval Air Stations Dec. 48 +amendment Mar 1952.

 

List of first and second line squadrons, station flight and other flying units based at this location

 
 

 

No recorded squadron use.


 

 

 

 

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

 

Click here for a list of Primary sources


Additional sources:

 

Admiralty Fleet Orders:

 

Confidential Admiralty Fleet Orders:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


View Larger Map

 

 

 

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raymond a smith
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Jan 2019
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raymond a smith (hayes) says...
There in 66/67 when it was R.A.F Tx site
Was Editor of Tx Express
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