The Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) was a sub-command of 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...

 which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command

Mediterranean Air Command

The Mediterranean Air Command was the official Allied air force command organization in the North African and Mediterranean Theater of Operations between February 18 and December 10, 1943. MAC was commanded by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder whose headquarters were established next to those...

 (MAC). These new Allied

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 organizations were created at the Casablanca Conference in January of 1943 to promote cooperation between the British 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), the American United States Army Air Force (USAAF), and their respective ground and naval forces 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). Effective February 18, 1943, the NATAF and other MAC commands existed until December 10, 1943 when MAC was disbanded and the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces

Mediterranean 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 established. 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...

 was the commander of NATAF.

The components of NATAF at the time of the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) on July 10, 1943 are illustrated below.‎‎Northwest African Tactical Air Force

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...

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... ---- 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:...	XII Air Support Command ---- Major General Edwin House	Tactical Bomber Force ---- 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:...
No. 7 Wing (SAAF) ---- No. 2 Squadron, Spitfire No. 4 Squadron, Spitfire No. 5 Squadron, Kittyhawk	27th Fighter-Bomber Group (USAAF) Lieutenant Colonel John Stevenson John D. Stevenson (Air Force general) John D. Stevenson was a U.S. Air Force general. A Native of Laramie, Wyoming, he graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1937, ranked 15th in a class of 300. On graduation he entered the Army Air Force Flying School, completing this training in October 1938... ---- 522nd Squadron, A-36 Mustang 523rd Squadron, A-36 Mustang 524th Squadron 524th Fighter Squadron The 524th Special Operations Squadron is a Special Operations squadron of the United States Air Force, based at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, with the 27th Special Operations Wing.It is nicknamed the “Hounds of Heaven”.-History:... , A-36 Mustang	No. 3 Wing (SAAF) ---- No. 12 Squadron, Boston No. 21 Squadron, Baltimore No. 24 Squadron, Boston
No. 239 Wing ---- No. 3 Squadron No. 3 Squadron RAAF No. 3 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales.-World War I:...  (RAAF), Kittyhawk No. 112 Squadron No. 112 Squadron RAF No. 112 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It served in both the First World War and Second World War and was active for three periods during the Cold War. It is nicknamed "The Shark Squadron", an allusion to the fact that it was the first unit from any air force to use the famous...  (RAF), Kittyhawk No. 250 Squadron No. 250 Squadron RAF No. 250 squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II.It operated Kittyhawk IIIs out of southern Italy in 1943-44....  (RAF), Kittyhawk No. 260 Squadron No. 260 Squadron RAF No. 260 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as a reconnaissance and anti–submarine unit in World War I and a fighter unit in World War II.-Formation and World War I:No...  (RAF), Kittyhawk No. 450 Squadron No. 450 Squadron RAAF No. 450 Squadron was a unit of the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II. It was the second RAAF Article XV squadron formed for service with the British military, under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan...  (RAAF), Kittyhawk	86th Fighter-Bomber Group (USAAF) Major Clinton True ---- 525th Squadron 525th Fighter Squadron The 525th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 3d Operations Group and stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.-Overview:... , A-36 Mustang 526th Squadron 526th Fighter Squadron The 526th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 86th Operations Group, based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It was inactivated on July 1, 1994.-World War II:... , A-36 Mustang 527th Squadron, A-36 Mustang - -	No. 232 Wing (RAF) ---- No. 55 Squadron No. 55 Squadron RAF No. 55 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1916 at Castle Bromwich as a unit of the Royal Flying Corps. No. 55 Squadron was the last RAF Squadron to operationally fly the Handley Page Victor, in its Victor K.2 in-flight refuelling tanker role. It was subsequently a... , Baltimore No. 223 Squadron No. 223 Squadron RAF No. 223 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. Originally formed as part of the Royal Naval Air Service , the Squadron flew in both World Wars.-History:... , Baltimore - - -
No. 244 Wing ---- No. 1 Squadron (SAAF), Spitfire No. 92 Squadron No. 92 Squadron RAF No. 92 Squadron, also known as No 92 Squadron, of the Royal Air Force was formed as part of the Royal Flying Corps at London Colney as a fighter squadron on 1 September 1917. It deployed to France in July 1918 and saw action for just four months, until the end of the war. During the conflict it...  (RAF), Spitfire No. 145 Squadron (RCAF), Spitfire No. 417 Squadron No. 417 Squadron RCAF 417 Combat Support Squadron is an Air Force unit with the Canadian Forces. Based at CFB Cold Lake it provides helicopter support to the base operations. Since 1994, it has also provided Search and Rescue.-History:...  (RCAF), Spitfire No. 601 Squadron No. 601 Squadron RAF No. 601 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in London. The squadron battle honours most notably include the Battle of Britain and the first Americans to fly in World War II were members of this squadron.-History:...  (RAF), Spitfire	33d Fighter Group (USAAF) Colonel William Momyer William W. Momyer General William Wallace Momyer was commander of the U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Command.-Early life:Momyer was born in 1916, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, attended Broadway High School in Seattle, Washington, and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Washington in 1937... ---- 58th Squadron 58th Fighter Squadron The 58th Fighter Squadron is part of the 33d Fighter Wing, a joint graduate flying and maintenance training wing for the F-35A, B, and C, organized under Air Education and Training Command's 19th Air Force, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida... , P-40 Warhawk 59th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk 60th Squadron 60th Fighter Squadron The 60th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force squadron. It was last assigned to the 33d Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida... , P-40 Warhawk - 99th Squadron, P-40, Detached	No. 326 Wing (RAF) ---- No. 18 Squadron No. 18 Squadron RAF No. 18 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the CH-47 Chinook HC.2 from RAF Odiham. No. 18 Squadron was the first and is currently the largest RAF operator of the Chinook.-First World War:... , Boston No. 114 Squadron No. 114 Squadron RAF -Formation and World War I:No. 114 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed In Lahore, India on 27 Sep 1917. It was equipped with the B.E.2 and Bristol F2B and operated on the North-West Frontier... , Boston - - -
No. 322 Wing (RAF) Colin Falkland Gray Colin Falkland Gray Group Captain Colin Falkland Gray DSO, DFC and Two Bars was the top New Zealand fighter ace of the Second World War. Gray was credited with 27 aerial kills, two shared destroyed, six probable kills, with a further four shared probables.-Early life:He and his twin brother Ken were born in...  (RNZAF) ---- No. 81 Squadron No. 81 Squadron RAF No 81 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It flew Fighter aircraft during the Second World War, and reconnaissance aircraft in the Far East after the war, but was disbanded in 1970.-First World War:No... , Spitfire No. 152 Squadron No. 152 Squadron RAF No. 152 Squadron of the Royal Air Force .-History:No 152 Squadron was formed on 1 October 1918 at Rochford as a Camel night fighter unit. 30 June 1919, the squadron disbanded.... , Spitfire No. 154 Squadron No. 154 Squadron RAF No. 154 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as a fighter unit in World War II.-Formation and World War I:No... , Spitfire No. 232 Squadron No. 232 Squadron RAF No. 232 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was active in both World War I and World War II in a variety of roles, having seen action as an anti-submarine patrol, fighter and transport squadron.-In World War I:... , Spitfire No. 242 Squadron No. 242 Squadron RAF No. 242 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron. It flew in many roles during its active service and it is also known for being the first squadron Douglas Bader commanded.-In World War I:No... , Spitfire	324th Fighter Group 324th Fighter Group The 324th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with XII Air Support Command, stationed at Fliegerhorst Stuttgart-Echterdingen , Germany. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945....  (USAAF) Colonel William McNown ---- 314th Squadron 314th Fighter Squadron The 314th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 58th Operations Group. stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It was inactivated on 1 April 1994.-World War II:... , P-40 Warhawk 315th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk 316th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk - -	47th Bombardment Group (USAAF) Colonel Malcolm Green, Jr. ---- 84th Squadron, A-20 Havoc 85th Squadron, A-20 Havoc 86th Squadron, A-20 Havoc 97th Squadron, A-20 Havoc -
No. 324 Wing (RAF) ---- No. 43 Squadron No. 43 Squadron RAF No. 43 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron originally formed in 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps. It last operated the Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars, Scotland in the air defence role until disbanded in July 2009.-In World War I:... , Spitfire No. 72 Squadron No. 72 Squadron RAF No. 72 Squadron Royal Air Force started its service life supporting the army during World War I on operations in Middle East and afterwards was quickly disbanded. In its second incarnation the squadron was a real fighter unit, transitioning from Gloster Gladiator biplanes to Gloster Javelin... , Spitfire No. 93 Squadron No. 93 Squadron RAF No. 93 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II. It operated Turbinlite-equipped Bostons from RAF Burtonwood, making night attacks and towing aerial mine charges with steel cables.... , Spitfire No. 111 Squadron No. 111 Squadron RAF No. 111 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operated the Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars, Scotland until March 2011, when the squadron was disbanded, ending the Tornado F3's RAF service.-In World War I:... , Spitfire No. 243 Squadron No. 243 Squadron RAF RAF 243 Squadron was a RAF squadron in World War II which was based at Kallang Airport in Singapore, and fought during the Battle of Singapore in 1941-42 with the inadequate Brewster Buffalo fighter.... , Spitfire	31st Fighter Group (USAAF) Lieutenant Colonel Frank Hill ---- 307th Squadron 307th Fighter Squadron The 307th Fighter Squadron is part of the 414th Fighter Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.-Mission:... , Spitfire 308th Squadron 308th Fighter Squadron The 308th Fighter Squadron is part of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.-Mission:The 308th FS , fly Block 42 F-16C/Ds, wearing the dark green and white checkerboard fin band onducting F-16 Fighting Falcon crew training for active duty USAF pilots.-World War II:Initially... , Spitfire 309th Squadron 309th Fighter Squadron The 309th Fighter Squadron is part of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.-Mission:... , Spitfire - -	12th Bombardment Group (USAAF) Colonel Edward Backus ---- 81st Squadron, B-25 Mitchell 82nd Squadron, B-25 Mitchell 83rd Squadron, B-25 Mitchell 434th Squadron 434th Bombardment Squadron The 434th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 12th Bombardment Group, stationed at Fort Lawton, Washington. It was inactivated on 22 January 1946-History:... , B-25 Mitchell -
57th Fighter Group (USAAF) Colonel Arthur Salisbury ---- 64th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk 65th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk 66th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk - -	111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Mustang	340th Bombardment Group (USAAF) Lieutenant Colonel Adolph Tokaz ---- 486th Squadron 486th Bombardment Squadron The 486th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 22d Bombardment Wing, stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 July 1971-History:... , B-25 Mitchell 487th Squadron 487th Bombardment Squadron The 487th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 340th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. It was inactivated on 1 September 1963-History:... , B-25 Mitchell 488th Squadron 488th Bombardment Squadron The 488th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 340th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.. It was inactivated on 1 September 1963-History:... , B-25 Mitchell 489th Squadron 489th Bombardment Squadron The 489th Reconnaissance Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. The 489th Bombardment Squadron was previously assigned to the 340th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri... , B-25 Mitchell -
79th Fighter Group 79th Fighter Group The 79th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Air Defense Command 30th Air Division, being assigned to Youngstown Air Force Base, Ohio. It was inactivated on 1 March 1960.-World War II:...  (USAAF) Colonel Earl Bates ---- 85th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk 86th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk 87th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk	Information in table taken from: 1) Participation of the Ninth & Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign, Army Air Forces Historical Study No. 37, Army Air Forces Historical Office Headquarters, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1945.	No. 225 Squadron No. 225 Squadron RAF No. 225 Squadron RAF was formed on 1 April 1918 at Alimini, Italy from part of No. 6 Wing RNAS, and was equipped with Sopwith Camels. The squadron disbanded on 18 December 1918....  (RAF), Spitfire
No. 285 Wing (Reconnaissance) ---- No. 40 Squadron (SAAF), Det., Spitfire No. 60 Squadron (SAAF), Mosquito No. 1437 Flight (RAF), Mustang	2) Maurer, Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, Office of Air Force History, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1983.	No. 241 Squadron No. 241 Squadron RAF No. 241 Squadron is a former squadron of the Royal Air Force formed during the First World War.-History:No. 241 Squadron was formed in August 1918 from the former Royal Naval Air Service flights operating at the RNAS seaplane station at the Isle of Portland and their airfield at Chickerell;...  (RAF), Hurricane
No. 6 Squadron No. 6 Squadron RAF No. 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 at RAF Leuchars.It was previously equipped with the Jaguar GR.3 in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles, and was based at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk until April 2006, moving to RAF Coningsby until...  (RAF), Hurricane

For Operation Husky, No. 242 Group

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:...

, originally a component of NATAF in February of 1943, was assigned to the 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). At the same time, Air Headquarters, Western Desert became known as 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...

. All of the fighter units of Desert Air Force formed 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...

 commanded by Air Commodore Richard Atcherley

Richard Atcherley

Air Marshal Sir Richard Llewellyn Roger Atcherley KBE, CB, AFC & Bar was a senior commander in the RAF who also served as chief of Air Staff for the Royal Pakistan Air Force.-Early life:...

 on April 11, 1943 in Tripoli. The 99th Fighter Squadron

Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. Formally, they were the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps....

 was assigned to the XII Air Support Command on May 28, 1943 and subsequently attached to the 33rd Fighter Group. The actual squadron assignments and detachments varied throughout the war depending on the specific needs of the air force. The table above illustrates the squadron assignments and commanders for the important period of 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...

 when the Allies prepared to invade Italy (Operation Husky), having just won the war in North Africa (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...

). In recognition of XII Air Support Command's operations in Sicily, 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...

 presented Major General Edwin House with the Legion of Merit

Legion of Merit

The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...

and stated the following:


"...for the first time established the application of a tactical air force operating in support of an American Army."