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.
HOMING - VISUAL	By night	None.
HOMING--RADIO	D/F	VHF.
HOMING--RADIO	Beacons	None.
APPROACH - VISUAL	By day	None.
APPROACH - VISUAL	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.
COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT	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.