RAF Bahrain

  1932 to present

  Bahrain

CITY: Muharraq

IATA/ICAO CODES: BAH / OBBI

COORDINATES: 26°16'N / 50°38'E

OTHER NAMES: RAF Bahrain (1943-1963), RAF Muharraq (1963-1971), Bahrain International (present)

Right: RAF Bahrain, then RAF Muharraq, seen in November 1967.
Photo credit: unknown

Bahrain airport is considered as the first international airport when British Imperial Airways started using the airfield as an enroute stop on its London to Delhi route in 1932. The airfield, located on an island, was later used as a seaplane base for Empire flying boats linking London to India, Singapore and Australia in the late 1930's.

From 22 May 1943, Bahrain became an RAF station along with a base for the USAAF Air Transport Command. The airport worked as a stopover between Abadan, Iran and Sharjah, UAE on the Karachi to Cairo route. RAF Bahrain became RAF Muharraq in 1963, and eventually closed down on 15 December 1971 after the kingdom gained independence. Most of the RAF station facilities were later turned over to the country's flag carrier Gulf Air.

Today, the airfield operates as Bahrain International Airport.

Air Transport Command Central African Wing Station 13 (June 1943 to July 1944)

Air Transport Command Central African Division (July 1944 to unknown date)