South Atlantic air ferry route in World War II
Encyclopedia
The South Atlantic air ferry route was an air route established in July 1941. It was used initially by Army Air Corps Ferrying Command to deliver Lend-Lease
aircraft to British
forces in Egypt
who were engaged in the Western Desert Campaign
.
After the United States' entry into World War II, it was expanded into a series of connecting air routes, which were used to ferry aircraft and transport equipment and personnel throughout the Eurasia
n and Africa
n continents from the United States. The route was used as an alternate Air Route to ferry aircraft to Great Britain
when weather closed the North Atlantic Route. It was later extended though the Middle East
into Iran
to send Lend-Lease aircraft to the Soviet Union
, and into India
, to transport equipment, key personnel and aircraft into China
to aid the Nationalist government of the Republic of China
in the Second Sino-Japanese War
against the Japanese Empire. The route also extended into Central and Southern Africa.
from Northern Europe after the Battle of Dunkirk
, the next major land battle between the Axis powers
and the United Kingdom
erupted in North Africa
in September with the Fascist Italian invasion of Egypt
from Libya
. The Italian offensive was halted and, in December 1940, the British made a counterattack. What started as a five-day raid turned into Operation Compass
, resulting in massive losses for the Italian forces. The Italian's Axis partner, Nazi Germany
, provided Afrika Korps
, a contingent of ground and air forces, to prevent a total collapse, and Germany became the dominant partner.
The Italian-German threat to the security of the Suez Canal
was critical to the British, and great efforts were made to collect sufficient transport ships to convey forces from Britain to Egypt to support the Eighth Army
and the Desert Air Force
. The British realized the strategic importance of maintaining control of the Suez Canal and Malta
, while Hitler saw the war in North Africa as a diversion from his main goal of conquering the Soviet Union
. With both Italian submarines and German U-Boats operating in the Mediterranean Sea
, the only relatively secure method of transport was sailing south from Britain around the Cape of Good Hope
and then north past Madagascar
into the Red Sea
.
At the August 1941 Atlantic Conference
, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
pressed United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt
for aid to support the Commonwealth
forces engaged against the German Afrika Korps and set into motion a series of events that were to provide an American-pioneered, American-supplied and American-maintained trans-Atlantic air route between the United States and Africa. The air route was then extended across Central Africa and north to the Nile Delta
in Egypt, providing a relatively fast method of resupply to the Commonwealth forces.
The job of getting Lend-Lease planes to the British was given the Air Corps, General Arnold found that neither military nor civilian crews with the necessary experience were immediately available. The few experienced Army crews could not be spared; and the country had long since been combed for civilian pilots and navigators for the North Atlantic ferrying service.
Rather than ship the planes by water, the ferrying job was turned over to Pan American Airways, whose experience in the development of commercial airlines through Latin American already had been turned to advantage in the effort to extend and strengthen hemisphere defenses. As early as November 1940, Pan American had been made the agent of the United States government in carrying out the so-called Airport Development Program (ADP) for the construction and improvement of airports on foreign territory throughout the Caribbean area, Central America, and Brazil, as well as in Liberia. Ferrying operations over the South Atlantic route had begun in June 1941 when Atlantic Airways, Ltd., a Pan American Airways subsidiary corporation organized especially for the job, undertook to deliver twenty transport-type aircraft to the British in western Africa.
It was, however, just the beginning of a network of air routes that eventually encompassed two-thirds of the Earth.
activities in the Caribbean
and near the Panama Canal
in 1918. Two agreements with the British provided for significant United States force deployment to a number of British bases in the Caribbean area, the 1940 Destroyers for Bases agreement and the 1941 Lend-Lease
act. As a result of these agreements, United States military forces moved into Bermuda
, the Bahamas, Jamaica
, Antigua
, St. Lucia, Trinidad
, and British Guiana
. Military survey teams moved into these areas and construction proceeded in the expansion of existing British facilities and construction of new ones. The Trinidad and British Guiana bases became major stopping points for transient aircraft, bridging the 2,000 miles that separated Puerto Rico
from Belem, Brazil, the northernmost base in that country capable of handling heavy traffic. Other bases used principally for defense but provided emergency landing fields for transient aircraft were constructed through Pan American Airlines agencies in Cuba
, Haiti
, the Dominican Republic
, and Venezuela
.
The United States and Britain were interested primarily in the ferrying service. Thus, when President Roosevelt announced publicly on 18 August 1941 that the agreements with Pan American had been concluded, stress was placed on the importance of speeding delivery of aircraft to the British. Not until after the United States entered the war, and acquired thereby heavy military commitments of its own that the route went far beyond the prewar lend-lease obligations, did the South Atlantic transport service assume outstanding importance as a support to combat operations. At its inception, transport use of the route was considered merely an adjunct to ferrying.
. Further, the United States was faced with nations in Latin America with non-democratic governments that had strong ties to Germany. Without exception, all South America
n nations and some in Central America
receive arms supplies from Germany during the late 1930s, and some acquired modern German-made aircraft. In addition, a number of Latin American countries had large German immigrant populations, many of whom were prominent in economic and political matters. In Brazil
, for example, entire regions were dominated by expatriate Germans, giving rise to fears that Germany would establish secret military facilities there.
These fears resulted in strenuous United States diplomatic efforts, involving both inducements and threats throughout Latin America to forestall military connections by these nations with the Axis powers. Under some pressure, almost all Latin American nations complied with these efforts, although in some cases not without serious internal political struggles, and in most cases only in exchange for military supplies to supplant those they would otherwise have received from Germany. This came at a time when the United States armed forces were struggling to arm themselves, not to mention those of Britain.
The main United States concern, was to develop a staging network of airfields in Brazil to allow the ferrying of aircraft from South Florida, to supplant already controlled facilities in the [Caribbean. Negotiations with Brazil resulted in the use of a number of civil airports and the use of port facilities in the northeastern promontory. This was a case of Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor Policy
" paying practical dividends, with Brazil permitting American aircraft of all types, whether manned by military or civilian crews, to fly over her territory or land at bases on her soil. Surveying teams from the United States were sent and assessed the availability of the existing facilities in terms of runway lengths, as well as repair and refueling facilities.
Panair do Brasil, a Pan American subsidiary, had undertaken at Belem
and Natal
the development with ADP funds of facilities destined to serve as major ferrying and transport bases along the South Atlantic route. With the opening of an air base on Ascension Island
in July 1942, the ocean crossing was divided into two fairly easy stages and ceased to be a serious operational problem The base on Ascension Island was located on British territory.
The South Atlantic Division developed additional transport and ferrying routes within Brazil that ferried aircraft south along the Atlantic coast to Bahia
and Rio de Janeiro
. Transport routes also connected Montevideo, Uruguay
and Asunción, Paraguay
.
to acquire staging airfields to transit ferried aircraft from Brazil through British Colonies in Central Africa
en route to the Middle East
. Liberia, having a long relationship with the United States, made available a number of airports and port facilities. Monrovia
became a key staging point on the route from Brazil, which continued onto Egypt
.
in Eastern Africa, but after 7 December 1941 the service was extended to Cairo
and beyond.
The Trans-Africa route had been pioneered by the British in the immediate prewar years, and at the outbreak of the war Imperial Airways
maintained a regular transport service over the run between Khartoum in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
and Lagos
on the Nigeria
n coast. Coastal bases had been constructed at Bathurst
, Gambia, Freetown, Sierra Leone, and at Takoradi and Accra
in the Gold Coast Colony. Across the waist of Africa, airfields had been cut from the jungle or laid out on the desert at Kano
and Maiduguri
in Nigeria
, at Fort Lamy in French Equatorial Africa
, and at El Geneina, El Fasher, and El Obeid
in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. With the loss of the French fleet in 1940 and the growing activity in the spring of 1941 of German air forces based on Sicily
, the British line of air and water communications with Egypt by way of the Mediterranean was virtually closed. Fortunately, the existence of the Trans-African air route enabled the British to avoid shipping aircraft by water all the way around Africa and up through the Red Sea
to Egypt. A large base and an assembly plant were developed at Takoradi, and here fighter and bomber aircraft, waterborne from Britain, were assembled, tested, and then ferried across Africa to Cairo. Beginning in the fall of 1940, British ferry pilots began moving Hawker Hurricane
s and Bristol Blenheim
s along this route. The ferrying operation demanded also a transport service for returning.
Initially, the 27th AAF Ferrying Wing, later the ATC Central African Wing, was responsible for moving aircraft, personnel and cargo from West Africa
n transport hubs over the Trans-Africa Route via Khartoum (Sudan) to Cairo, Egypt and to Aden
, South Arabia and on to Karachi
, India
. This was discontinued when the route along the coast of West Africa from Dakar
, Senegal
to French Morocco
became available in 1943.
on the Central African Route the route divided. Multi-engined long-range capable India
-bound planes were sent either across southern Arabia by way of Aden
to Karachi
. Single-engined fighters were sent up through Cairo
, RAF Habbaniya
, and Basra
to the Karachi gateway following a former British Imperial Airways
route that was established in the early 1930s that linked India with Egypt
.
Once in Cairo, Lend-lease planes for the Soviet Union
were ferried from Cairo to Tehran
, Iran
where they were turned over to Soviet flyers for onward shipment to Russia via Baku
. ATC later operated the Eastern Mediterranean Route via RAF Lydda
in British-Mandated Palestine and Beirut
, Lebanon
, to Adana, Turkey. A ferrying route from Cairo was also established to Naples, Italy after its seizure from Fascist Italian forces, which allowed replacement aircraft to be ferried to Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force
s in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
. (MTO). The southern route to Karachi through Aden was closed in late 1943 with the opening of the North African route through French Morocco
and Algeria
, with units in Aden, Ethiopia, Arabia and Karthoum being reassigned to the Middle East Wing; Cairo and the stations on the Northern Route were reassigned to the North African Route.
Aircraft bound for India and China
were sent south along a connecting route at RAF Habbaniya that linked Basara, Iraq with Karachi, India along the Persian Gulf
coast. The initial B-29 Superfortress
units in India were ferried along this route.
Although aircraft ferrying to India over the southern route was halted, the route between Cairo and Aden remained open as a transport route as part of the North African Division, and was also used to ferry aircraft to and from the Technical Services Command depot at Asmara, Ethiopia from Cairo. The facility in Ethiopia was originally set up in secret during 1941 to provide depot-level maintenance for Lend-Lease aircraft being used by the British in Egypt, however the location at the Horn of Africa
allowed reconnaissance aircraft to monitor approaches into the Red Sea
and spot any U-Boats or Japanese submarines operating in the Northern Indian Ocean
south of Arabia.
in the Belgian Congo
for the transport of uranium
to the United States. This route was later extended to Pretoria
, South Africa
via Elizabethville, Belgian Congo for the transport of strategic minerals available in South Africa.
The Congo route, as it became known, also took the form of an alternate ferrying route into the Middle East with a connection into Nairobi, Kenya to Khartoum. In the dark days of 1942 this alternate route offered insurance against loss of the central African airway, but the rising fortunes of Allied military operations soon robbed it of value. Even before the fall of Tunisia in the spring of 1943, the Congo route no longer possessed military significance
invasion of French West Africa
and Algeria
as early as 10 October 1942, four weeks before the launching of the attack.
French West Africa was by no means easy of air approach. From British bases in the north, General Dwight D. Eisenhower
would move down most of the aircraft employed in the initial stages of the attack, but for several reasons this route was unsatisfactory for maintaining continued air communications on a large scale with the Allied forces. While it extended only 1,300 miles from southern Britain
to Casablanca
and Oran
, aircraft had to fly dangerously close to the German-occupied French
coast and had to steer clear of the Spanish
and Portuguese
coasts. Enemy interception was a constant threat, foul weather was commonplace, and the Gibraltar
air base, the only potential refueling point along the way for short-range craft, was too vulnerable to permit heavy aircraft concentrations there over any period of time. Finally, a large proportion of the planes and aircraft supplies moving from Britain into North Africa
had first to be flown across the North Atlantic, a route all but closed to normal traffic during the winter of 1942-43.
Obviously, the main flow of aircraft, supplies and materiel had to come via the South Atlantic Transport Route and over one or more of three possible branches stemming from the established Trans-African route. By far the best approach, and the one that eventually became the main route, was along the string of coastal bases from Monrovia
. After the Allied position in French Morocco
and Algiers
had been made secure, and several major airports were sized from the Vichy French. Casablanca
and Marrakech
in French Morocco, along with airports at Oran
and Algiers
in Algeria
were quickly utilized to bring in reinforcements and to ferry aircraft to the new Twelfth Air Force established in Northwest Africa.
Negotiations were opened with Pierre Boisson, Vichy Governor-General of French West Africa, for the peaceful occupation of Dakar
and the whole of that Vichy-held territory. On 7 December, General Eisenhower reached a broad understanding with Admiral
Jean Darlan and Governor Boisson, which United States secured the use of airdromes, harbors, roads, and other facilities in French West Africa
and the authority to construct a new airfield near Dakar.. Dakar's location at the most westerly point in Africa made it a natural landfall on the airway across the South Atlantic to North Africa
and Southern Europe
. By taking the direct overwater route from Natal
to Dakar, the distance was cut down to only 1,872 statute miles, nearly 1,400 miles less than the route by way of Ascension Island
, Accra
, and Roberts Field, Liberia
. The limited range of some aircraft made it necessary for them to take the longer route, but four-engine planes could easily make the jump direct to Dakar.
For several months after the invasion of northwest Africa the ferrying of combat planes for General Jimmy Doolittle
's Twelfth Air Force continued to be the heaviest responsibility imposed on ATC by the invasion. Meanwhile, the approach of winter had caused the diversion of all ferrying from the North Atlantic to the South Atlantic route. By mid-December, heavy-bomber ferrying across the North Atlantic was also suspended. Until the northern route was again opened to traffic in the spring, all ferried aircraft going either to the Twelfth Air Force in North Africa or to the Eighth Air Force
in Britain were dispatched by way of the southern route.
At Marrakech
a link was also established with the air route joining North Africa and Britain, a route inaugurated during the initial phase of Operation Torch as bombers, fighters and loaded troop transports of the Allied air forces moved down from Britain to landing fields in the target area. Replacement aircraft continued to flow south from Britain until the very end of the Tunisian Campaign.
As the Allies advanced into Tunisia
, this ferrying and transport route brought needed replacement aircraft and supplies to the ground forces pinning the Afrika Corps around Tunis
. With the collapse of German forces in Tunisia in August 1943, a chain of airfields was established to Cairo
, creating what would become the North African Air Route.
Aircraft being ferried over the North African Route also could be sent to Allied forces in Italy
and other points in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
(MTO) from Airports in Algiers
and Tunis, along with being ferried to the Soviet Union and India from Cairo
. As a result, in October 1943, the Central African route from Liberia
was discontinued to Khartoum
, and aircraft were ferried around West and North Africa instead. The route to the Congo
and South Africa
from Monrovia
, however, remained in use until early 1946.
must be given enough aid to keep her in the war, if not for China's sake, then certainly that her soil might serve later as the base for a counterattack against Japan
. But the outlook was gloomy. Japanese air and naval action in the South China Sea
left seaborne reinforcement out of the question. The possibility of establishing a useful air route into China was under serious discussion as early as January 1942, and United States policy was clear that the pathway to China be kept open. Planning then contemplated building up the China National Aviation Corporation
with a fleet of seventy-five two-engine transports.
Organized USAAF ferrying activities began in India with the Ferrying Command 1st Ferrying Group being activated on 3 March 1942. It departed the United States for India on 17 March, reporting to the Tenth Air Force
Trans-India Ferry Command, which itself was activated on 6 April 1942. The 1st Ferrying Group operated a ferrying route between Karachi as western terminal and airfields in the upper Assam Valley as its eastern terminal.
The Assam-Burma-India Ferry Command, also under Tenth Air Force activated on 17 April with the 2d Ferrying Group. It merged with the Trans-India Ferry Command to form the 10th AF India-China Ferry Command on 16 July. The Trans-India Ferry Command was formally inactivated on 1 December 1942 when the Air Transport Command
India-China Wing, (ICWATC) was activated.
Unlike the efforts to supply the British in North Africa or the Russians on the eastern front with aircraft, the primary mission of the ATC India-China Division was the movement of equipment and supplies across India to the combat forces in Burma, or to the Chinese from port facilities in Karachi, Bombay, Bangalore
and Calcutta, where large ATC facilities were established. The ground transportation infrastructure in India prior to the war consisted of a string of primitive railroads of varying gauges and limited capacity. The air movement across India of aircraft being ferried to Tenth and Fourteenth Air Force along the route were flown from Karachi, was a tertiary mission.
Karachi
became the western terminus of the India-China division, with Air Technical Service Command also operating an Air Depot there. It was chosen due to its relative safety from the Japanese, although it was 1,700 miles away from the Assam Valley and 1,400 miles from Calcutta. Calcutta, in eastern India with an excellent airport and port facilities, was so menaced by the Japanese in 1942 that relatively few supplies and men were sent there from the United States. The situation had changed by 1943, and the Calcutta docks was a major shipment destination, but it was still nearly 600 miles from the Assam terminus of the Hump route, and the line of communication was tenuous.
From Karachi, aircraft bound for Tenth Air Force
and United States Army
units supporting British Forces in Burma were ferried east to the combat airfields, with China-bound aircraft for Fourteenth Air Force
being sent to Chauba in the Assam Valley of northeast India. From several sub-fields provided by the RAF in the Assam Valley, both aircraft and supplies were ferried over "The Hump
", a flyable route over the Himalayan Mountains, into Yunnan Province in southeast China, where several airfields were constructed to receive and turn-around aircraft, which then went on to Kunming
, the major ATC facility in China.
By the middle of June 1942, ten C-53's had been delivered at Karachi
for the use of either CNAC or the Chinese government. In addition, a total of thirty-nine Douglas planes for use by U.S. military crews had been flown to India
. However, the situation changed when Japanese ground forces on 8 May took the Myitkyina
, Burma airfield that was to have played a key part in the air supply of China. The loss of Myitkyina left only one means of keeping open a pathway to China—the grim prospect of direct flight from airfields in the eastern Assam Valley in Northeast India across the High Himalayas
to Yunnanyi, Kunming
, or other points in the Yunnan Province of China.
The most vital need was for airfields with hard-surface runways, hardstandings, and taxiways. The United States asked the RAF in India to provide three fields in Upper Assam, including one already being built at Chabua
by native labor with primitive tools and methods.
During the war, additional Air Depots were constructed at Bombay, Bangalore
and Calcutta which received aircraft sent by sea, assembling and ferrying them to Tenth or Fourteenth Air Force. In 1944, the first B-29s sent to the China-Burma-India Theater to support XX Bomber Command
operations in eastern India were flown into Karachi and onto eastern India.
was designated, became the first major foreign ferrying mission of the war and the first major overseas movement of tactical units. Not until the air echelon of the Eighth Air Force
began its movement to Britain in June 1942 would the Army Air Forces face an overseas ferrying job of greater size and complexity. Although a total of eighty four-engine bombers were originally earmarked for the project, something less than that number actually left the United States and an even smaller number reached the Far East.
Project X comprised two separate echelons of heavy bombers. The first of these was made up of fifteen LB-30's repossessed from the British and manned by crews of the 7th Bombardment Group, a group whose air movement across the Pacific had begun on 6 December. Only six of these planes actually went through the South Atlantic, the others being ultimately diverted to California
for movement to the South Pacific
through Hawaii
. Travel orders were issued on 19 December 1941, and within a few days aircraft and crews began to arrive at MacDill Field, Florida
, to prepare for the long overseas flight.
The second and more important component was made up of a projected sixty-five B-17 bombers and crews. Most of the B-17's were yet to come from the factory and were to move out in small groups as they became available and after they had gone to the Sacramento Air Depot
to be put in combat readiness. Orders were issued on 23 December for the transfer of the sixty-five bombers to the Philippines
. Crews of both groups of bombers were ordered to proceed along the South Atlantic route through the Central African route to Cairo
, then through the Middle East
via RAF Habbaniya
to Karachi
. The B-17's were ordered to proceed as far as Bangalore
, at which point they were to report by secret means via Singapore
to General Douglas MacArthur
and reinforce Far East Air Force in Java
, Netherlands East Indies and in Australia
via and await further orders. This route was of most immediate importance in the first weeks of the Pacific War
, even though it had the marked disadvantage of stretching approximately two-thirds around the world.
The staging of Project X aircraft and crews at MacDill Field extended over a period of about two months. During that time some fifty-eight heavy bombers of the projected eighty departed for the Far East over the southeastern route. In spite of many delays along the way, forty-four of the sixty-six bombers were delivered to the Southwest Pacific Area over both routes by late February; some had served as a source of spare parts to put the others through. Four of the B-17's were lost completely either in crashes or over the Atlantic, another landed in a swamp at Belem
, one was forced to return to the United States for repairs, and one was delayed in Africa awaiting repairs even as late as May 1942. Although none of the bombers reached the Philippines, most of them were put to use in Australia
or on other fronts. It was a good record considering the pioneer nature of the job, the inexperienced and poorly trained crews, and the necessity for building a ferrying route organization through the South Atlantic and across Africa and India
while the movement was in progress. In assuming the major share of responsibility for controlling the movement, the United States had gained much valuable experience that would prove useful as the ferrying job increased in scope with the growing intensity of the war in Europe and in the Pacific.
Immediately after the Pearl Harbor Attack, the Japanese had cut the central Pacific route from Hawaii
through Midway and Wake Island
to New Guinea
and Australia
; the route over which the Far East Air Force had received thirty-five heavy bombers in the fall of 1941. However, this route was also cut by advancing Imperial Japanese forces after the defeat of Allied forces in the Dutch East Indies campaign
, Battle of Singapore
and the withdraws of British forces from Burma
during 1942, although some B-17s were flown back to Bangalore, India from Broome, Western Australia
via Ceylon fitted with internal fuel tanks after the route was closed. These aircraft were flown to Egypt where they were used in combat by the U.S. Army Middle East Air Force
against Nazi forces in the Western Desert Campaign
.
After February 1942 all aircraft flight-delivered to the Southwest Pacific were staged at West Coast United States bases and flown out by way of Hawaii and a the chain of new island steppingstone airfields in the eastern and central Pacific extending down to Australia. The initial number of planes delivered for a time was small, but steady progress was made in the construction or improvement of bases and in the installation of weather and communications facilities. This route became the South Pacific Route and was the fourth major Air Transport Command route established.
The routes established were used by international airlines. As aircraft were developed with jet engines, longer ranges and higher capacity, some of the airports became secondary. Today most remain in existence, even six decades later showing clear evidence of their wartime past.
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
aircraft to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
forces in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
who were engaged in the Western Desert Campaign
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
.
After the United States' entry into World War II, it was expanded into a series of connecting air routes, which were used to ferry aircraft and transport equipment and personnel throughout the Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
n and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n continents from the United States. The route was used as an alternate Air Route to ferry aircraft to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
when weather closed the North Atlantic Route. It was later extended though the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
into Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
to send Lend-Lease aircraft to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, and into India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, to transport equipment, key personnel and aircraft into China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to aid the Nationalist government of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
in the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
against the Japanese Empire. The route also extended into Central and Southern Africa.
Overview
After the Fall of France in June 1940 and the evacuation of the British Expeditionary ForceBritish Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
from Northern Europe after the Battle of Dunkirk
Battle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
, the next major land battle between the Axis powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
erupted in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
in September with the Fascist Italian invasion of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
from Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. The Italian offensive was halted and, in December 1940, the British made a counterattack. What started as a five-day raid turned into Operation Compass
Operation Compass
Operation Compass was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. British and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces in western Egypt and eastern Libya in December 1940 to February 1941. The attack was a complete success...
, resulting in massive losses for the Italian forces. The Italian's Axis partner, Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, provided Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
, a contingent of ground and air forces, to prevent a total collapse, and Germany became the dominant partner.
The Italian-German threat to the security of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
was critical to the British, and great efforts were made to collect sufficient transport ships to convey forces from Britain to Egypt to support the Eighth Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
and the Desert Air Force
Desert Air Force
The Desert Air Force , also known chronologically as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, AHQ Western Desert, the Western Desert Air Force, Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force , was an Allied tactical air force initially created from No...
. The British realized the strategic importance of maintaining control of the Suez Canal and Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, while Hitler saw the war in North Africa as a diversion from his main goal of conquering the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. With both Italian submarines and German U-Boats operating in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, the only relatively secure method of transport was sailing south from Britain around the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
and then north past Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
into the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
.
At the August 1941 Atlantic Conference
Atlantic Charter
The Atlantic Charter was a pivotal policy statement first issued in August 1941 that early in World War II defined the Allied goals for the post-war world. It was drafted by Britain and the United States, and later agreed to by all the Allies...
, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
pressed United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
for aid to support the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces engaged against the German Afrika Korps and set into motion a series of events that were to provide an American-pioneered, American-supplied and American-maintained trans-Atlantic air route between the United States and Africa. The air route was then extended across Central Africa and north to the Nile Delta
Nile Delta
The Nile Delta is the delta formed in Northern Egypt where the Nile River spreads out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the world's largest river deltas—from Alexandria in the west to Port Said in the east, it covers some 240 km of Mediterranean coastline—and is a rich...
in Egypt, providing a relatively fast method of resupply to the Commonwealth forces.
The job of getting Lend-Lease planes to the British was given the Air Corps, General Arnold found that neither military nor civilian crews with the necessary experience were immediately available. The few experienced Army crews could not be spared; and the country had long since been combed for civilian pilots and navigators for the North Atlantic ferrying service.
Rather than ship the planes by water, the ferrying job was turned over to Pan American Airways, whose experience in the development of commercial airlines through Latin American already had been turned to advantage in the effort to extend and strengthen hemisphere defenses. As early as November 1940, Pan American had been made the agent of the United States government in carrying out the so-called Airport Development Program (ADP) for the construction and improvement of airports on foreign territory throughout the Caribbean area, Central America, and Brazil, as well as in Liberia. Ferrying operations over the South Atlantic route had begun in June 1941 when Atlantic Airways, Ltd., a Pan American Airways subsidiary corporation organized especially for the job, undertook to deliver twenty transport-type aircraft to the British in western Africa.
It was, however, just the beginning of a network of air routes that eventually encompassed two-thirds of the Earth.
Caribbean Air Route
With the spectra of War again in Europe in the late 1930s, hemispheric security became a paramount concern of the Roosevelt Administration. There were memories of German U-BoatU-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
activities in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and near the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
in 1918. Two agreements with the British provided for significant United States force deployment to a number of British bases in the Caribbean area, the 1940 Destroyers for Bases agreement and the 1941 Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
act. As a result of these agreements, United States military forces moved into Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, the Bahamas, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
, St. Lucia, Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, and British Guiana
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
. Military survey teams moved into these areas and construction proceeded in the expansion of existing British facilities and construction of new ones. The Trinidad and British Guiana bases became major stopping points for transient aircraft, bridging the 2,000 miles that separated Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
from Belem, Brazil, the northernmost base in that country capable of handling heavy traffic. Other bases used principally for defense but provided emergency landing fields for transient aircraft were constructed through Pan American Airlines agencies in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
The United States and Britain were interested primarily in the ferrying service. Thus, when President Roosevelt announced publicly on 18 August 1941 that the agreements with Pan American had been concluded, stress was placed on the importance of speeding delivery of aircraft to the British. Not until after the United States entered the war, and acquired thereby heavy military commitments of its own that the route went far beyond the prewar lend-lease obligations, did the South Atlantic transport service assume outstanding importance as a support to combat operations. At its inception, transport use of the route was considered merely an adjunct to ferrying.
| Caribbean Wing (re-designated Caribbean Division) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Location | Coordinates | Notes |
| Morrison Field | Florida | 26°41′05"N 080°05′21"W | Opened in 1940 as a Third Air Force Third Air Force The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.... fighter base, reassigned to Army Air Forces Ferrying Command on 19 January 1942, 26th Ferrying Squadron flew ferrying operations south into the Caribbean to Brazil. Was initial point of departure for aircraft. Later in 1942 became Headquarters for the Caribbean Wing of ATC. Operated by 1100th AAFBU, ATC. Primary mission was to operate the South Atlantic Transport Route, Placed in reserve status on 1 July 1947. Later re-opened as Palm Beach Air Force Base Palm Beach Air Force Base Palm Beach Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Palm Beach County, just west of West Palm Beach, Florida. During its operational use by the military, its major mission was air transport and as a training base... , 1949 |
| Miami Army Airfield | Florida | 25°47′36"N 080°17′26"W | 1105th AAFBU, Prewar 36th Street Airport in Miami. Was base for Pan American Airways contract pilots flying south along route. Returned to Civil Control in early 1946. Major point of departure for aircraft. |
| Homestead Army Airfield | Florida | 25°29′18"N 080°23′01"W | Opened September 1942. 54th, 75th, 76th Ferrying Squadrons, 1104th AAFBU. Was primary point of embarkation for receiving aircraft from domestic points in the United States and for ferrying aircraft overseas, also served as training base for ferrying pilots. Hurricane in September 1945 caused major damage to the base and facility was inactivated. Rebuilt and reopened as Homestead Air Force Base, 1953, |
| Borinquen Field Ramey Air Force Base Ramey Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. In addition to a small on-site Air Force detachment, and occasional operations by the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, a portion of the former Air Force Base is operated by the United States Coast Guard as Coast... |
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an... |
18°29′40"N 067°07′46"W | 1106th AAFBU. 976 miles (1,570.7 km) from Homestead. Prewar base established in 1936. Primary mission was a landing field, refueling station and aircraft service depot for American aircraft of all types flying to the European and African war theaters. Depending on circumstances, they also had the option of stopping in Cuba Cuba The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city... or one of the other islands. After refueling and servicing at Borinquen, or even staying over for a period of time, the flight crews could continue on to Trinidad or fly directly to Belem or Recife, Brazil. After the war became Ramey Air Force Base Ramey Air Force Base Ramey Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. In addition to a small on-site Air Force detachment, and occasional operations by the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, a portion of the former Air Force Base is operated by the United States Coast Guard as Coast... , part of Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic... . Closed 1971. |
| Coolidge Army Airfield | Antigua Antigua Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la... |
17°08′12"N 061°47′34"W | 572d AAFBU. 363 miles (584.2 km) from Borinquen. Built after basing rights in Antiqua obtained as part of 1940 Destroyers for Bases agreement with British. Part of Antillies Air Command. Refueling/servicing stop on route south to Brazil. Became Coolidge Air Force Base Coolidge Air Force Base Coolidge Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base on the island of Antigua that operated from 1941-1948. It later reopened as Coolidge International Airport and is now known as V. C. Bird International Airport... , Caribbean Air Command after the war. Closed 1 July 1949 |
| Waller Army Airfield | Trinidad Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in... |
10°36′48"N 061°12′48"W | 1107th AAFBU. 674 miles (1,084.7 km) from Borinquen. Built after basing rights in Trinadad obtained as part of 1940 Destroyers for Bases agreement with British. Part of Antillies Air Command. Refueling/servicing stop on route south to Brazil. Became Waller Air Force Base Waller Air Force Base Waller Air Force Base is a former United States Army Air Forces World War II air base located in northeastern Trinidad. It is located about 5 miles southwest of Valencia south of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway.-History:... , Caribbean Air Command after the war. Closed 1 July 1949 |
| Atkinson Field | British Guiana British Guiana British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice... |
06°29′54"N 058°15′14"W | 1108th AAFBU. 1021 miles (1,643.1 km) from Borinquen, 1997 miles (3,213.9 km) from Homestead. Built after basing rights in British Guiana obtained as part of 1940 Destroyers for Bases agreement with British. Part of Sixth Air Force. Initially constructed as a bomber field to protect Bauxite Bauxite Bauxite is an aluminium ore and is the main source of aluminium. This form of rock consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite Al3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, in a mixture with the two iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite, and small amounts of anatase TiO2... deposits at Mackenzie, British Guiana and for reconnaissance over southern Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north... . Primary mission became South American terminus of ATC Caribbean Wing. Became Atkinson Air Force Base, Caribbean Air Command after the war. Closed 1 July 1949 |
South Atlantic Air Route
Military intelligence files in the late 1930s were filled with reports about German purchases of large tracts of land and plantations in Latin AmericaLatin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. Further, the United States was faced with nations in Latin America with non-democratic governments that had strong ties to Germany. Without exception, all South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n nations and some in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
receive arms supplies from Germany during the late 1930s, and some acquired modern German-made aircraft. In addition, a number of Latin American countries had large German immigrant populations, many of whom were prominent in economic and political matters. In Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, for example, entire regions were dominated by expatriate Germans, giving rise to fears that Germany would establish secret military facilities there.
These fears resulted in strenuous United States diplomatic efforts, involving both inducements and threats throughout Latin America to forestall military connections by these nations with the Axis powers. Under some pressure, almost all Latin American nations complied with these efforts, although in some cases not without serious internal political struggles, and in most cases only in exchange for military supplies to supplant those they would otherwise have received from Germany. This came at a time when the United States armed forces were struggling to arm themselves, not to mention those of Britain.
The main United States concern, was to develop a staging network of airfields in Brazil to allow the ferrying of aircraft from South Florida, to supplant already controlled facilities in the [Caribbean. Negotiations with Brazil resulted in the use of a number of civil airports and the use of port facilities in the northeastern promontory. This was a case of Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor Policy
Good Neighbor policy
The Good Neighbor policy was the foreign policy of the administration of United States President Franklin Roosevelt toward the countries of Latin America. Its main principle was that of non-intervention and non-interference in the domestic affairs of Latin America...
" paying practical dividends, with Brazil permitting American aircraft of all types, whether manned by military or civilian crews, to fly over her territory or land at bases on her soil. Surveying teams from the United States were sent and assessed the availability of the existing facilities in terms of runway lengths, as well as repair and refueling facilities.
Panair do Brasil, a Pan American subsidiary, had undertaken at Belem
Belem
Belem or Belém may refer to:* Belém, capital city of the Brazilian state of Pará* Belem , a three-masted barque from France* Belém, Alagoas, a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas...
and Natal
Natal, Rio Grande do Norte
-History:The northeastern tip of South America, Cabo São Roque, to the north of Natal and the closest point to Europe from Latin America, was first visited by European navigators in 1501, in the 1501–1502 Portuguese expedition led by Amerigo Vespucci, who named the spot after the saint of the day...
the development with ADP funds of facilities destined to serve as major ferrying and transport bases along the South Atlantic route. With the opening of an air base on Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
in July 1942, the ocean crossing was divided into two fairly easy stages and ceased to be a serious operational problem The base on Ascension Island was located on British territory.
| South Atlantic Wing (re-designated South Atlantic Division) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Location | Coordinates | Notes |
| Amapa Field | Amapá Amapá Amapá is one of the states of Brazil, located in the extreme north, bordering French Guiana and Suriname to the north. To the east is the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south and west is the Brazilian state of Pará. Perhaps one of the main features of the state is the River Oiapoque, as it was once... , Brazil |
03°51′06"N 051°47′51"W | 1160th AAFBU Opened 1941. 480 miles (772.5 km) from Atkinson Field. Was Pan American Airways refueling stop, became intermediate ferrying refueling/servicing stop on route south to Natal. Closed May 1946. |
| Val de Caes Field Val de Cães International Airport Belém-Val de Cães/Júlio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport is the main airport serving Belém, Brazil. Val de Cães, the name of the neighborhood where the airport is located, is the most common spelling although Val de Cans is also considered correct... |
Belém, Brazil | 01°22′46"S 48°28′35"W | 1153d AAFBU 868 miles (1,396.9 km) from Atkinson Field. Built by Panair do Brasil, a Pan American subsidiary, with funds appropriated for the Airport Development Program of 1940, opened for United States military use in 1941. Primary refueling/servicing stop on route south to Natal. Americans construed two new runways measuring 1500 x 45 meters with concrete and asphalt surface to accommodate ferrying traffic. Eventually one of the largest and best equipped Army Airfields in the world. Returned to civil control October 1946 |
| São Luís Airport Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport , formerly called Tirirical Airport, is the airport serving São Luís, Brazil. Since October 17, 1985 the airport is named after Marechal Cunha Machado.It is operated by Infraero.-History:... |
São Luís, Brazil | 02°35′07"S 044°14′03"W | 1154th AAFBU. 304 miles (489.2 km) from Belém. Was Pan American Airways refueling stop, became intermediate ferrying refueling/servicing stop on route south to Natal. Closed May 1946. |
| Adjacento Field Pinto Martins International Airport Pinto Martins International Airport is the airport serving Fortaleza, Brazil. It is named after Euclides Pinto Martins a Ceará-born aviator, who in 1922 was one of the pioneers of the air-link between New York and Rio de Janeiro.... |
Fortaleza, Brazil | 03°46′35"S 38°31′57"W | 1155th AAFBU. Opened July 1944. 706 miles (1,136.2 km) from Belém. Was joint AAF/US Naval Air Station. Intermediate ferrying refueling/servicing stop on route south to Natal. Closed April 1946. |
| Parnamirim Field Augusto Severo International Airport Augusto Severo International Airport , formerly called Parnamirim Airport, is the airport serving Natal, Brazil, located in the adjoining municipality of Parnamirim... |
Natal, Brazil | 05°54′41"S 035°14′51"W | HQ, ATC South Atlantic Division, 1150th AAFBU. 965 miles (1,553 km) from Belém. Built by Panair do Brasil, a Pan American subsidiary, with funds appropriated for the Airport Development Program of 1940, opened for United States military use in 1941. Was primary airfield for trans-Atlantic crossing of ferried aircraft to Africa. (Roberts Field, Liberia or Natal, French West Africa). Eventually one of the largest and best equipped Army Airfields in the world. Closed October 1946. |
| Ibura Field | Recife, Brazil | 08°07′35"S 34°55′24"W | 1152d AAFBU. 1043 miles (1,678.5 km) from Belém. Opened 1941. Was secondary airport for trans-Atlantic crossing to Africa. Closed May 1946. |
| Fernando de Noronha Airfield Fernando de Noronha Airport Fernando de Noronha Airport is the airport serving the island of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil.-History:Fernando de Noronha is the biggest island of the archipelago with the same name, located on Brazilian territorial waters, away from Recife and away from Natal.The first runway was built in 1934... |
Fernando de Noronha Fernando de Noronha Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, offshore from the Brazilian coast. The main island has an area of and had a population of 3,012 in the year 2010... Island, Brazil |
03°51′17"S 32°25′24"W | Construction began 15 September 1942. Was planned third jumping off point for trans-Atlantic Ferrying to Africa. construction and other issues led to abandonment of airfield by Air Transport Command, turned over to United States Navy in September 1944. |
| Wideawake Airfield | Ascension Island Ascension Island Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa... |
7°58′10"S 14°23′38"W | 1150th AAFBU. 1438 miles (2,314.2 km) from Natal, 1405 miles (2,261.1 km) from Recife. Prewar British cable station. Opened March 1942. Named after bird colony on island, bird eggs constant source of menace to plane and pilot, for every time a plane started down the runway the roar of the motors brought a huge flock of birds into the air right in its path. Located in the South Atlantic approximately midway between the Brazilian and the African Atlantic coasts. Construction work got under way by 13 April, and less than three months later, on 10 July, the 6,000-foot runway was open for traffic. Made it possible for two-engine planes to cross the South Atlantic in two fairly easy jumps with a normal gas load, single engine fighters used external wing tanks. Now RAF Ascension Island. |
The South Atlantic Division developed additional transport and ferrying routes within Brazil that ferried aircraft south along the Atlantic coast to Bahia
Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport
Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport , formerly called Dois de Julho International Airport is the airport serving Salvador da Bahia, Brazil...
and Rio de Janeiro
Afonsos Air Force Base
Afonsos Air Force Base – BAAF is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The official name of the Base is Campo Délio Jardim de Matos after a former commander of the base and Minister of the Air Force.-History:...
. Transport routes also connected Montevideo, Uruguay
Carrasco International Airport
Carrasco/General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport , commonly known simply by Aeropuerto Internacional de Carrasco in reference to the neighborhood where it is located, is the main airport serving Montevideo, Uruguay, located in the adjoining municipality of Ciudad de la Costa...
and Asunción, Paraguay
Silvio Pettirossi International Airport
-Incidents and accidents:*3 December 1945: an USAAF Douglas C-47B-5-DK registration 43-48602 flying from Asunción to Montevideo crashed 16km SE of Carlos Pellegrini, Argentina...
.
Central African Air Route
Related to the United States diplomatic activities in Brazil, United States military teams were active in LiberiaLiberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
to acquire staging airfields to transit ferried aircraft from Brazil through British Colonies in Central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
en route to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Liberia, having a long relationship with the United States, made available a number of airports and port facilities. Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
became a key staging point on the route from Brazil, which continued onto Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Central African Wing
Perhaps the most important link in the whole system of Pan American ferrying and transport services was the operation across Central Africa. In providing a transport service and in maintaining the bases, Pan American Airways-Africa supported the movement across the continent of aircraft arriving from both the United States and Great Britain. Terminal points were established by terms of the contract at Monrovia on the west coast and at KhartoumKhartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
in Eastern Africa, but after 7 December 1941 the service was extended to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and beyond.
The Trans-Africa route had been pioneered by the British in the immediate prewar years, and at the outbreak of the war Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but especially the Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East...
maintained a regular transport service over the run between Khartoum in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan referred to the manner by which Sudan was administered between 1899 and 1956, when it was a condominium of Egypt and the United Kingdom.-Union with Egypt:...
and Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
on the Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n coast. Coastal bases had been constructed at Bathurst
Bathurst
-Places:In Australia:* Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia and the following things associated with the city** Bathurst Regional Council, the local government area for the Bathurst urban area and rural surrounds...
, Gambia, Freetown, Sierra Leone, and at Takoradi and Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
in the Gold Coast Colony. Across the waist of Africa, airfields had been cut from the jungle or laid out on the desert at Kano
Kano
Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
and Maiduguri
Maiduguri
Maiduguri, also fondly called Yerwa by its locals, is the capital and the largest city of Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria. The city sits along the seasonal Ngadda River which disappears into the Firki swamps in the areas around Lake Chad...
in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, at Fort Lamy in French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:...
, and at El Geneina, El Fasher, and El Obeid
El Obeid
is the capital of the state of North Kurdufan in central Sudan. In 2008, its population was 340,940. It is an important transportation hub: the terminus of a rail line, the junction of various roads and camel caravan routes, and the end of a pilgrim route from Nigeria. It was founded by the pashas...
in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. With the loss of the French fleet in 1940 and the growing activity in the spring of 1941 of German air forces based on Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, the British line of air and water communications with Egypt by way of the Mediterranean was virtually closed. Fortunately, the existence of the Trans-African air route enabled the British to avoid shipping aircraft by water all the way around Africa and up through the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
to Egypt. A large base and an assembly plant were developed at Takoradi, and here fighter and bomber aircraft, waterborne from Britain, were assembled, tested, and then ferried across Africa to Cairo. Beginning in the fall of 1940, British ferry pilots began moving Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s and Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
s along this route. The ferrying operation demanded also a transport service for returning.
Initially, the 27th AAF Ferrying Wing, later the ATC Central African Wing, was responsible for moving aircraft, personnel and cargo from West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
n transport hubs over the Trans-Africa Route via Khartoum (Sudan) to Cairo, Egypt and to Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, South Arabia and on to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. This was discontinued when the route along the coast of West Africa from Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
to French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
became available in 1943.
| Central African Wing (re-designated Central African Division) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Location | Coordinates | Notes |
| Roberts Airfield Roberts International Airport -Accidents and incidents:*On 5 March 1967: Varig flight 837, a Douglas DC-8-33 registration PP-PEA flying from Rome-Fiumicino to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão via Roberts International Airport, caught fire after a mistaken approach to Monrovia, missing the threshold of the runway by 6,023 ft... |
Monrovia, Liberia | 06°14′02"N 010°21′44"W | 1203d AAFBU. 1913 miles (3,078.7 km) from Natal, Brazil. Established by Pan American Airways in the 1930s as airport for trans-Atlantic crossings from Brazil. Used for initial ferrying of Army Air Force aircraft to Britain and into India, 1941. Became United States Army Airfield in April 1942. Also operated auxiliary airfield at Fisherman's Lake 06°45′20"N 011°21′20"W for overflow inbound air traffic. Initially was primary hub at western end of Central African Route, landing and servicing several hundred aircraft a day of all types coming in from Brazil or later Ascension Island, 1021 miles (1,643.1 km) distance. In mid 1943 Central African Ferrying route was closed and most 4-engine aircraft flew into Dakar, Roberts remaining for 2-engine and single engine fighters flying in from Ascension Island. Also northern terminus of route to Congo and South Africa. Remained in operation until February 1947,turned over to civil control. Now major international airport of Liberia. |
| Takoradi Airport Takoradi Airport Takoradi Airport is an airport in Sekondi-Takoradi, a city in the Western Region of Ghana.During World War II, Takoradi Airport was a major stop on the United States Army Air Force Air Transport Command Trans-Africa Ferry Route, as an intermediate stop between Monrovia-Roberts Field, Liberia and... |
Gold Coast Gold Coast (British colony) The Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa that became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.-Overview:The first Europeans to arrive at the coast were the Portuguese in 1471. They encountered a variety of African kingdoms, some of which controlled substantial... |
04°53′45"N 001°46′29"W | 1202d AAFBU. 598 miles (962.4 km) from Roberts Field. Intermediate refueling/servicing stop. Also functioned as a seaport where aircraft were shipped and assembled. Trans-Africa route closed in late 1943, remained open supporting air route to Congo. |
| Accra Airport Kotoka International Airport Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, is the country's premier international airport and has the capacity for large aircraft such as the Boeing 747-800... |
Accra, Gold Coast | 05°36′18"N 00°10′00"W | HO, ATC Central African Division, 1201st AAFBU, 702 miles (1,129.8 km) from Roberts Field. Opened 1941. Part of British Imperial Empire Airways route to Khartoum, which was used by Ferrying Command for initial ferrying of aircraft to Egypt and India. Major refueling/servicing stop on Trans-Africa route, also operated route to Congo and South Africa. Importance lessened after 1943 when North Africa route was opened, remained open as repair depot until January 1946. |
| Kano Airport | Kano, Nigeria | 12°02′51"N 008°31′28"E | 1205th AAFBU. 772 miles (1,242.4 km) from Accra. Opened 1941 as waystation/refueling on Trans-Africa route. Former Imperial Airways airport.. Ferrying ended in late 1943 when North Africa route was opened. Remained open until 14 July 1945 as communications network site. |
| Maiduguri Airport Maiduguri International Airport Maiduguri International Airport is an airport serving Maiduguri, a city in the Borno State of Nigeria.-Airlines and destinations:... |
Maiduguri Maiduguri Maiduguri, also fondly called Yerwa by its locals, is the capital and the largest city of Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria. The city sits along the seasonal Ngadda River which disappears into the Firki swamps in the areas around Lake Chad... , Nigeria |
11°51′19"N 013°04′51"E | 1206th AAFBU. 1002 miles (1,612.6 km) from Accra. Opened 1941 as waystation/refueling on Trans-Africa route. Former Imperial Airways airport, listed as ATC Station #12. Ferrying ended in late 1943 when North Africa route was opened. Remained open until 14 July 1945 as communications network site. |
| El Geneina Airport | El Geneia, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan Geneina Geneina is the capital of West Darfur state in Sudan.... |
13°28′43"N 022°32′09"E | 1207th AAFBU. 950 miles (1,528.9 km) from Kano. Opened May 1944 as station #6 Remained open until May 1945 as communications network site. |
| El Fasher Airport | El Fasher, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan | 13°36′54"N 25°19′29"E | 1208th AAFBU. 1138 miles (1,831.4 km) from Kano. Opened April 1944 as station #5 Remained open until April 1945 as communications network site. |
| Khartoum Airport Khartoum International Airport Khartoum International Airport is an airport in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.It will be replaced with a new airport 40 kilometers south of the centre of Khartoum by 2012... |
Khartoum Khartoum Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"... , Anglo-Egyptian Sudan |
15°35′22"N 32°33′11"E | 1208th AAFBU. 1631 miles (2,624.8 km) from Kano. Connection hub to India-China route via Aden ( 859 miles (1,382.4 km) ) or sent aircraft to RAF via Cairo ( 1007 miles (1,620.6 km) ). Ferrying activities ended late 1943. Remained open until July 1945 as communications network site. |
Middle East Wing
At KhartoumKhartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
on the Central African Route the route divided. Multi-engined long-range capable India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
-bound planes were sent either across southern Arabia by way of Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. Single-engined fighters were sent up through Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, RAF Habbaniya
RAF Habbaniya
Royal Air Force Station Habbaniya, more commonly known as RAF Habbaniya, was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniyah, about west of Baghdad in modern day Iraq, on the banks of the Euphrates near Lake Habbaniyah...
, and Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
to the Karachi gateway following a former British Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but especially the Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East...
route that was established in the early 1930s that linked India with Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Once in Cairo, Lend-lease planes for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
were ferried from Cairo to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
where they were turned over to Soviet flyers for onward shipment to Russia via Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
. ATC later operated the Eastern Mediterranean Route via RAF Lydda
RAF Lydda
Lod Air Force Base, also Air Force Base 27, was an Israeli Air Force base that was part of the Ben Gurion International Airport, located approximately north of Lod; east-southeast of Tel Aviv....
in British-Mandated Palestine and Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, to Adana, Turkey. A ferrying route from Cairo was also established to Naples, Italy after its seizure from Fascist Italian forces, which allowed replacement aircraft to be ferried to Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
s in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
. (MTO). The southern route to Karachi through Aden was closed in late 1943 with the opening of the North African route through French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
and Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, with units in Aden, Ethiopia, Arabia and Karthoum being reassigned to the Middle East Wing; Cairo and the stations on the Northern Route were reassigned to the North African Route.
Aircraft bound for India and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
were sent south along a connecting route at RAF Habbaniya that linked Basara, Iraq with Karachi, India along the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
coast. The initial B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
units in India were ferried along this route.
Although aircraft ferrying to India over the southern route was halted, the route between Cairo and Aden remained open as a transport route as part of the North African Division, and was also used to ferry aircraft to and from the Technical Services Command depot at Asmara, Ethiopia from Cairo. The facility in Ethiopia was originally set up in secret during 1941 to provide depot-level maintenance for Lend-Lease aircraft being used by the British in Egypt, however the location at the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
allowed reconnaissance aircraft to monitor approaches into the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
and spot any U-Boats or Japanese submarines operating in the Northern Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
south of Arabia.
| Middle East Wing (Originally 26th AAF Ferrying Wing) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Route | |||
| Name | Location | Coordinates | Notes |
| Jeddah Al-Matar Airport | Jeddah Jeddah Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The... , Arabia |
21°30′16"N 39°12′47"E | Was waystation on ferrying route between Cairo (768 miles (1,236 km) and Khartoum. Later became stop on transport route between Cairo and Asmara (429 miles (690.4 km)). Closed May 1945. Airport now obliterated by urban development, replaced by new facility in the 1970s. |
| Asmara Airport Asmara International Airport Asmara International Airport, formerly known as Yohannes IV International Airport is an airport in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea.In 2004, the airport served 136,526 passengers .... |
Asmara Asmara Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people... , Ethiopia |
15°17′30.67"N 38°54′38.40"E | 1209th AAFBU (423 miles (680.8 km) from Khartoum. Was refueling stop for ferried aircraft to India via Aden. Also supported Kagnew Station/Air Depot Closed May 1945. |
| RAF Khormaksar RAF Khormaksar RAF Khormaksar was a Royal Air Force station in Aden. 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. It later became Aden International Airport.-History:... |
Aden Aden Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a... , Colony of Aden |
12°49′46.35"N 045°01′43.65"E | 1211th AAFBU. (859 miles (1,382.4 km) from Khartoum. Prewar RAF station used as a servicing/refueling stop connected to India-China Route at Karachi, India (1669 miles (2,686 km). Ferrying activities ended in late 1943, station remained in use as a communications site. AAF use ended June 1945 |
| Northern Route | |||
| RAF Lydda RAF Lydda Lod Air Force Base, also Air Force Base 27, was an Israeli Air Force base that was part of the Ben Gurion International Airport, located approximately north of Lod; east-southeast of Tel Aviv.... |
British Palestine | 32°00′41"N 034°53′18"E | Det 1, 1264th AAFBU. (243 miles (391.1 km) from Cairo. Used for ferrying aircraft to Russia and India. Main RAF station in British Mandate of Palestine, Later became ATC hub to Istanbul. |
| RAF Habbaniya RAF Habbaniya Royal Air Force Station Habbaniya, more commonly known as RAF Habbaniya, was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniyah, about west of Baghdad in modern day Iraq, on the banks of the Euphrates near Lake Habbaniyah... |
Iraq Iraq Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.... |
33°22′37"N 43°34′04"E | 1266th AAFBU. (754 miles (1,213.4 km) from Cairo. Prewar RAF station in Iraq, 60 miles from Baghdad. First American personnel arrived 17 April 1943. Used for ferrying aircraft India-China route via Basra or to Russia via Tehran. AAF use ended March 1946. |
| Mehrabad Airport Mehrabad International Airport Mehrabad International Airport is an airport that serves Tehran, Iran. It was the primary airport of Tehran in both international and domestic passenger traffic but has been replaced by Imam Khomeini International Airport in most of its international flights... |
Tehran, Iran | 35°41′21"N 051°18′49"E | 1265th AAFBU. (1220 miles (1,963.4 km) from Cairo. USAAF Activities began January 1942. 11,000 miles from Morrison Field, Florida. Was transfer point for Lend-Lease aircraft from United States ATC pilots to Soviet Red Air Force pilots; aircraft then flown to Baku after transfer. Home of 17th Air Depot Group (AAF Technical Service Command). Also operated Maintenance facility at Abadan Airport Abadan Airport Abadan Airport is situated 12 kilometers away from the city of Abadan, Iran.-History:During World War II, Abadan Airport was a major logistics center for Lend-Lease aircraft being sent to the Soviet Union by the United States... (Station #3) 30°21′53"N 048°13′59"E Ferrying to Russia ended September 1945. |
| Baku Airport Heydar Aliyev International Airport Heydar Aliyev International Airport is the international airport in Azerbaijan located northeast of the capital Baku. The airport is the home of Azerbaijan Airlines, the national flag carrier... |
Baku Baku Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal... , Azerbaijan, SSR |
40°28′03"N 050°02′48"E | 336 miles (540.7 km) from Mehrabad. Some ATC personnel assigned to coordinate ferrying to Red Air Force. Used as waystation for supplies and transport supporting Operation Frantic Operation Frantic -Airfields:In February 1944, the USAAF received access to six air bases in Ukraine, but it turned out only three were set up for the effort. In haste, the United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe established a headquarters detachment at Poltava Airfield, near Kiev in the Soviet Union in late... , 1944. |
| Basra Airport | Basra, Iraq | 30°32′57"N 047°39′44"E | Connected at RAF Habbaniya near Baghdad. 302 miles (486 km) On former British Empire Airways route to India. |
| RAF Muharraq Bahrain International Airport Bahrain International Airport is an international airport located in Muharraq, an island on the northern tip of Bahrain, about northeast of the capital Manama... |
Bahrain Bahrain ' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is... |
26°16′15"N 050°38′01"E | 661 miles (1,063.8 km) from Habbaniya. On former British Empire Airways route to India. Was Servicing/refueling stop. AAF use ended January 1946. |
| RAF Sharjah Sharjah International Airport Sharjah International Airport is located in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.Sharjah Airport is the second largest Middle East Airfreight Hub in terms of cargo tonnage, according to official 2009 statistics from Airports Council International... |
Oman Oman Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the... , United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a... |
25°19′43"N 055°31′02"E | 972 miles (1,564.3 km) from Habbaniya. On former British Empire Airways route to India. Was Servicing/refueling stop connected to India-China Route at Karachi 729 miles (1,173.2 km). |
Congo Transport Group
Beginning in 1943, the Central African Division also operated a transport route to LeopoldvilleLeopoldville
Leopoldville may refer to:* The capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, today known as Kinshasa* SS Leopoldville, a troopship sunk in 1944...
in the Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
for the transport of uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
to the United States. This route was later extended to Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
via Elizabethville, Belgian Congo for the transport of strategic minerals available in South Africa.
The Congo route, as it became known, also took the form of an alternate ferrying route into the Middle East with a connection into Nairobi, Kenya to Khartoum. In the dark days of 1942 this alternate route offered insurance against loss of the central African airway, but the rising fortunes of Allied military operations soon robbed it of value. Even before the fall of Tunisia in the spring of 1943, the Congo route no longer possessed military significance
| Congo Air Route (14th Ferrying Group) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Location | Coordinates | Notes |
| Pointe Noire Airport Pointe Noire Airport Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport , is an airport located in Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo. It is one of two international airports in the country, the other being Brazzaville Maya-Maya Airport.-History:... |
Pointe Noire, French Equatorial Africa French Equatorial Africa French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:... |
04°48′48"S 011°53′09"E | 1100 miles (1,770.3 km) from Accra, Gold Coast. Built in 1942 by the United States to facilitate ferrying route through Southern Africa. Re-purposed as transport route refueling/servicing station on Congo Route to Léopoldville, later to South Africa. |
| Léopoldville Airport | Léopoldville Kinshasa Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River.... , Belgian Congo Belgian Congo The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter... |
04°23′08"S 015°26′40"E | (247 miles (397.5 km) from Pointe Noire. Initially planned as a ferrying route, Re-purposed as transport and cargo route for Uranium and precious metals. |
| Élisabethville Airport Lubumbashi International Airport Lubumbashi International Airport is an airport in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo .-Airlines and destinations:-History:Lubumbashi International Airport was founded in colonial times as the Elisabethville Airport.... |
Élisabethville Lubumbashi Lubumbashi is the second largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, second only to the nation's capital Kinshasa, and the hub of the southeastern part of the country. The copper-mining city serves as the capital of the relatively prosperous Katanga Province, lying near the Zambian border... , Belgian Congo Belgian Congo The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter... |
11°35′28"S 027°31′51"E | 964 miles (1,551.4 km) from Léopoldville. Initially planned as a refueling/servicing stop on the proposed ferrying route, Re-purposed as a stop on the transport and cargo route for Uranium and precious metals. |
| Wilson Airport | Nairobi Nairobi Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is... , Kenya Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east... |
01°19′18"S 036°48′54"E | Prewar airport surveyed for use in early 1942 as alternate Ferrying Station connecting from Élisabethville to Aden Aden Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a... or Mahé, Seychelles Seychelles International Airport Seychelles International Airport or Aéroport de La Pointe la Rue as it is known locally is located on the island of Mahé, Seychelles near the capital city of Victoria... 04°40′27"S 055°31′27"E to Bangalore. Never developed or used. |
| Wonderboom Airport Wonderboom Airport Wonderboom Airport , is located north of Pretoria, South Africa. The airport handles general aviation flights, and may offer scheduled passenger service in the near future.-History:... |
Pretoria Pretoria Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is... , Union of South Africa Union of South Africa The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State... |
25°39′13"S 028°13′27"E | 974 miles (1,567.5 km) from Élisabethville. Extension of transport/cargo route from Léopoldville for precious metal shipment. Furtherest southern terminus of South Atlantic air ferry route, 8000 miles (12,874.7 km) from Morrison Field, Florida. |
North African Division
The Air Transport Command became involved in planning for the Operation TorchOperation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
invasion of French West Africa
French West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
and Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
as early as 10 October 1942, four weeks before the launching of the attack.
French West Africa was by no means easy of air approach. From British bases in the north, General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
would move down most of the aircraft employed in the initial stages of the attack, but for several reasons this route was unsatisfactory for maintaining continued air communications on a large scale with the Allied forces. While it extended only 1,300 miles from southern Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
and Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
, aircraft had to fly dangerously close to the German-occupied French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
coast and had to steer clear of the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
coasts. Enemy interception was a constant threat, foul weather was commonplace, and the Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
air base, the only potential refueling point along the way for short-range craft, was too vulnerable to permit heavy aircraft concentrations there over any period of time. Finally, a large proportion of the planes and aircraft supplies moving from Britain into North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
had first to be flown across the North Atlantic, a route all but closed to normal traffic during the winter of 1942-43.
Obviously, the main flow of aircraft, supplies and materiel had to come via the South Atlantic Transport Route and over one or more of three possible branches stemming from the established Trans-African route. By far the best approach, and the one that eventually became the main route, was along the string of coastal bases from Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
. After the Allied position in French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
and Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
had been made secure, and several major airports were sized from the Vichy French. Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
and Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
in French Morocco, along with airports at Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
and Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
were quickly utilized to bring in reinforcements and to ferry aircraft to the new Twelfth Air Force established in Northwest Africa.
Negotiations were opened with Pierre Boisson, Vichy Governor-General of French West Africa, for the peaceful occupation of Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
and the whole of that Vichy-held territory. On 7 December, General Eisenhower reached a broad understanding with Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Jean Darlan and Governor Boisson, which United States secured the use of airdromes, harbors, roads, and other facilities in French West Africa
French West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
and the authority to construct a new airfield near Dakar.. Dakar's location at the most westerly point in Africa made it a natural landfall on the airway across the South Atlantic to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and Southern Europe
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
. By taking the direct overwater route from Natal
Natal, Rio Grande do Norte
-History:The northeastern tip of South America, Cabo São Roque, to the north of Natal and the closest point to Europe from Latin America, was first visited by European navigators in 1501, in the 1501–1502 Portuguese expedition led by Amerigo Vespucci, who named the spot after the saint of the day...
to Dakar, the distance was cut down to only 1,872 statute miles, nearly 1,400 miles less than the route by way of Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
, Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
, and Roberts Field, Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. The limited range of some aircraft made it necessary for them to take the longer route, but four-engine planes could easily make the jump direct to Dakar.
For several months after the invasion of northwest Africa the ferrying of combat planes for General Jimmy Doolittle
Jimmy Doolittle
General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle, USAF was an American aviation pioneer. Doolittle served as a brigadier general, major general and lieutenant general in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War...
's Twelfth Air Force continued to be the heaviest responsibility imposed on ATC by the invasion. Meanwhile, the approach of winter had caused the diversion of all ferrying from the North Atlantic to the South Atlantic route. By mid-December, heavy-bomber ferrying across the North Atlantic was also suspended. Until the northern route was again opened to traffic in the spring, all ferried aircraft going either to the Twelfth Air Force in North Africa or to the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
in Britain were dispatched by way of the southern route.
At Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
a link was also established with the air route joining North Africa and Britain, a route inaugurated during the initial phase of Operation Torch as bombers, fighters and loaded troop transports of the Allied air forces moved down from Britain to landing fields in the target area. Replacement aircraft continued to flow south from Britain until the very end of the Tunisian Campaign.
As the Allies advanced into Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, this ferrying and transport route brought needed replacement aircraft and supplies to the ground forces pinning the Afrika Corps around Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
. With the collapse of German forces in Tunisia in August 1943, a chain of airfields was established to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, creating what would become the North African Air Route.
Aircraft being ferried over the North African Route also could be sent to Allied forces in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and other points in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
(MTO) from Airports in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
and Tunis, along with being ferried to the Soviet Union and India from Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. As a result, in October 1943, the Central African route from Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
was discontinued to Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
, and aircraft were ferried around West and North Africa instead. The route to the Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
from Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
, however, remained in use until early 1946.
| North African Division (Formerly North African Wing) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Location | Coordinates | Notes |
| Mallard Field | Dakar Dakar Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland... , Senegal Senegal Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north... |
14°44′22"N 017°29′25"W | 1254th AAFBU. New airfield, built by the United States, opened June 1944. Originally used Vichy French Airport (Eknes Field) at Rufisque 14°43′52"N 017°14′21"W beginning in December 1943 after agreement made with French Government. Mallard Field became primary landing field for 4-engined aircraft being ferried from Brazil, 1876 miles (3,019.1 km) from Natal. 2-engined and single engined fighters still were flown to Roberts Field, Liberia 761 miles (1,224.7 km) due to shorter range. Closed January 1947. |
| Atar Airport Atar International Airport Atar Airport or Atar International Airport is an airport serving Atar, a town in the Adrar Region of Mauritania.-World War II:During World War II, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Force Air Transport Command as a stopover for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel on the North... |
Atar Atar, Mauritania Atar is a town in northwestern Mauritania, the capital of the Adrar Region and the main settlement on the Adrar Plateau. It is home to an airport, a museum and a historic mosque, constructed in 1674... , Mauritania Mauritania Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest... |
20°30′24"N 013°02′35"W | 496 miles (798.2 km) from Dakar. 1255th AAFBU. Desert Airfield in Mauritania used as refueling stop between Dakar and Casablanca; much improved by USAAF in 1944. Closed December 1945. |
| Agadir Airport | Agadir Agadir Agadir is a major city in southwest Morocco, capital of the Agadir province and the Sous-Massa-Draa economic region .-Etymology:... , French Morocco French Morocco French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate... |
30°19′30"N 009°24′27"W | 1197 miles (1,926.4 km) from Dakar. Built by USAAF in March 1943. Used as refueling stop between Dakar and Casablanca. Closed June 1946. |
| Tindouf Airport Tindouf Airport -Scheduled services:The only airline serving the airport is Air Algérie. As of January 2011 it flies from here to three domestic destinations, as follows... |
Tindouf Tindouf Tindouf is the main town in Tindouf Province, Algeria, close to the Mauritanian and Moroccan borders. The region is considered of strategic significance, and it houses Algerian military bases. Since 1975, it also contains several Sahrawi refugee camps operated by the Polisario Front a guerrilla... , Algeria Algeria Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab... |
27°42′05"N 008°09′55"W | 1079 miles (1,736.5 km) from Dakar. 1256th AAFBU. Opened January 1943. Desert Airfield in Western Algeria used as refueling stop between Dakar and Casablanca; much improved by USAAF in 1944 Closed June 1945 |
| Menara Airport | Marrakech Marrakech Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history... , French Morocco French Morocco French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate... |
31°36′25"N 008°02′11"W | Seized from Vichy French control as part of Operation Torch Operation Torch Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942.... , November 1942. Became ATC base, operated by 1257th AAFBU. Received ferried aircraft on South Atlantic route, supporting Twelfth Air Force. Air route to Azores 1182 miles (1,902.2 km) established in January 1944. Closed January 1946 |
| Anfa Airport Casablanca-Anfa Airport Casablanca-Anfa Airport is an airport in Morocco , located about southwest of Casablanca. Anfa Airport is one of two airports serving the Casablanca area, the other being the newer and larger Mohammed V International Airport. Anfa Airport, restricted by the urban growth around it, primarily serves... |
Casablanca Casablanca Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture... , French Morocco French Morocco French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate... |
33°33′25"N 007°39′38"W | Seized from Vichy French control as part of Operation Torch, November 1942. Became ATC base, HQ, North African Division, Air Transport Command. operated by 1251st AAFBU. Received ferried aircraft on South Atlantic route, supporting Twelfth Air Force. Air route to Azores 1140 miles (1,834.6 km) established in January 1944. Air Technical Service Command 34th Air Depot Group. Also operated detachment at Rabat Airport, 34°03′05"N 006°45′05"W. Closed January 1946. |
| Port Lyautey Airfield | French Morocco French Morocco French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate... |
34°17′56"N 006°35′42"W | Former Vichy French military airfield, seized during Battle of Port Lyautey Battle of Port Lyautey The Battle of Port Lyautey began on 8 November 1942 for the city of Port Lyautey, today known as Kenitra, in French Morocco. The battle ended with the United States seizure of the port.-Objectives:... , 8 November 1942.. Used by ATC It functioned as a stopover en-route to Oran, Algeria or to Casablanca, for cargo, ferrying aircraft and personnel, also used as ferrying airfield of aircraft from RAF St Mawgan, England to build up new Twelfth Air Force. Much improved by USAAF, early 1943. After the end of the war in Europe, Air Transport Command was assigned several heavy bombardment squadrons by HQ USAFE XII Tactical Air Command to transport key personnel back to the United States from airfield. Closed December 1945. |
| Oran Es Sénia Airport Oran Es Sénia Airport Oran Es Sénia Airport is an airport located 4.7 nm south of Oran, near Es Sénia, in Algeria.-History:During World War II, La Sénia Airport was first used by the French Air Force as a military airfield, first by the Armée de l'Air, and after June 1940, by the Armistice Air Force of the Vichy... |
Oran Oran Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest... Algeria Algeria Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab... |
35°37′38"N 000°36′41"W | 1258th AAFBU. 426 miles (685.6 km) from Casablanca. Seized during Operation Torch in November 1942. Primarily used for intra-theater support of Fifth Army and Twelfth Air Force during Tunisia Campaign Tunisia Campaign The Tunisia Campaign was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African Campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces. The Allies consisted of British Imperial Forces, including Polish and Greek contingents, with American and French corps... until the end of May 1943. Absorbed Joint US-British Mediterranean Air Transport Service (MATS). November 1943 and established ferrying and transport route to Cairo 1889 miles (3,040 km), airport used as way-station and refueling facility. Closed August 1945. |
| Maison Blanche Airport | Algiers Algiers ' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000... Algeria Algeria Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab... |
36°41′27"N 003°12′55"E | 1259th AAFBU. 651 miles (1,047.7 km) from Casablanca. Seized during Operation Torch in November 1942. Primarily used for intra-theater support of Fifth Army and Twelfth Air Force during Tunisia Campaign until the end of May 1943. Used for ferrying to Cairo beginning November 1943 1684 miles (2,710.1 km). Hub to Marseilles and Naples established later in war for transport and ferrying of replacement aircraft to units in France and Italy. Closed February 1947. |
| Bizerte Airfield Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base is a Tunisian Air Force base located approximately 7 km west of Menzel Abderhaman, and 9 km west-southwest of Bizerte,Units stationed at the base are:* No. 11 Squadron* No. 15 Squadron* No... |
Bizerte Bizerte Bizerte or Benzert , is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 .-History:... Tunisia Tunisia Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area... |
37°14′36"N 009°47′11"E | 1334 miles (2,146.9 km) from Cairo. Former Twelfth Air Force fighter base, began use by ATC in November 1943. Primarily used for intra-theater support, refueling stop for ferrying aircraft to Cairo bound for Russia or China. Also ATSC Depot. |
| Mellaha Airfield Wheelus Air Base -See also:*List of airports in Libya-External links:*****... |
Tripoli Tripoli Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three... Libya Libya Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.... |
32°53′42"N 013°16′49"E | 1262d AAFBU. 1084 miles (1,744.5 km) from Cairo. ATC operations established November 1943 after takeover of Mediterranean Air Transport Service. Primarily used for intra-theater support, refueling stop for ferrying aircraft to Cairo bound for Russia or China. |
| Soluch Airfield | Benghazi Benghazi Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya... Libya Libya Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.... |
32°05′49"N 020°16′10"E | 1263d AAFBU. 673 miles (1,083.1 km) from Cairo. ATC operations established November 1943 after takeover of Mediterranean Air Transport Service. Primarily used for intra-theater support, refueling stop for ferrying aircraft to Cairo bound for Russia or China. |
| Payne Field Cairo International Airport Cairo International Airport is the busiest airport in Egypt and the primary hub for Star Alliance member EgyptAir. The airport is located to the north-east of the city around from the business area of the city.The airport is administered by the Egyptian Holding Co... |
Cairo, Egypt | 30°07′19"N 31°24′20"E | 1264th AAFBU. Ferrying operations established in late 1941 to supply Desert Air Force and British Eighth Army with Lend-Lease aircraft and supplies. ATC established facilities at Cairo Airport in July 1942.. Was a key hub for receiving ferried aircraft over Trans-Africa route beginning in 1941, ferrying shifted to North African Route to Russia and China, November 1943, aircraft being ferried via Middle East Route to Tehran or Karachi. Maintained transport link to Sudan, Ethiopia and Aden until end of war, until end of ferrying operations in September 1945 when closed. |
India-China Air Route
Even before the United States entered the war, it was clear that ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
must be given enough aid to keep her in the war, if not for China's sake, then certainly that her soil might serve later as the base for a counterattack against Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. But the outlook was gloomy. Japanese air and naval action in the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
left seaborne reinforcement out of the question. The possibility of establishing a useful air route into China was under serious discussion as early as January 1942, and United States policy was clear that the pathway to China be kept open. Planning then contemplated building up the China National Aviation Corporation
China National Aviation Corporation
The China National Aviation Corporation , was a major airline in the Republic of China and is currently a state owned aviation holding company in the People's Republic of China, which owns a majority of Air China and Air Macau.-History:In 1929, it was established as China Airways by...
with a fleet of seventy-five two-engine transports.
Organized USAAF ferrying activities began in India with the Ferrying Command 1st Ferrying Group being activated on 3 March 1942. It departed the United States for India on 17 March, reporting to the Tenth Air Force
Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
Trans-India Ferry Command, which itself was activated on 6 April 1942. The 1st Ferrying Group operated a ferrying route between Karachi as western terminal and airfields in the upper Assam Valley as its eastern terminal.
The Assam-Burma-India Ferry Command, also under Tenth Air Force activated on 17 April with the 2d Ferrying Group. It merged with the Trans-India Ferry Command to form the 10th AF India-China Ferry Command on 16 July. The Trans-India Ferry Command was formally inactivated on 1 December 1942 when the Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
India-China Wing, (ICWATC) was activated.
Unlike the efforts to supply the British in North Africa or the Russians on the eastern front with aircraft, the primary mission of the ATC India-China Division was the movement of equipment and supplies across India to the combat forces in Burma, or to the Chinese from port facilities in Karachi, Bombay, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
and Calcutta, where large ATC facilities were established. The ground transportation infrastructure in India prior to the war consisted of a string of primitive railroads of varying gauges and limited capacity. The air movement across India of aircraft being ferried to Tenth and Fourteenth Air Force along the route were flown from Karachi, was a tertiary mission.
Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
became the western terminus of the India-China division, with Air Technical Service Command also operating an Air Depot there. It was chosen due to its relative safety from the Japanese, although it was 1,700 miles away from the Assam Valley and 1,400 miles from Calcutta. Calcutta, in eastern India with an excellent airport and port facilities, was so menaced by the Japanese in 1942 that relatively few supplies and men were sent there from the United States. The situation had changed by 1943, and the Calcutta docks was a major shipment destination, but it was still nearly 600 miles from the Assam terminus of the Hump route, and the line of communication was tenuous.
From Karachi, aircraft bound for Tenth Air Force
Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
and United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
units supporting British Forces in Burma were ferried east to the combat airfields, with China-bound aircraft for Fourteenth Air Force
Fourteenth Air Force
The Fourteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command . It is headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California....
being sent to Chauba in the Assam Valley of northeast India. From several sub-fields provided by the RAF in the Assam Valley, both aircraft and supplies were ferried over "The Hump
The Hump
The Hump was the name given by Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military transport aircraft from India to China to resupply the Chinese war effort of Chiang Kai-shek and the units of the United States Army Air Forces based in...
", a flyable route over the Himalayan Mountains, into Yunnan Province in southeast China, where several airfields were constructed to receive and turn-around aircraft, which then went on to Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
, the major ATC facility in China.
By the middle of June 1942, ten C-53's had been delivered at Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
for the use of either CNAC or the Chinese government. In addition, a total of thirty-nine Douglas planes for use by U.S. military crews had been flown to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. However, the situation changed when Japanese ground forces on 8 May took the Myitkyina
Myitkyina
Myitkyina is the capital city of Kachin State in Myanmar , located from Yangon, and from Mandalay. In Burmese it means "near the big river", and in fact "Myitkyina" lies on the west bank of the Ayeyarwady River, just below from Myit-son of its two headstreams...
, Burma airfield that was to have played a key part in the air supply of China. The loss of Myitkyina left only one means of keeping open a pathway to China—the grim prospect of direct flight from airfields in the eastern Assam Valley in Northeast India across the High Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
to Yunnanyi, Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
, or other points in the Yunnan Province of China.
The most vital need was for airfields with hard-surface runways, hardstandings, and taxiways. The United States asked the RAF in India to provide three fields in Upper Assam, including one already being built at Chabua
Chabua
Chabua is a town and a town area committee in Dibrugarh district in the state of Assam, India.-Geography:Chabua is located at . It has an average elevation of 106 metres .-Demographics:...
by native labor with primitive tools and methods.
During the war, additional Air Depots were constructed at Bombay, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
and Calcutta which received aircraft sent by sea, assembling and ferrying them to Tenth or Fourteenth Air Force. In 1944, the first B-29s sent to the China-Burma-India Theater to support XX Bomber Command
XX Bomber Command
The XX Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces, based on Okinawa. It was inactivated on July 16, 1945.- History:...
operations in eastern India were flown into Karachi and onto eastern India.
| India-China Division (Originally 1st AAF Ferrying Wing) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Location | Coordinates | Notes |
| RAF Jiwani Jiwani Airport Jiwani Airport is situated 10 km away from the city centre of Jiwani in Balochistan. It is not a major airport of Pakistan. At this time, there is no scheduled service to or from the airport.-World War II:... |
British India | 25°04′04"N 61°48′20"E | 1306th AAFBU. 392 miles (630.9 km) from Oman, 1385 miles (2,228.9 km) from Aden. Former British Imperial Airways airport on Cairo-Karachi route, used by ATC as a refueling field for ferrying aircraft over Middle East or Central African Route to Karachi. 973 miles (1,565.9 km) USAAF operations at base ended, September 1945. |
| Karachi Airport | British India | 24°54′22"N 067°09′44"E | 1349th AAFBU. Activated in March 1942. ATC Station #16. Was western ATC hub of India-China Air Route, receiving large numbers of ferried aircraft from Africa and Middle East. Large Technical Service Command presence and depot facilities. Trans-India movement made via New Delhi and Calcutta for Tenth Air Force aircraft; through Chauba for Fourteenth Air Force ferried aircraft. Also performed air transport of supplies and material in CBI. Moved large amount of shipments from port facility across India via transport aircraft. Detachment was closed on 26 June 1946. |
| Willingdon Airfield Safdarjung Airport Safdarjung Airport also is an airport in New Delhi, India, in the neighbourhood of the same name. Established during the British Raj, as Willingdon Airfield, it started operations as an airport in 1929, when was the India's second airport and Delhi’s only airport... |
New Delhi New Delhi New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is... , British India |
28°35′04"N 077°12′21"E | 1302d AAFBU. 670 miles (1,078.3 km) from Karachi. ATC Station #8. First USAAF personnel arrived 25 June 1942 Also 2d Air Depot. Major transshipment point for 10th AF Ferrying unit and later ATC throughout the war. USAAF ended activities 1 May 1946. |
| Agra Airfield Agra Air Force Station Air Force Station Agra also known as Agra Airport or Kheria Airport , is a military airbase and public airport serving the city of Agra, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The air force station is one of the largest airbases of the Indian Air Force and has been synonymous with the Taj Mahal... |
British India | 27°09′27"N 077°57′39"E | 1303d AAFBU. 688 miles (1,107.2 km) from Karachi. ATC Station #17. First USAAF personnel arrived 19 March 1942 , Also 3d Air Depot. Major transshipment point for 10th AF Ferrying unit and later ATC throughout the war. USAAF ended activities 5 May 1946. |
| Dum Dum Airport Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is an airport located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, serving the greater Kolkata metro area. The airport was originally known as Dum Dum Airport before being renamed in the honour of Subhas Chandra Bose... Cazes Air Base |
Calcutta, British India | 22°39′17"N 088°26′48"E | 1301st AAFBU. 728 miles (1,171.6 km) from Agra. ATC Station #19. AAF activities began 1942. Calcutta (later Bengal) Air Depot Large Technical Service Command presence and depot facilities. USAAF ended activities 1 May 1946. |
| Dinjan Airfield Dinjan Airfield Dinjan Airfield was a World War II airfield, located approximately seven miles northeast of Chabua, in the state of Assam, India.It was abandoned after the war and, though unused, is part of an Indian Air Force base.-History:... |
British India | 27°32′16"N 095°16′10"E | 534 miles (859.4 km) from Calcutta. Activated by 10th AF 12 February 1942. HQ 1st Ferrying Group. Assam Valley transshipment point for supplies, equipment and aircraft ferried to China over Himalayas from Northeast India. USAAF Operations ended October 1945. |
| Chabua Airfield | British India | 27°27′44"N 095°07′05"E | 541 miles (870.7 km) from Calcutta. Opened early 1942. ATC Station #6. Assam Valley transshipment point for supplies, equipment and aircraft ferried to China over Himalayas from Northeast India. Closed 7 April 1946 |
| Kunming Airport | China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... |
24°59′51"N 102°44′36"E | 502 miles (807.9 km) from Chabua. Eastern terminus of South Atlantic air ferry route. 23,000 miles from Morrison Field, Florida. Headquarters, Fourteenth Air Force Fourteenth Air Force The Fourteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command . It is headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.... , prior HQ American Volunteer Group American Volunteer Group The American Volunteer Groups were volunteer air units organized by the United States government to aid the Nationalist government of China against Japan in the Second Sino-Japanese War... . ATC Station #13. Ferrying Command established HQ in early 1942, later ATC 1340th AAFBU. Intra-theater ATC airlift hub within China for 14th AF. AAF Operations ended October 1946. |
Project X
Project X, as the heavy bomber movement to the Far EastFar East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
was designated, became the first major foreign ferrying mission of the war and the first major overseas movement of tactical units. Not until the air echelon of the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
began its movement to Britain in June 1942 would the Army Air Forces face an overseas ferrying job of greater size and complexity. Although a total of eighty four-engine bombers were originally earmarked for the project, something less than that number actually left the United States and an even smaller number reached the Far East.
Project X comprised two separate echelons of heavy bombers. The first of these was made up of fifteen LB-30's repossessed from the British and manned by crews of the 7th Bombardment Group, a group whose air movement across the Pacific had begun on 6 December. Only six of these planes actually went through the South Atlantic, the others being ultimately diverted to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for movement to the South Pacific
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
through Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. Travel orders were issued on 19 December 1941, and within a few days aircraft and crews began to arrive at MacDill Field, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, to prepare for the long overseas flight.
The second and more important component was made up of a projected sixty-five B-17 bombers and crews. Most of the B-17's were yet to come from the factory and were to move out in small groups as they became available and after they had gone to the Sacramento Air Depot
McClellan Air Force Base
McClellan Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in the North Highlands area of Sacramento County, northeast of Sacramento, California...
to be put in combat readiness. Orders were issued on 23 December for the transfer of the sixty-five bombers to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Crews of both groups of bombers were ordered to proceed along the South Atlantic route through the Central African route to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, then through the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
via RAF Habbaniya
RAF Habbaniya
Royal Air Force Station Habbaniya, more commonly known as RAF Habbaniya, was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniyah, about west of Baghdad in modern day Iraq, on the banks of the Euphrates near Lake Habbaniyah...
to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. The B-17's were ordered to proceed as far as Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, at which point they were to report by secret means via Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
to General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
and reinforce Far East Air Force in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, Netherlands East Indies and in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
via and await further orders. This route was of most immediate importance in the first weeks of the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, even though it had the marked disadvantage of stretching approximately two-thirds around the world.
The staging of Project X aircraft and crews at MacDill Field extended over a period of about two months. During that time some fifty-eight heavy bombers of the projected eighty departed for the Far East over the southeastern route. In spite of many delays along the way, forty-four of the sixty-six bombers were delivered to the Southwest Pacific Area over both routes by late February; some had served as a source of spare parts to put the others through. Four of the B-17's were lost completely either in crashes or over the Atlantic, another landed in a swamp at Belem
Belem
Belem or Belém may refer to:* Belém, capital city of the Brazilian state of Pará* Belem , a three-masted barque from France* Belém, Alagoas, a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas...
, one was forced to return to the United States for repairs, and one was delayed in Africa awaiting repairs even as late as May 1942. Although none of the bombers reached the Philippines, most of them were put to use in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
or on other fronts. It was a good record considering the pioneer nature of the job, the inexperienced and poorly trained crews, and the necessity for building a ferrying route organization through the South Atlantic and across Africa and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
while the movement was in progress. In assuming the major share of responsibility for controlling the movement, the United States had gained much valuable experience that would prove useful as the ferrying job increased in scope with the growing intensity of the war in Europe and in the Pacific.
Immediately after the Pearl Harbor Attack, the Japanese had cut the central Pacific route from Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
through Midway and Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
; the route over which the Far East Air Force had received thirty-five heavy bombers in the fall of 1941. However, this route was also cut by advancing Imperial Japanese forces after the defeat of Allied forces in the Dutch East Indies campaign
Dutch East Indies campaign
The Dutch East Indies campaign of 1941–1942 was the conquest of the Dutch East Indies by forces from the Empire of Japan in the early days of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Forces from the Allies attempted unsuccessfully to defend the islands. Indonesia was targeted by the Japanese for its...
, Battle of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
and the withdraws of British forces from Burma
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
during 1942, although some B-17s were flown back to Bangalore, India from Broome, Western Australia
Broome, Western Australia
Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season...
via Ceylon fitted with internal fuel tanks after the route was closed. These aircraft were flown to Egypt where they were used in combat by the U.S. Army Middle East Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
against Nazi forces in the Western Desert Campaign
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
.
After February 1942 all aircraft flight-delivered to the Southwest Pacific were staged at West Coast United States bases and flown out by way of Hawaii and a the chain of new island steppingstone airfields in the eastern and central Pacific extending down to Australia. The initial number of planes delivered for a time was small, but steady progress was made in the construction or improvement of bases and in the installation of weather and communications facilities. This route became the South Pacific Route and was the fourth major Air Transport Command route established.
Legacy
After the war, many United States military personnel returned home and demobilized, and Air Transport Command shut down operations of many of these wartime airfields and civil airports. The airports were returned to civil control, with the improvements made by the Americans making them more valuable than they were prior to the war. Almost all were utilized by the governments of the nations where they were located as civil or international airports of their country.The routes established were used by international airlines. As aircraft were developed with jet engines, longer ranges and higher capacity, some of the airports became secondary. Today most remain in existence, even six decades later showing clear evidence of their wartime past.
See also
- North Atlantic air ferry route in World War IINorth Atlantic air ferry route in World War IIThe North Atlantic air ferry route was a series of Air Routes over the North Atlantic Ocean on which aircraft were ferried between the United States and Great Britain during World War II to support combat operations in the European Theater of Operations ....
- South Pacific air ferry route in World War II
- Northwest Staging RouteNorthwest Staging RouteThe Northwest Staging Route was a series of airstrips, airport and radio ranging stations built in Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska during World War II. It was known in the Soviet Union as Alsib ....
- West Coast WingWest Coast WingThe West Coast Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Pacific Division, Air Transport Command, headquartered at Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base, California...
(Air Transport Command route to Alaska) - Crimson RouteCrimson RouteThe Crimson Route was a set of joint United States and Canadian transport routes planned for ferrying planes and material from North America to Europe during World War II...
External links
- Google Maps Distance Calculator (Used for calculating great circle distances)
- ATC in India-China