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RAF station Aboukir was first utilised for Fleet Air Arm use during the Abyssinian cries of 1935 when the Baffins of 812 and Seals of 825 squadrons form HMS GLORIOUS were put ashore while the ship entered port at Alexandria. These were soon followed by squadrons from HMS COURAGEOUS which continued to visit the station through 1936.HMS FURIOUS disembarked squadrons at the start of 1937. Aircraft from these three Fleet Carriers were supported ashore at Aboukir until the outbreak of the Second World War when RAF Aboukir made space available for an R.N. Air Section to lodge on the site.
No. 711 (Catapult) Squadron moved here from RAF Kalafrana on August 19th 1939
to support its embarked flights when their ships were in Egyptian ports. This squadron was disbanded ion January 21st 1940 becoming No. 700 (Mediterranean) Squadron when all catapult Flights/Squadrons were combined into a single squadron. 700 Squadron was responsible for supporting all disembarked catapult flights in the Middle East, it moved to RAF St. Jean D'Acr8 in April 1942.
On New Year's Day 1941 805 was reformed as a Two Seater
Fighter Squadron equipped with 12 Fulmar Is but received
some Brewster Buffalo single seat fighters. After working up
the squadron moved to RNAS
Dekheila on February 5th. Squadrons from HMS ILLUSTRIOUS made use of the station during 1040, and HMS FURIOUS during 1941.
With the departure of &00 Squadron in April 1942 the RN Air Section was unused and was probably withdrawn later that year. Aboukir would only house one more FAA
unit, in February 1946 a communications flight, part of 775
Fleet Requirements Unit at RNAS
Dekheila began operating Oxfords from here. It was withdrawn on May 15th 1946.
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