RAF El Fasher

  Unknown date to present

  Sudan

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CITY: El Fasher

IATA/ICAO CODES: ELF / HSFS

COORDINATES: 13°37'N / 25°19'E

OTHER NAMES: RAF El Fasher (WWII), El Fasher, Al Fashir (present)

RAF El Fasher was a technical stop on the West African Reinforcement (WAR) route through Darfur. At that time, the WAR route was a vital lifeline to Egypt for warplanes, and thence crucial in the North African campaign. Funding for communications in Darfur, until then derisorily parsimonious, flowed freely. El Fasher's airfield facilities were improved. At the RAF's request, extensive work raised the main provincial roads (El Geneina - El Fasher - Nyala - Nahud) to all-weather status before the 1942 rainy season, as aviation fuel had to be trucked in from the east. Much of the traffic was short-hop fighters and bombers, but also transport aircraft as the WAR route was also operated by the Air Transport Command.

Activity increased until the North African campaign came to an end in 1943, but the WAR route remained in use until 1945.

1208^th AAF Base Unit (El Fasher)

Air Transport Command, Central African Wing