# RAF Khormaksar

Royal Air Force Khormaksar or more simply RAF Khormaksar is a former Royal Air Force station in Aden, Yemen. Its motto was "Into the Remote Places". During the 1960s, it was the base for nine squadrons and became the RAF's busiest-ever station as well as the biggest staging post for the RAF between the United Kingdom and Singapore.
It later became Aden International Airport.

## History

Established in 1917, RAF Khormaksar was enlarged in 1945 as the British spread their influence deeper into the Arabian Peninsula. No. 8 Squadron RAF arrived in 1927, and stayed until 1945, operating the Fairey IIIF, Vickers Vincent, Hawker Demon, Martin Maryland, Fairey Swordfish, and the Lockheed Hudson.
On 10 June 1940, Italy declared war on Britain and France, and Aden quickly became an important British base for the East African Campaign. Khormaksar launched its first combat sorties three days later, when 8 Squadron sent nine Bristol Blenheims to bomb an airfield at Assab in Italian Eritrea, across the Red Sea from Aden on 12 June. Five Vincents attacking the same airfield that night. On 5 August 1940, Italy invaded British Somaliland, and 8 Squadron's Blenheims flew missions against advancing Italian troop columns. The Italians heavily outnumbered the British and Commonwealth defences, and the port of Berbera, immediately south of Aden across the Gulf of Aden, was occupied by the Italians on 19 August.
After December 1941, the station became a stopover and refueling point for the USAAF Air Transport Command. 8 Squadron continued to be based at Khormaksar equipped with Blenheims. The squadron flew Vickers Wellington XIIIs were flown from December 1943 until May 1945.
In 1943 a Communication Squadron, HQ British Forces Aden Communication Squadron, was established here. It changed names twice in 1951 and 1955 before being disbanded in 1956.
In 1958, a state of emergency was declared in Aden as Yemeni forces occupied nearby Jebel Jehaf and RAF squadrons were involved in action in support of the British Army. In the 1960s, during operations around Rhadfan, the station reached a peak of activity, becoming overcrowded and attracting ground attacks by rebels. In 1966, the newly elected Labour government in the United Kingdom announced that all forces would be withdrawn by 1968.
In May 1967, it was expected that planned final force levels at Khormaksar ahead of the January 1968 withdrawal would be:
   *The Army element, comprising Tactical Headquarters Aden Brigade, one commando, one battalion, one armoured car troop, one light artillery troop, one engineer troop and elements of the small Joint Headquarters. Total of some 1,150 personnel.
   *The RAF element, comprising a squadron of Hunters and a Wessex flight (both with servicing support parties), a visiting aircraft servicing party, the Communications Centre, elements of an ATOC, movements, airfield services and elements of the Joint Headquarters. Total of some 350 personnel.
Khormaksar played a role in the evacuation of British families from Aden in the summer of 1967. The station closed on 29 November 1967.

## Units and aircraft
### Inter war years and Second World War

| Unit | Dates | Aircraft | Variant | Notes |
| No. 8 Squadron RAF | 27 February 1927 - 1 May 1945 | Fairey IIIVickers VincentHawker DemonBristol BlenheimMartin MarylandFairey SwordfishLockheed HudsonVickers Wellington | F.IIIIVIXIII | Disbanded |
| No. 12 Squadron RAF | 20 October 1935 - 25 November 193523 March 1936 - 18 May 193628 July 1936 - 11 August 1936 | Hawker Hart | I | Moved to RAF RobatMoved to RAF RobatMoved to RAF Andover |
| No. 41 Squadron RAF | 20 October 1935 - 18 March 1936 | Hawker Demon | I | Moved to RAF Sheikh Othman |
| No. 94 Squadron RAF | 26 March 1939 - 2 May 1939 | Gloster Gladiator | I & II | Moved to RAF Sheikh Othman |
| No. 114 Squadron RAF | 23 September 1945 - 1 May 1946 | Douglas Bostonde Havilland Mosquito | VVI | Reduced to a Cadre |
| No. 203 Squadron RAF | 18 May 1940 - 16 April 1941 | Bristol Blenheim | IV | Moved to RAF Kabrit |
| No. 216 Squadron RAF | 27 November 1942 - 15 July 1945 | Lockheed HudsonDouglas Dakota | VII | Detached from RAF Cairo West |
| No. 244 Squadron RAF | 17 March 1944 - 1 May 1945 | Vickers Wellington | XIII | Detached from RAF Masirah |
| No. 259 Squadron RAF | 14 September 1943 - 1 May 1945 | Consolidated Catalina | IB | Detached from RAF Dar es Salaam |
| No. 265 Squadron RAF | 1 April 1943 - 1 May 1945 | Consolidated Catalina | IB | Detached from RAF Diego Suarez |
| No. 459 Squadron RAAF | 1 July 1942 - 5 April 1944 | Lockheed Hudson | III | Detached from LG227 and LG143 |
| No. 621 Squadron RAF | 5 December 1943 - 12 November 1945 | Vickers Wellington | XIII & XIV | Moved to RAF Mersah Matruh |

### Cold War

| Unit | Dates | Aircraft | Variant | Notes |
| No. 8 Squadron RAF | 1 September 1946 - 14 August 1950 | de Havilland MosquitoHawker TempestBristol BrigandAvro AnsonAuster | FB.6F.6B.1C.19AOP.6 | Moved to RAF Nicosia |
| No. 8 Squadron RAF | 25 September 1950 - 31 May 1951 | Bristol BrigandAvro AnsonAuster | B.1C.19AOP.6 | Moved to RAF Shaibah |
| No. 8 Squadron RAF | 8 September 1951 - 23 February 1952 | Bristol BrigandAvro AnsonAuster | B.1C.19AOP.6 | Moved to RAF Nicosia |
| No. 8 Squadron RAF | 9 April 1952 - 7 July 1953 | Bristol Brigandde Havilland Vampire | B.1FB.9 | Moved to RAF Nicosia |
| No. 8 Squadron RAF | 23 November 1953 - 24 July 1956 | de Havilland Vampirede Havilland Venom | FB.9FB.1 & FB.4 | Moved to RAF Habbaniyah |
| No. 8 Squadron RAF | 20 December 1956 - 30 June 1961 | de Havilland VenomGloster MeteorHawker Hunter | FB.1 & FB.4FR.9FGA.9 & FR.10 | Moved to RAF Bahrain |
| No. 8 Squadron RAF | 14 October 1961 - 8 August 1967 | Hawker Hunter | FGA.9 & FR.10 | Moved to RAF Masirah |
| No. 21 Squadron RAF | 1 June 1965 – 9 September 1967 | Scottish Aviation Twin PioneerDouglas DakotaHawker Siddeley Andover | CC.1ICC.2 | Disbanded |
| No. 26 Squadron RAF | 1 March 1963 – 30 November 1965 | Bristol Belvedere | HC.1 | Disbanded |
| No. 37 Squadron RAF | 21 August 1957 – 7 September 1967 | Avro Shackleton | MR.2 | Disbanded |
| No. 43 Squadron RAF | 1 March 1963 – 7 November 1967 | Hawker Hunter | FGA.9 | Disbanded |
| No. 73 Squadron RAF | 30 July - 21 December 1956 | de Havilland Venom | FB.1 | Moved to RAF Nicosia |
| No. 78 Squadron RAF | 15 April 1956 – 13 October 1967 | Scottish Aviation PioneerScottish Aviation Twin PioneerPercival PembrokeWestland Wessex | CC.1CC.1C.1HC.2 | Moved to RAF Sharjah |
| No. 84 Squadron RAF | 31 December 1956 – 3 September 1967 | Vickers ValettaBristol SycamorePercival PembrokeBlackburn BeverleyHawker Siddeley Andover | C.1HR.14C.1C.1C.1 | Moved to RAF Sharjah |
| No. 105 Squadron RAF | 15 June 1962 – 6 August 1967 | Armstrong Whitworth Argosy | C.1 | Moved to RAF Muharraq |
| No. 208 Squadron RAF | 26 March - August 1956 (Det)15 November - 30 November 196130 November - 9 December 1961 (Det)9 December 1961 - 8 June 1964 | Gloster MeteorHawker HunterHunterHunter | FR.9FGA.9FGA.9FGA.9 | Sqn at RAF AkrotiriMoved to RAF EastleighSqn at RAF EastleighDet at RAF Muharraq |
| No. 233 Squadron RAF | 1 September 1960 – 31 January 1964 | Vickers Valetta | C.1 | Disbanded |
| No. 683 Squadron RAF | 18 December 1951 - 10 June 1952 | Avro LancasterVickers Valetta | PR.1C.1 | Moved to RAF Habbaniyah |

### Units

| Unit | Dates | Aircraft | Variant | Notes |
| No. 1417 Flight RAF | 1958 – 19601 March 1963 – 8 September 1967 | Gloster MeteorHawker Hunter | FR.9FR.10 / T.7 | Reabsorbed into No. 8 Squadron RAF |
| Aden Communication Squadron RAF | 1 December 1951 – 1 September 1955 | Various | Various | Became Aden Protectorate Communication and Support Squadron RAF |
| Aden Protectorate Communication and Support Squadron RAF | 1 September 1955 – 31 December 1956 | Various | Various | Redesignated No. 84 Squadron RAF |
| Headquarters British Forces Aden Communications Flight RAF | 21 March 1943 – 1 January 1944 January 1946 - 1 December 1951 | Various | Various | Became Aden Communication Squadron |
| Aden Communication Unit RAF | 1 January 1944 - January 1946 | Various | Various | Reverted back to the HQ British Forces Aden Communications Flight RAF |
| No. 131 Maintenance Unit | 9 March 1942 - 1 November 1945 1 November 1958 - 31 August 1967 | Blackburn BeverleyArmstrong Whitworth ArgosyScottish Aviation aircraftBristol Belvedere | Various | Aircraft Repair & General Engineering Sections |
| Search and Rescue Flight RAF, Khormaksar | 13 June 1958 - 1 July 1967 | Bristol SycamoreWestland Whirlwind | HR.14HAR.2/HAR.4 | Disbanded |