Mediterranean Air Command
Encyclopedia
The Mediterranean Air Command (MAC) was the official Allied
air force command organization in the North African and Mediterranean Theater of Operations
(MTO) between February 18 and December 10, 1943. MAC was commanded by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder whose headquarters (H.Q.) were established next to those of Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower
at Algiers, Algeria for planning the Allied campaigns in Tunisia
, Pantelleria
, Sicily, and the invasion of mainland Italy during World War II
.
in November of 1942, the United States (U.S.) Army 12th Air Force established bases in Morocco and Algeria making it necessary for the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) to coordinate its operations with the Allied ground forces and the Royal Air Force
(RAF) which had been fighting the Axis forces primarily in Egypt and Libya
for two years. Thus, coordination and cooperation between the USAAF, the RAF, and the Allied naval and ground forces were major concerns of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
, American President Franklin Roosevelt, and their staffs at the Casablanca Conference in January of 1943. Effective February 18, 1943, the Allied air forces in the MTO were reorganized into the Mediterranean Air Command (MAC) and Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder was named Air Commander-in-Chief. The principle sub-commands of MAC are illustrated in the table below:
Mediterranean Air Command
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder
. In keeping with the new convention, Spaatz's deputy in the Northwest African Air Forces
was Air Vice Marshal James Robb
who handled NAAF operations. NAAF was the principle sub-command of MAC and its substructure was based on the successful air interdiction model of the RAF pioneered and developed by Tedder as Commander-in-Chief of Middle East Command
and Air Vice Marshal Arthur Coningham
as Air Officer Commanding of Air H.Q. Western Desert in 1942. The primary forces used for cooperative strategic, naval, and close air support of ground forces by Tedder and Coningham in Egypt and Libya
had consisted of:
Flexible coordination of RAF with the 8th Army
during this period has been contrasted with the more rigid relationship between the Luftwaffe and German ground forces. One RAF tactic, the Tedder Carpet, consisted of squadrons of successive bombers dropping a rolling barrage of bombs just ahead of their own advancing forces. This influenced the nickname of the 12th Bombardment Group; namely, The Earthquakers. Another close air support
tactic involved the highly mobile leap-frogging of interspersed landing fields to facilitate the performance of: 1) attack; 2) top cover; and 3) reserve (refueling) fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons.
In keeping with the RAF model above, the planners at the Casablanca Conference invested NAAF with three major combat commands:
Air interdiction using strategic, coastal, and tactical air forces was further implemented, practiced, and developed by NAAF throughout the Tunisian, Sicilian, and Italian campaigns.
Lewis Brereton's 9th Air Force was assigned to Sir Sholto Douglas' RAF Middle East Command
although the 9th's 57th and 79th Fighter Groups were part of No. 211 (Offensive Fighter) Group
in NATAF's Western Desert Air Force
under Air Vice Marshal Harry Broadhurst
, its 324th Fighter Group was part of XII Air Support Command under Major General Edwin House, and its 12th & 340th Bombardment Groups became part of the Tactical Bomber Force under Air Commodore Laurence Sinclair
.
The US 12th Air Force, the largest air force ever assembled following its inception several months earlier, ceased to exist in the new MAC organization. The 12th Air Force simply disappeared as its groups were distributed among the various NAAF commands listed in the table above. The sole remaining reference to the 12th Air Force among the higher tier commands was House's XII Air Support Command which along with Broadhurst's Western Desert Air Force, Sinclair's Tactical Bomber Force, and Air Commodore Sir Kenneth Cross
' No. 242 Group RAF
, became subordinate commands of Coningham's NATAF. Prior to the invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) in July of 1943, No.242 Group became part of Lloyd's NACAF.
At this time, the British and Americans maintained approximately 130 squadrons each and the French contributed 11 squadrons to the Mediterranean Air Command.
(MAAF) were formed with Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder as Air Commander-in-Chief. In mid-January 1944, Lieutenant General Ira Eaker took over MAAF when Eisenhower chose Tedder to oversee air operations and planning for the Normandy Landings. Based on the success of the tri-force model in NAAF, it was retained in MAAF as separate Mediterranean Allied Strategic, Tactical, and Coastal Air Forces. Effective coordination of air and ground forces and cooperation with naval forces were key features of the tri-force model empowered by the command structures of NAAF, MAAF, and even today's air forces.
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
air force command organization in the North African and 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) between February 18 and December 10, 1943. MAC was commanded by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder whose headquarters (H.Q.) were established next to those of Supreme Allied Commander, 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...
at Algiers, Algeria for planning the Allied campaigns in Tunisia
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...
, Pantelleria
Operation Corkscrew
During World War II, Operation Corkscrew was the Allied invasion of the Italian island of Pantelleria on 10 June 1943. There had been an early plan to occupy the island in late 1940 , but this was aborted when the Luftwaffe strengthened the Axis air threat in the region.The Allied focus returned...
, Sicily, and the invasion of mainland Italy during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Formation
After 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....
in November of 1942, the United States (U.S.) Army 12th Air Force established bases in Morocco and Algeria making it necessary for the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) to coordinate its operations with the Allied ground forces and the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) which had been fighting the Axis forces primarily in Egypt and Libya
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
for two years. Thus, coordination and cooperation between the USAAF, the RAF, and the Allied naval and ground forces were major concerns of 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...
, American President Franklin Roosevelt, and their staffs at the Casablanca Conference in January of 1943. Effective February 18, 1943, the Allied air forces in the MTO were reorganized into the Mediterranean Air Command (MAC) and Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder was named Air Commander-in-Chief. The principle sub-commands of MAC are illustrated in the table below:
Mediterranean Air Command
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder
| Northwest African Air Forces Northwest African Air Forces Northwest African Air Forces was the principal sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command created when the Allied air forces in North Africa and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations were reorganized in February of 1943... Nearly all 12th Air Force groups were distributed throughout the various Northwest African Air Forces Northwest African Air Forces Northwest African Air Forces was the principal sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command created when the Allied air forces in North Africa and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations were reorganized in February of 1943... (NAAF) sub-commands. Lieutenant General Carl Spaatz Carl Spaatz Carl Andrew "Tooey" Spaatz GBE was an American World War II general and the first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. He was of German descent.-Early life:... |
Middle East Command RAF Middle East Command Middle East Command was a command of the Royal Air Force formed on December 29, 1941 by renaming Headquarters RAF Middle East. During the early part of the Second World War the Command was one of the three major British service commands in the Middle East, the others being the British Army's... Air Chief Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas |
Air H.Q. Malta Air Vice Marshal Sir Keith Park Keith Park Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Rodney Park GCB, KBE, MC & Bar, DFC, RAF was a New Zealand soldier, First World War flying ace and Second World War Royal Air Force commander... |
RAF Gibraltar RAF Gibraltar Royal Air Force Station Gibraltar, better known as RAF Gibraltar and formally as North Front, is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but there are regular visits... Air Vice Marshal Sturley Simpson Sturley Simpson Air Vice-Marshal Sturley Philip Simpson CB, CBE, MC, RAF was a senior Royal Air Force commander.-RAF career:Simpson was commissioned into the Bedfordshire Regiment in 1915 during World War I. Awarded the Military Cross in 1927, he was appointed Officer Commanding No. 4 Squadron in 1930 and Station... |
No. 216 Group No. 216 Group RAF No. 216 Group was a command of the Royal Air Force during World War II established on May 21, 1942. The group was renamed No. 216 Group on September 9, 1942 and placed under the command of Air Commodore Whitney Straight the following day.No... Air Commodore Whitney Straight Whitney Straight Air Commodore Whitney Willard Straight CBE, MC, DFC was a Grand Prix motor racing driver, aviator, businessman, and a member of the prominent Whitney family of the United States.... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest African Strategic Air Force Northwest African Strategic Air Force The Northwest African Strategic Air Force was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command... (NASAF) Major General James 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... |
No. 201 Naval Co-Operation Group No. 201 Group RAF No. 201 Group was a group of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.-History:No. 201 Group RAF was formed on 18 September 1939 from General Reconnaissance Group, Middle East of the Royal Air Force . The group was initially commanded by Group Captain H.W.G. Penderel. On May 11, 1940, Group... Air Vice Marshal Thomas Langford-Sainsbury Thomas Langford-Sainsbury Air Vice-Marshal Thomas Audley Langford-Sainsbury CB OBE DFC AFC was a senior Royal Air Force officer who commanded British Air Forces in Egypt during World War II.-RAF career:... |
Nos. 23 No. 23 Squadron RAF No. 23 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. Until October 2009, it operated the Boeing Sentry AEW1 Airborne Warning And Control System aircraft from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.-First World War:... & 256 No. 256 Squadron RAF No. 256 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II. It operated Defiant Mk IIs out of RAF Squires Gate in the night defence of Liverpool.... Squadrons Detachment, Mosquito |
Nos. 48 No. 48 Squadron RAF No. 48 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that saw service in both World War I and World War II.-First World War:No. 48 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Netheravon, Wiltshire, on 15 April 1916. The squadron was posted to France in March 1917 and became the first fighter... & 233 No. 233 Squadron RAF No. 233 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron that operated from 1918–1919, 1937–1945, 1952 - 1957 and 1960–1964. The squadron was formed from several Royal Naval Air Service flights and took part in the tail end of World War I before being disbanded. The squadron was reformed with the... Squadrons, Hudson |
No. 17 Squadron (SAAF), Junkers 52 |
| Northwest African Coastal Air Force Northwest African Coastal Air Force The Northwest African Coastal Air Force was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command... (NACAF) Air Vice Marshal Hugh Lloyd |
Air H.Q. Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean Air H.Q. Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean Air Headquarters Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean was a sub-command of RAF Middle East Command which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command during World War II. Air H.Q... Air Vice Marshal Richard Saul Richard Saul Air Vice-Marshal Richard Ernest Saul CB, DFC, RAF was a pilot during World War I and a senior Royal Air Force commander during World War II.- Earlier Years :Saul was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1891... |
Nos. 40 (SAAF), 126 No. 126 Squadron RAF No. 126 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed to be a day bomber unit in World War I and reformed as a fighter unit in World War II.-Formation and World War I:No... , 185 No. 185 Squadron RAF No. 185 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed in World War I and reformed as a bomber and fighter unit in World War II. It then reformed in Malta in the post war period as a jet fighter squadron.-Formation and World War I:No... , 229 No. 229 Squadron RAF No. 229 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force, and is an officially accredited Battle of Britain Squadron. It became No. 603 Squadron RAF in January 1945.-Formation & World War I:... , 249 No. 249 Squadron RAF No. 249 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active in the sea-patrol, fighter and bomber roles during its existence.-First formation:... Squadrons, Spitfire |
No. 179 Squadron No. 179 Squadron RAF No. 179 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a maritime patrol/anti-submarine warfare unit in World War II.-Formation in World War II:... , Wellington |
No. 28 Squadron (SAAF), Anson |
| Northwest African Tactical Air Force Northwest African Tactical Air Force The Northwest African Tactical Air Force was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command... (NATAF) Acting Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham Arthur Coningham (RAF officer) Air Marshal Sir Arthur "Mary" Coningham KCB, KBE, DSO, MC, DFC, AFC, RAF was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. During the First World War, he was at Gallipoli with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, where he became a flying ace... |
U.S. Army 9th Air ForceMost of the 9th Air Force groups (57th, 79th, & 324th FGs and 12th & 340th BGs) operated under Northwest African Tactical Air Force Northwest African Tactical Air Force The Northwest African Tactical Air Force was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command... (NATAF) in mid-1943 and the 9th's 316th Troop Carrier Group operated under Northwest African Troop Carrier Command Northwest African Troop Carrier Command The Northwest African Troop Carrier Command was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command... (NATCC) at this time. The 9th's groups operating under NATAF transferred to the 12th Air Force on August 22, 1943. For air operations, Tedder reported to Eisenhower for NAAF and to the British Chiefs of Staff for Middle East Command RAF Middle East Command Middle East Command was a command of the Royal Air Force formed on December 29, 1941 by renaming Headquarters RAF Middle East. During the early part of the Second World War the Command was one of the three major British service commands in the Middle East, the others being the British Army's... , Air H.Q. Malta, RAF Gibraltar RAF Gibraltar Royal Air Force Station Gibraltar, better known as RAF Gibraltar and formally as North Front, is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but there are regular visits... , and No. 216 Group No. 216 Group RAF No. 216 Group was a command of the Royal Air Force during World War II established on May 21, 1942. The group was renamed No. 216 Group on September 9, 1942 and placed under the command of Air Commodore Whitney Straight the following day.No... . Squadron assignments for Air H.Q. Malta, RAF Gibraltar, and No. 216 Group depict the Order of Battle on July 10, 1943 for the Allied invasion of Sicily, Operation Husky. The Mediterranean Air Transport Service consisting of the USAAF 315th Troop Carrier Group (34th & 43rd Squadrons) from England also became a sub-command of MAC in May of 1943. Major General Lewis Brereton Lewis H. Brereton Lewis Hyde Brereton was a military aviation pioneer and lieutenant general in the United States Air Force... |
No. 73 Squadron No. 73 Squadron RAF -World War I:It was initially a unit of the Royal Flying Corps and was formed out of the Central Flying School, based at Upavon, Wiltshire. Eight days after, the new unit moved to Lilbourne, near Rugby.... Detachment, Hurricane |
Nos. 202 No. 202 Squadron RAF No. 202 Squadron of the Royal Air Force presently operates the Sea King HAR.3 in the Search and rescue role at three stations in the northern half of the United Kingdom. It was originally formed as one of the first aeroplane squadrons of the RNAS before it became part of the RAF.-Formation and... & 210 No. 210 Squadron RAF No. 210 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit established in World War I. Disbanded and reformed a number of times in the ensuing years, it operated as a fighter squadron during World War I and as a maritime patrol squadron during the Spanish Civil War, World War II and the Cold War before it was... Squadrons, Catalina |
No. 117 Squadron No. 117 Squadron RAF No. 117 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed to be a bomber unit in World War I and reformed as a transport and communications unit in World War II.-Formation and World War I:... (RAF), Hudson |
| Northwest African Air Service Command Northwest African Air Service Command The Northwest African Air Service Command was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command... (NAASC) Major General Delmar Dunton |
H.Q. British Forces, Aden H.Q. British Forces, Aden H.Q. British Forces, Aden was a command of the Royal Air Force established on April 14, 1942 by renaming the Aden Command. The components of H.Q. British Forces, Aden are indicated below for two dates during World War II.H.Q... Air Vice Marshal Frank MacNamara Frank Hubert McNamara Air Vice Marshal Francis Hubert McNamara VC, CB, CBE was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for valour in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to a member of the British and Commonwealth forces... VC (RAAF) |
No. 600 Squadron No. 600 Squadron RAF No. 600 Squadron RAuxAF is a squadron of the RAF Reserves. It was formed in 1925 and operated as a night fighter squadron during the Second World War with great distinction. After the war, 600 Squadron went on to operate jet fighters until 1957. Reactivated in 1999, 600 Squadron is the only RAF... , Beaufighter |
No. 248 Squadron No. 248 Squadron RAF No. 248 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force, active immediately after World War I, and again during World War II.-Post-World War I:... Detachment, Beaufighter |
No. 267 Squadron No. 267 Squadron RAF No. 267 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force that served during World War I & World War II. The squadron has been formed a total of four times.The squadron was formed at RAF Kalafrana, Malta on 27 September 1918 from Nos... (RAF), Hudson |
| Northwest African Training Command Northwest African Training Command The Northwest African Training Command was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command... (NATC) Brigadier General John Cannon John K. Cannon General John Kenneth Cannon was a World War II Mediterranean combat commander and former chief of United States Air Forces in Europe for whom Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico, is named.-Biography:... |
Air H.Q. East Africa Air Vice Marshal Harold Kerby Harold Kerby Air Vice-Marshal Harold Spencer Kerby CB DSC AFC was a senior Royal Air Force officer who commanded British Air Forces in East Africa during World War II.-RAF career:... |
815 Naval Air Squadron 815 Naval Air Squadron 815 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Fleet Air Arm, part of the Royal Navy. The squadron is currently based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, United Kingdom and it is the Navy's front line Lynx Naval Air Squadron. It currently comprises more than 30 Lynx helicopters of various types... FAA Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters... , Detachment, Albacore |
No. 544 Squadron No. 544 Squadron RAF No. 544 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as a photographic reconnaissance squadron in World War II.-Formation in World War II:... Detachment, Spitfire |
No. 173 Squadron No. 173 Squadron RAF No. 173 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a communications unit in World War II.-Formation in World War II:The squadron formed on 9 July 1942 at Heliopolis, Egypt and equipped with the Hawker Audax and it went on to operate many other types of aircraft... (RAF), Lodestar, Proctor, Hurricane |
| Northwest African Troop Carrier Command Northwest African Troop Carrier Command The Northwest African Troop Carrier Command was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command... (NATCC) Brigadier General Paul Williams Paul L. Williams (US general) Paul Langdon Williams was a United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force general. As head of the IX Troop Carrier Command during World War II, he was responsible for the airlift of the airborne landings in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Normandy, southern France, Holland and... |
Air H.Q. Levant Air H.Q. Levant Air Headquarters Levant was a command of the British Royal Air Force established on December 1, 1941 by renaming the command known as H.Q. RAF Palestine and Transjordan. Prior to being disbanded on July 27, 1948, Air H.Q. Levant was a sub-command of RAF Middle East Command and its successors... Air Commodore Bernard McEntegart |
No. 1435 Flight No. 1435 Flight RAF No. 1435 Flight is a Eurofighter Typhoon unit of the Royal Air Force, based at RAF Mount Pleasant, providing air defence for the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.During the Second World War, No... , Spitfire No. 983 Barrage Balloon Squadron, Royal AAF Royal Auxiliary Air Force The Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service... |
813 Naval Air Squadron 813 Naval Air Squadron 813 Naval Air Squadron was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm during World War II and again post-war. It initially operated Swordfish Mk Is from the aircraft carrier Illustrious and took part in the successful raid on Taranto in November 1940.In July 1943, the squadron was a... FAA Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters... , Swordfish |
No. 216 Squadron No. 216 Squadron RAF No. 216 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Lockheed Tristar K1, KC1 and C2 from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.- History :216 Squadron was formed at RAF Manston by re-numbering No. 16 Squadron RNAS when the RAF was established in 1918, hence it is always spoken of as 'two-sixteen Squadron'... (RAF), C-47 Dakota |
| Northwest African Photographic Reconnaissance Wing Northwest African Photographic Reconnaissance Wing The Northwest African Photographic Reconnaissance Wing was an Allied photo-reconnaissance wing which operated in North Africa during World War II until the end of 1943.- History :... (NAPRW) Colonel Elliott Roosevelt Elliott Roosevelt Elliott Roosevelt was a United States Army Air Forces officer and an author. Roosevelt was a son of U.S. President Franklin D... |
Air H.Q. Iraq and Persia Air Vice Marshal H. Champion de Crespigny Hugh Champion de Crespigny Air Vice-Marshal Hugh Vivian Champion de Crespigny CB MC DFC was a senior Royal Air Force officer who commanded British Air Forces in Iraq during World War II.-RAF career:... |
No. 248 Wing: No. 69 Sqn. No. 69 Squadron RAF The name No. 69 Squadron has been used by the Royal Air Force for two quite different units.No. 3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps was formed at Point Cook, Victoria, Australia on 19 September 1916. To avoid confusion with No. 3 Squadron, RAF, it was known to the British military as "No... , Baltimore No. 221 Sqn. No. 221 Squadron RAF No. 221 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that operated during World War I and World War II. Its motto was "From sea to sea".-History:The Squadron was formed in Greece on 1 April 1918, from 'D' Squadron of No. 2 Wing RNAS. Initially engaged in anti-submarine warfare in the Aegean, it was sent... , Wellington Nos. 108 No. 108 Squadron RAF Motto "Viribus contractis" .No. 108 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War I. The unit was formed at Stonehenge and it adopted an oak leaf as a badge being symbolic of strength and age... & 272 No. 272 Squadron RAF No. 272 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as an anti–submarine unit in World War I and a coastal fighter unit in World War II.-Formation and World War I:No... Sqns., Beau No. 683 Sqn. No. 683 Squadron RAF No. 683 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.-Formation and World War II:683 squadron was formed out of 'B' Flight of No. 69 Squadron on 8 February 1943 at RAF Luqa on Malta, as a photo-reconnaissance squadron operating the Spitfire... , Spitfire, No. 826 Sqn. FAA Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters... , Albacore |
No. 1403 Flight Meteorological, Hampden, Gladiator |
No. 230 Squadron No. 230 Squadron RAF No. 230 Squadron is an RAF squadron, currently based at RAF Benson.The squadron was part of Royal Air Force Germany, operating the Puma HC.1 there from 1980. Following the drawdown at the end of the Cold War, the squadron disbanded on 30 April 1992... (RAF), Sunderland |
Objectives
To promote cooperation between the USAAF and RAF, it was intended that a unit commander from one air force would be assigned a deputy commander from the other air force. A major exception to this convention existed in MAC itself where Tedder's Deputy Commander-in-Chief was Air Vice Marshall H. E. P. Wigglesworth. MAC Chief of Staff was American Brigadier General Howard A. Craig who was schooled in desert warfare army-air operations by both Tedder and Field Marshal Bernard MontgomeryBernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
. In keeping with the new convention, Spaatz's deputy in the Northwest African Air Forces
Northwest African Air Forces
Northwest African Air Forces was the principal sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command created when the Allied air forces in North Africa and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations were reorganized in February of 1943...
was Air Vice Marshal James Robb
James Robb (RAF officer)
Air Chief Marshal Sir James Milne Robb GCB, KBE, DSO, DFC, AFC, RAF, was a senior Royal Air Force commander. After early service in the First World War with the Northumberland Fusiliers, Robb joined the Royal Flying Corps and became a flying ace credited with seven aerial victories...
who handled NAAF operations. NAAF was the principle sub-command of MAC and its substructure was based on the successful air interdiction model of the RAF pioneered and developed by Tedder as Commander-in-Chief of Middle East Command
RAF Middle East Command
Middle East Command was a command of the Royal Air Force formed on December 29, 1941 by renaming Headquarters RAF Middle East. During the early part of the Second World War the Command was one of the three major British service commands in the Middle East, the others being the British Army's...
and Air Vice Marshal Arthur Coningham
Arthur Coningham (RAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir Arthur "Mary" Coningham KCB, KBE, DSO, MC, DFC, AFC, RAF was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. During the First World War, he was at Gallipoli with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, where he became a flying ace...
as Air Officer Commanding of Air H.Q. Western Desert in 1942. The primary forces used for cooperative strategic, naval, and close air support of ground forces by Tedder and Coningham in Egypt and Libya
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
had consisted of:
- No 205 (Heavy Bomber) GroupNo. 205 Group RAFNo. 205 Group was a long-range, heavy bomber group of the Royal Air Force established on October 23, 1941 by boosting No. 257 Wing to Group status....
's long-range bombardment force of 5 Wings (10-11 RAF and SAAF squadrons) and American heavy bombers including Colonel Harry Halverson's B-24 squadron (HALPRO), Major General Lewis Brereton'sLewis H. BreretonLewis Hyde Brereton was a military aviation pioneer and lieutenant general in the United States Air Force...
B-17 squadron, and four B-24 squadrons of the 98th Bombardment Group. - No 201 (Naval Co-operation) GroupNo. 201 Group RAFNo. 201 Group was a group of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.-History:No. 201 Group RAF was formed on 18 September 1939 from General Reconnaissance Group, Middle East of the Royal Air Force . The group was initially commanded by Group Captain H.W.G. Penderel. On May 11, 1940, Group...
's anti-shipping force (10 squadrons: Greek, RAAF, SAAF, and RAF) - Air H.Q. Western DesertDesert Air ForceThe 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...
's tactical fighter command including a U.S. 9th Air Force Desert Air Task Force consisting of the 12th Bombardment and 57th Fighter Groups.
Flexible coordination of RAF with the 8th 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....
during this period has been contrasted with the more rigid relationship between the Luftwaffe and German ground forces. One RAF tactic, the Tedder Carpet, consisted of squadrons of successive bombers dropping a rolling barrage of bombs just ahead of their own advancing forces. This influenced the nickname of the 12th Bombardment Group; namely, The Earthquakers. Another close air support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
tactic involved the highly mobile leap-frogging of interspersed landing fields to facilitate the performance of: 1) attack; 2) top cover; and 3) reserve (refueling) fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons.
In keeping with the RAF model above, the planners at the Casablanca Conference invested NAAF with three major combat commands:
- Northwest African Strategic Air ForceNorthwest African Strategic Air ForceThe Northwest African Strategic Air Force was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command...
(NASAF) under former 12th AF commander Major General James DoolittleJimmy DoolittleGeneral 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... - Northwest African Coastal Air ForceNorthwest African Coastal Air ForceThe Northwest African Coastal Air Force was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command...
(NACAF) initially under Group Captain G. G. Barrett (Acting) and soon after under Air Vice Marshal Hugh Lloyd. - Northwest African Tactical Air ForceNorthwest African Tactical Air ForceThe Northwest African Tactical Air Force was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command...
(NATAF) under Acting Air Marshal Sir Arthur ConinghamArthur Coningham (RAF officer)Air Marshal Sir Arthur "Mary" Coningham KCB, KBE, DSO, MC, DFC, AFC, RAF was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. During the First World War, he was at Gallipoli with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, where he became a flying ace...
.
Air interdiction using strategic, coastal, and tactical air forces was further implemented, practiced, and developed by NAAF throughout the Tunisian, Sicilian, and Italian campaigns.
Lewis Brereton's 9th Air Force was assigned to Sir Sholto Douglas' RAF Middle East Command
RAF Middle East Command
Middle East Command was a command of the Royal Air Force formed on December 29, 1941 by renaming Headquarters RAF Middle East. During the early part of the Second World War the Command was one of the three major British service commands in the Middle East, the others being the British Army's...
although the 9th's 57th and 79th Fighter Groups were part of No. 211 (Offensive Fighter) Group
No. 211 Group RAF
No 211 Group or No. 211 Group was a Group of the Royal Air Force formed on 10 December 1941 by renaming Nucleus Group Western Desert. The group was officially disbanded from 3 February 1942 to 12 March 1943, although some references refer to some of its original squadrons during this period as...
in NATAF's Western 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...
under Air Vice Marshal Harry Broadhurst
Harry Broadhurst
Air Chief Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst GCB, KBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, AFC, RAF , commonly known as Broady, was a senior Royal Air Force commander.-Early life:...
, its 324th Fighter Group was part of XII Air Support Command under Major General Edwin House, and its 12th & 340th Bombardment Groups became part of the Tactical Bomber Force under Air Commodore Laurence Sinclair
Laurence Frank Sinclair
Air Vice Marshal Sir Laurence Frank Sinclair GC, KCB, CBE, DSO & Bar was awarded the George Cross for rescuing a severely injured airman from a crashed and burning plane.-RAF career:...
.
The US 12th Air Force, the largest air force ever assembled following its inception several months earlier, ceased to exist in the new MAC organization. The 12th Air Force simply disappeared as its groups were distributed among the various NAAF commands listed in the table above. The sole remaining reference to the 12th Air Force among the higher tier commands was House's XII Air Support Command which along with Broadhurst's Western Desert Air Force, Sinclair's Tactical Bomber Force, and Air Commodore Sir Kenneth Cross
Kenneth Cross
Air Chief Marshal Sir Kenneth Brian Boyd Cross KCB CBE DSO DFC RAF , was a senior Royal Air Force commander. He was commonly known as Bing.-RAF career:...
' No. 242 Group RAF
No. 242 Group RAF
No. 242 Group was a group of the British Royal Air Force formed on 24 August 1942. Its first commander was Air Commodore George Lawson.-History:...
, became subordinate commands of Coningham's NATAF. Prior to the invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) in July of 1943, No.242 Group became part of Lloyd's NACAF.
Expansion
As more groups, aircraft, and personnel entered the theater during 1943 MAC continued to grow and expand so that by September 3, 1943, its organizational structure looked like so:At this time, the British and Americans maintained approximately 130 squadrons each and the French contributed 11 squadrons to the Mediterranean Air Command.
Disbandment
On December 10, 1943, MAC was disbanded and the Mediterranean Allied Air ForcesMediterranean Allied Air Forces
The Mediterranean Allied Air Forces was the major Allied air force command organization in the Mediterranean theater from mid-December 1943 until the end of the Second World War.-Formation:...
(MAAF) were formed with Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder as Air Commander-in-Chief. In mid-January 1944, Lieutenant General Ira Eaker took over MAAF when Eisenhower chose Tedder to oversee air operations and planning for the Normandy Landings. Based on the success of the tri-force model in NAAF, it was retained in MAAF as separate Mediterranean Allied Strategic, Tactical, and Coastal Air Forces. Effective coordination of air and ground forces and cooperation with naval forces were key features of the tri-force model empowered by the command structures of NAAF, MAAF, and even today's air forces.