Martuba Airbase

Martuba Airbase is a Libyan Air Force (Arabic: القوات الجوية الليبية‎, Berber: Adwas Alibyan Ujnna) base in the Derna District of Libya, located approximately 27 kilometres (17 mi) south-southeast of Derna, and 268 kilometres (167 mi) east-northeast of Benghazi.

Martuba Airbase

Martuba Airport

Summary
Airport typeMilitary/Public
OwnerLibyan National Army
OperatorLibyan Air Force
LocationMartuba, Libya
Elevation AMSL1,235 ft / 376 m
Coordinates32°32′30″N 22°44′40″E
Map
DNF
Location in Libya
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
14/32 3,620 11,877 Asphalt
Source: GCM[1] WAC[2] Google Maps[3]

History

During World War II the airfield, then known as Martuba Airfield, was used as a military airfield by the United States Army Air Force 57th Fighter Group, during the North African Campaign against Axis forces. The 57th flew P-40 Warhawks from the airfield 16 November-3 December 1942.[4]

Following the British victory at El Alamein during the Second World War, the airfield at Maturba[5][6] saw heavy fighting in 1942,[7][8] as Rommel's Afrika Korps was pushed back from the Egyptian border.

Military use

The airbase's primary use is by the Libyan Air Force, which has two sections at the base. The first section contains the main buildings and the hangars that house Mil Mi-2 and Mil Mi-8 helicopters. The second section is the flight-line containing taxiways, a ramp, and a single runway. The runway has an additional 300 metres (980 ft) paved overrun on each end.

An Aeritalia G.222 is stored on the ramp, but this section of the base appears to be a reserve facility.

Civilian use

The site is also used for the transportation of oil field workers from production facilities in the area.

See also

References
  1. Airport information for Martubah Airport at Great Circle Mapper.
  2. "Martubah Airport". World Airport Codes. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  3. "Martubah Airport". Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  4.  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
  5. Roy Conyers Nesbit, The Armed Rovers: Beauforts and Beaufighters Over the Mediterranean p45-46.
  6. Frederick Grice, War's Nomads: A Mobile Radar Unit in Pursuit of Rommel during the Western (Casemate, 2015).p11.
  7. Christopher Shores, Giovanni Massimello, A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945: Volume 2: North African Desert, February 1942 - March 1943(Grub Street Publishing, 19 Jul. 2014).
  8. Ken Delve Delve, The Desert Air Force in World War II: Air Power in the Western Desert, 1940-1942 (Pen and Sword, 31 Mar. 2017).


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