RAF Petah Tiqva

RAF Petah Tiqva
Kfar Sirkin, Central District in Israel
RAF Petah Tiqva Shown within Israel
Coordinates	32°05′16″N 034°54′59″E
Type	Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Mediterranean and Middle East
Site history
Built	1941 (1941)
In use	1941 - 1948 (1948)
Airfield information
Elevation	33 metres (108 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 02/20 1,285 metres (4,216 ft) Asphalt 10/28 1,340 metres (4,396 ft) Asphalt 14/32 1,260 metres (4,134 ft) Asphalt

Royal Air Force Petah Tiqva better known as RAF Sirkin or Camp Sirkin is a former Royal Air Force station located northwest of Kfar Sirkin, Central District, Israel. After the end of their mandate over Palestine and the withdrawal of the British in May 1948, the airbase was taken over by the Israeli Air Force and served as their first Flight Academy until 1955.

Units

The following squadrons were here at some point:

• No. 6 Squadron RAF between 3 and 28 September 1945 with the Hawker Hurricane IV[1]
• No. 14 Squadron RAF between 7 July and 10 August 1941 with the Bristol Blenheim IV[2]
• No. 32 Squadron RAF between 27 September 1945 and 15 March 1946 with the Supermarine Spitfire IX[3]
• No. 208 Squadron RAF between 13 August 1945 and 12 March 1946 with the Spitfire IX[4]
• No. 651 Squadron RAF between 10 July 1946 and 28 April 1948 with the Taylorcraft Auster V[5]

Units:

• No. 74 Operational Training Unit RAF between 20 September 1943 and 16 July 1945 with the Hurricane, North American Harvard and Spitfire[6]
• No. 285 (Strategic Reconnaissance) Wing RAF between 2 September and 30 September 1945[7]
• No. 1906 AOP Flight RAF between 26 June and 24 July 1947 with the Auster V[8]
• No. 1907 AOP Flight RAF between 26 June and August 1947 with the Auster V[8]
• No. 1908 AOP Flight RAF initially between 31 December 1946 and 1 June 1947, then between 11 February and 28 April 1948 with the Auster V[8]
• No. 1909 AOP Flight RAF between 30 June and August 1947 with the Auster V[8]
• No. 1910 AOP Flight RAF between 11 February and 28 April 1948 with the Auster V[8]

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations

References

Citations

1. Jefford 1988, p. 26.
2. Jefford 1988, p. 28.
3. Jefford 1988, p. 36.
4. Jefford 1988, p. 69.
5. Jefford 1988, p. 102.
6. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 205.
7. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 302.
8. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 130.

Bibliography

• Jefford, C. G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
• Sturtivant, Ray; Hamlin, John (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.