Airport type Military 00/00 0 00/00 0 | Location Israel 00/00 0 Year built 1940 | |
In use 1940–1948 RAF Use
1948–2008 Israeli Use Operators Royal Air Force, Israeli Air Force | ||
Lod Air Force Base, also Air Force Base 27, was an Israeli Air Force airfield that was part of the Ben Gurion International Airport, located approximately 7 km (4 mi) north of Lod; 8 km (5 mi) east-southeast of Tel Aviv.
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From 1940 to 1948 it was known as RAF Station Lydda while under British Royal Air Force control.
History
Before the Israeli declaration of independence, the airfield was a British installation known as RAF Station Lydda — a Royal Air Force station in Palestine between 1943 and 1948.
The Wilhelma Airport, built in 1936, was used by the Allies during the Second World War becoming RAF Lydda on 1 March 1943. After the Israeli declaration of independence, it became an IAF airfield and the only international airport of the new state of Israel. The airfield military base officially closed down on 2 August 2008, after its last units moved to Nevatim. On the same airfield the Ben Gurion International Airport is still operating as the main airport of Israel.
RAF Operational units
Between July and November, 1942, the US Army, Middle East Air Force (USAMEAF) operated B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator aircraft from RAF Lydda. These aircraft were reassigned to Egypt in November.