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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = RAF Gambut
| native_name =
| partof =
| location = Near: [[Kambut]], Libya
| image = Wrecked Me 110s at Gambut 1941.jpg
| image_size = 275px
| caption= Abandoned German aircraft at Gambut after its recapture by the Allies (December 1941)
| pushpin_map = Libya
| pushpin_label = RAF Gambut
| pushpin_mapsize = 200
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Libya
| coordinates = {{Coord|31|57|04|N|024|30|14|E|region:GB_type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| code =
| height =
| ownership =
| operator = [[File:Regulation WW II Upperwing Balkenkreuz.png|20px]] [[Luftwaffe]] [[File:RAF roundel.svg|20px]] [[Royal Air Force]] [[File:US Army Air Corps Hap Arnold Wings.svg|20px]] [[United States Army Air Forces]]
| controlledby = [[Regia Aeronautica]] (1939-1942) [[Luftwaffe|German Luftwaffe]] (1941–1942) [[Royal Air Force]] (1942–1944) [[Ninth Air Force]] (1942–43)
| condition =
| built =
| builder =
| used = 1941–1944
| materials =
| fate =
| battles = [[World War II]]
* [[Western Desert Campaign]]

| IATA =
| ICAO =
| FAA =
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}}

'''RAF Gambut''' (or RAF Kambut) is a complex of six abandoned military airfields in [[Libya]], located about {{convert|5|km|mi|0}} north-northeast of the village of [[Kambut]], and {{convert|50|km}} east-south-east of [[Tobruk]]. During [[World War II]], the complex was an important facility, used by the [[Royal Air Force]] and many RAF squadrons were temporarily based there.

==History==
Gambiut was an airfield of [[Regia Aeronautica]].
Axis forces captured Gambut on 17 June 1941, after the [[Battle of Tobruk (1941)|Battle of Tobruk]].<ref>{{cite book | title=Rommel's Desert War: The Life and Death of the Afrika Korps | publisher=Stackpole Books | author=Mitcham, Samuel W. | year=2007 | page=81 | isbn=978-0811734134}}</ref> This was a significant blow to the Allies as the airfield had been used to provide air-support to the Allied forces [[Siege of Tobruk|besieged at Tobruk]]. The airfield saw use by the German Luftwaffe until its recapture by the [[4th Infantry Brigade (New Zealand)|New Zealand 4th Infantry Brigade]] on 25 November.<ref>{{cite book | title=Rommel's Desert Commanders: The Men Who Served the Desert Fox, North Africa, 1941–1942 | publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group | year=2007 | author=Mitcham, Samuel W. | page=101| isbn=978-0275994365}}</ref>

Today the remains of the airfields – deteriorating under the desert sands – are visible on aerial photographs.

==Airfields at Gambut==
This station consisted of six airfields known as Gambut 1 (LG139), this being the main airfield, Gambut 2 (LG142), Gambut 3 (LG143), Gambut West/Gambut 4 (LG156), Gambut 5 (LG159) and Gambut 6 (LG158). [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-G.htm]
[[File:RAF Gambut - Luftwaffe Map.jpg|thumb|Captured 1942 German Luftwaffe map of the airfield complex]]
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! RAF Designation
! No. Designation
! Location
|-
! Gambut Main (No.1)
| LG-139 || {{Coord|31|52|5|N|24|29|5|E|type:airport}}
|-
! Gambut No. 2
| LG-142
| {{Coord|31|51|5|N|24|32|5|E|type:airport}}
|-
! Gambut No. 3
| LG-143
| {{Coord|31|50|5|N|24|36|5|E|type:airport}}
|-
! Gambut Comms No. 4
| LG-156
| {{Coord|31|54|0|N|24|25|5|E|type:airport}}
|-
! Gambut No. 5
| LG-159
| {{Coord|31|52|0|N|24|25|5|E|type:airport}}
|-
! Gambut No. 6
| LG-158
| {{Coord|31|50|0|N|24|39|0|E|type:airport}}
|}

==Major units assigned==
{{kml}}
; Commonwealth air forces ([[RAF]] except where stated.) <ref name="AofA">{{cite web|url=http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-G.htm#Gambut|title=RAF Gambut |publisher=Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation |access-date=30 March 2022}}</ref>
'''Gambut Main (No.1)'''
;Units
* Squadrons
: 6, 11, 14, 33, 38, 45, 46, 47 55, 73, 80, 84 108, 112, 113, 145, 148, 162, 203, 208, 227, 229, 237, 238, 250, 252, 274, 294, 450 ([[RAAF]]), 454 (RAAF)
* HQ, 239 Wing (1 Mar – 17 Jun 1942, 14–15 Nov 1942)
* HQ, 243 Wing (May – 20 Jun 1942)
* HQ, 233 Wing (14–18 Nov 1942)
* HO, 223 Wing ([[South African Air Force|SAAF]])
'''Gambut (No.2)'''
;Units
* Squadrons
: 73, 112, 250, 274, 450 (RAAF)
* HQ, 233 Wing (22 May – 28 Jun 1942)
'''Gambut (No.3)'''
;Units
* Squadrons
: 14, 73, 117, 250, 294, 454 (RAAF), 459 (RAAF), 603
* HQ, 235 Wing (3 Dec 1942 – 29 Feb 1944)
'''Gambut West'''
;Units
* Squadrons
: 73, 92, 145, 208, 213, 238, 601
* HQ, 285 Wing (14–20 Nov 1942)

; United States Army Air Forces <ref>{{cite book |editor=Maurer, Maurer |title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II |orig-year=1961 |url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |edition=repr. |year=1983 |publisher=Office of Air Force History |location=Washington, DC |isbn=0-912799-02-1 |lccn=61060979 |pages=160–162}}</ref>
* [[12th Bombardment Group]] (B-25 Mitchell)
: [[434th Bombardment Squadron]] 17 December 1942 – 16 February 1943
* [[93d Bombardment Group]] 16–25 February 1943 (B-24 Liberator)
: [[409th Bombardment Squadron]] 16 Dec 1942 – 25 February 1943
* [[376th Bombardment Group]] 10–25 February 1943 (B-24 Liberator)
* [[57th Fighter Group]] 13–20 November 1942 (P-40 Warhawk)

==See also==
* [[List of World War II North Africa Airfields]]

==References==
;Citations
{{reflist}}
;Bibliography
* {{cite book |editor=Maurer, Maurer |title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II |orig-year=1961 |url=http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |edition=repr. |year=1983 |publisher=Office of Air Force History |location=Washington, DC |isbn=0-912799-02-1 |lccn=61060979}}
* {{cite book |editor=Maurer, Maurer |title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II |orig-year=1969 |url=http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |edition=repr. |year=1982 |publisher=Office of Air Force History |location=Washington, DC |isbn=0-405-12194-6 |oclc=72556 |lccn=70605402}}
{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|RAF Gambut}}
* http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-G.htm
* [http://www.wwii-photos-maps.com/targetnorthafrica/Libya/slides/Gambut%20Militarflugplatz%201.html German map] of Gambut

{{Navboxes
|list =
{{USAAF 9th Air Force UK}}
}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gambut}}
[[Category:Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Libya]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force stations of World War II in Africa]]
[[Category:Defunct airports]]
[[Category:World War II airfields in Libya]]

{{RAF-stub}}

RAF Gambut - Revision history

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