RAF Qastina

RAF Qastina was a Royal Air Force station in British Mandate Palestine between 1942 and 1948. In 1948 it became the Israeli Air Force's Hatzor Airbase.

The airbase was constructed in 1945 and named after the nearby Palestinian village of the same name.

On the night of 25 February 1946, Irgun militants attacked the airbase and destroyed parked RAF Halifax transports. Two additional RAF airbases (Lydda and Kfar Sirkin) were attacked that night, in what became known as the "Night of Airplanes". Altogether, the attacks destroyed 20 RAF planes and damaged several others. Following these attacks, the RAF vacated some of its Palestine-based planes to Egypt. [ [http://www.iaf.org.il/Templates/FlightLog/FlightLog.aspx?lang=EN&lobbyID=40&folderID=48&subfolderID=319&docfolderID=340 1946] Israeli Air Force]

During the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, the airbase was evacuated by the British on 15 March 1948 and taken over by Hagana forces.

Units and aircraft

*No. 47 Squadron RAF (1946) Handley Page Halifax A.7 & A.9
*No. 512 Squadron RAF (1945) Douglas Dakota
*No. 644 Squadron RAF (1945-1946) Handley Page Halifax A.7 & A.9
*No. 651 Squadron RAF (1947-1948) Auster AOP6

ee also

* List of RAF stations
* Qastina

References