RAF Nicosia
Encyclopedia
The former Royal Air Force Station Nicosia, commonly known as RAF Nicosia, was a Royal Air Force
airbase
in Cyprus
. RAF Nicosia was Headquarters
Royal Air Force Cyprus from 8 June to 29 July 1941
Originally, it was the main principal airport
for Cyprus
, being constructed in the 1930s as RAF Nicosia, and supported both civil and military aviation on the island. The RAF disestablished the station in 1966.
The airport is still owned by the UK Ministry of Defence
, but is controlled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
and is used by United Nations
peace-keeping patrol helicopter
s.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
airbase
Airbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. RAF Nicosia was Headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
Royal Air Force Cyprus from 8 June to 29 July 1941
Originally, it was the main principal airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
for Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, being constructed in the 1930s as RAF Nicosia, and supported both civil and military aviation on the island. The RAF disestablished the station in 1966.
The airport is still owned by the UK Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
, but is controlled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus was established in 1964 to prevent a recurrence of fighting between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and a return to normal conditions...
and is used by United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
peace-keeping patrol helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s.
RAF Nicosia squadrons and aircraft
- No. 6 Squadron RAFNo. 6 Squadron RAFNo. 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 at RAF Leuchars.It was previously equipped with the Jaguar GR.3 in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles, and was based at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk until April 2006, moving to RAF Coningsby until...
- operating Spitfire (Oct. 1946); de Havilland VenomDe Havilland VenomThe de Havilland DH 112 Venom was a British postwar single-engined jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Vampire. It served with the Royal Air Force as a single-seat fighter-bomber and two-seat night fighter....
(from Aug. 1955)??? - No. 8 Squadron RAF - operating Auster AOP6 (from Jul. 1950); de Haviland Vampire (from Jul. 1953)
- No. 29 Squadron RAFNo. 29 Squadron RAFNo. 29 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was first raised in 1915, and is one of the world's oldest fighter squadrons. The second British squadron to receive the Eurofighter Typhoon, it is currently the Operational Conversion Unit for the RAF's newest fighter.-Service in World War I:This unit was...
- operating Gloster JavelinGloster JavelinThe Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
(from Mar. 1963) - No. 32 Squadron RAF - operating English Electric CanberraEnglish Electric CanberraThe English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
B2 - No. 33 Squadron RAFNo. 33 Squadron RAFNo. 33 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Puma HC.1 from RAF Benson, Oxfordshire.-Current role:The squadron is part of the RAF Support Helicopter force, which reports into the Joint Helicopter Command....
- operating Gloster Javelin FAW7 - No. 39 Squadron RAFNo. 39 Squadron RAFNo. 39 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the MQ-9 Reaper since 2007, operating from Creech AFB, Nevada, USA.-World War I:39 Squadron was founded at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome in April 1916 with B.E.2s and Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12s in an attempt to defend against German Zeppelin raids on...
- operating Gloster MeteorGloster MeteorThe Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
NF13 - No. 43 Squadron RAFNo. 43 Squadron RAFNo. 43 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron originally formed in 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps. It last operated the Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars, Scotland in the air defence role until disbanded in July 2009.-In World War I:...
- operating Hawker HunterHawker HunterThe Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
FGA 9 (from Jun. 1961) - No. 70 Squadron RAF - operating Vickers ValettaVickers Valetta|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1....
C1, Handley Page Hastings - No. 73 Squadron RAFNo. 73 Squadron RAF-World War I:It was initially a unit of the Royal Flying Corps and was formed out of the Central Flying School, based at Upavon, Wiltshire. Eight days after, the new unit moved to Lilbourne, near Rugby....
- operating de Havilland Venom FB4 - No. 74 Squadron RAFNo. 74 Squadron RAFNo. 74 Squadron RAF, also known as a "Tiger Squadron" from its tiger head motif, is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It operated fighter aircraft from 1917 to the 1990s.-First World War:...
- operating Spitfire V, later Mk IX (from Sep. 1943) - No. 80 Squadron RAFNo. 80 Squadron RAFNo. 80 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1969. It was operative during both World War I and World War II.-Establishment and early service:...
- operating Hurricane MkI (from Jun. 1941) - No. 84 Squadron RAFNo. 84 Squadron RAFNo. 84 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is at present a Search and Rescue Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri, it uses the Bell Griffin HAR.2 helicopter. It is currently part of the RAF's Search and Rescue Force-History:...
- operating Vickers Valetta C1 - No. 103 Squadron RAFNo. 103 Squadron RAFNo. 103 Squadron was a Royal Air Force bomber squadron during World War I, World War II and the Cold War, switching to helicopters in the late 1950s until it was disbanded for the last time in 1975.-Formation in World War I:...
- operating Bristol SycamoreBristol Sycamore-See also:-External links:* on the Bristol Sycamore* on the Bristol Sycamore*...
HC1 - No. 114 Squadron RAFNo. 114 Squadron RAF-Formation and World War I:No. 114 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed In Lahore, India on 27 Sep 1917. It was equipped with the B.E.2 and Bristol F2B and operated on the North-West Frontier...
- operating Vickers Valetta C1, de Havilland Chipmunk T10 - No. 185 Squadron RAFNo. 185 Squadron RAFNo. 185 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed in World War I and reformed as a bomber and fighter unit in World War II. It then reformed in Malta in the post war period as a jet fighter squadron.-Formation and World War I:No...
- operating ??? - No. 202 Squadron RAFNo. 202 Squadron RAFNo. 202 Squadron of the Royal Air Force presently operates the Sea King HAR.3 in the Search and rescue role at three stations in the northern half of the United Kingdom. It was originally formed as one of the first aeroplane squadrons of the RNAS before it became part of the RAF.-Formation and...
- operating Hawker Hunter F6 - No. 208 Squadron RAFNo. 208 Squadron RAFNo 208 Squadron is at present a reserve unit of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Valley, Anglesey, Wales. It operates the BAe Hawk aircraft.-World War I:...
- operating ??? - No. 213 Squadron RAFNo. 213 Squadron RAFNo. 213 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. The squadron was formed on 1 April 1918 from No. 13 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service...
- operating ??? - No. 230 Squadron RAFNo. 230 Squadron RAFNo. 230 Squadron is an RAF squadron, currently based at RAF Benson.The squadron was part of Royal Air Force Germany, operating the Puma HC.1 there from 1980. Following the drawdown at the end of the Cold War, the squadron disbanded on 30 April 1992...
- operating Scottish Aviation PioneerScottish Aviation Pioneer-External links:* *...
CC1 - No. 234 Squadron RAFNo. 234 Squadron RAFNo. 234 Squadron RAF had a long career within the RAF, being operational on flying boats in World War I and on fighter aircraft in World War II. After the war it remained a fighter unit till 1957. In its last incarnation the squadron was in turn Operational Training Unit , Tactical Weapon Unit and...
- operating ??? - No. 249 Squadron RAFNo. 249 Squadron RAFNo. 249 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active in the sea-patrol, fighter and bomber roles during its existence.-First formation:...
- operating de Havilland Venom FB1 - No. 256 Squadron RAFNo. 256 Squadron RAFNo. 256 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II. It operated Defiant Mk IIs out of RAF Squires Gate in the night defence of Liverpool....
- operating ??? - No. 284 Squadron RAFNo. 284 Squadron RAF-History:No. 284 Squadron was formed at RAF Gravesend, England on the 7 May 1943 from detachments of other air-sea rescue squadrons as an air-sea rescue squadron. The squadron moved to RAF Hal Far, Malta in July 1943. The squadron was equipped with the Supermarine Walrus and was responsible for...
- operating Bristol Sycamore HR14 - No. 603 Squadron RAFNo. 603 Squadron RAFNo. 603 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The primary role of 603 Squadron, since reforming on 1 October 1999, has been as a Survive to Operate squadron, as well as providing Force Protection.-Formation and early years:No...
- operating ??? - No. 2 Squadron RAF RegimentRAF RegimentThe Royal Air Force Regiment is a specialist airfield defence corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942. After a 32 week trainee gunner course, its members are trained and equipped to prevent a successful enemy attack in the first instance; minimise the damage caused by a successful attack; and...
- No. 21 Squadron RAF Regiment
- No. 26 Squadron RAF Regiment
- No. 27 Squadron RAF Regiment
- No. 29 Squadron RAF Regiment
- No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment
- No. 37 Squadron RAF Regiment
- No. 14 Squadron RNZAFNo. 14 Squadron RNZAF14 Squadron RNZAF was a squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.- New Zealand fighters before 1941 :Until World War II, New Zealand's air force concentrated on training, transport and maritime attack. The vast distance of the Pacific Ocean seemed a defence against attack by air...
- operating de Haviland Vampire (1952-55)
External links
See also
- Royal Air Force station
- List of RAF stations
- List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
- List of aircraft of the RAF
- Nicosia International AirportNicosia International AirportNicosia International Airport is a largely disused airport located to the west of the Cypriot capital city of Nicosia. It was originally the main airport for the island, but commercial activity ceased following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974...