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Desert Air Force

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The Desert Air Force (DAF), later known as the First Tactical Air Force, was an Allied tactical air force formed during World War II. The DAF was formed in North Africa to provide close air support to the Eighth Army. It was made up of squadrons from the Royal Air Force (RAF), the South African Air Force (SAAF), the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Many individual personnel from other Allied air forces also took part.

1 Precursor formations and establishment
2 Composition and Operations
3 Commonwealth and Allied contributions
4 Strength
5 Commanders
- 5.1 AHQ Western Desert
- 5.2 Desert Air Force
6 References

Precursor formations and establishment

Prior to the establishment of the Desert Air Force, several RAF formations operated in North Africa. The AOC Middle East, Air Vice Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore, had by June 1940 ( when Italy declared war) just 29 Squadrons numbering less than 300 aircraft. In 1941 Middle east command moved to Air Marshal Arthur Tedder. Tedder reorganised the available units into Wings, the first being Number 253 Wing ( for the close support role). The first such formation at command level was formed on 21 October 1941 as the Air Headquarters Western Desert by raising 204 Group to command status. Three wings operated in North Africa at first, 258 and 269 Wings operating over the front line and 262 Wing defending the Nile Delta. ^[1]On 20 January 1942 the command was renamed Air Headquarters Libya however less than two weeks later on 3 February it reverted to its former name of the Air Headquarters Western Desert. On 10 July 1943, the Desert Air Force was created by renaming the Air Headquarters Western Desert. The Desert Air Force was a subordinate element of the Northwest/Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force. It existed until 30 June 1946 when it was renamed the Advanced AHQ Italy. During WWII, it was popularly known as the ‘Desert Air Force’.

Composition and Operations

The air defence of Great Britain always received priority so the DAF was generally equipped with older aircraft types. Initially equipped with obsolete types like the Gloster Gladiator biplane fighter and the Bristol Blenheim light bomber, the DAF made a good showing against the equally obsolete Italian Air Force. After the direct threat to Great Britain receded, newer types were assigned to the DAF, such as the Hawker Hurricane and Douglas Boston medium bomber in 1941. The American built P-40 Tomahawk/Kittyhawk also went to the DAF as it was unsuited to European operations which were generally fought at much higher altitudes and against more formidable opposition. The P40 was used initially as an air superiority fighter but it was also adapted (and found to be ideally suited) to ground attack missions. The DAF always outnumbered its Axis opponents and concentrated on long-range interdiction and direct tactical Eighth Army support. Unfortunately these tactics meant that the faster Messerschmitt Bf-109s of Jagdgeschwader 27 usually had the advantage of height and surprise over the low-level, slow-flying DAF fighters and losses were correspondingly heavy. In 1942, the DAF reorganized its tactics and upgraded its inventory. Spitfires were eventually assigned in the air superiority role, becoming operational in August 1942, which allowed the DAF to finally turn the tide. The DAF adapted the Luftwaffe concept of tactical air support and Army co-operation by using fighter-bombers controlled via radio by "Forward Air Controllers" ; trained air force observers attached to forward Army units. The DAF improved the concept by introducing "cab ranks" of fighter-bombers in the air waiting to be called in to attack specific tactical targets. In this way the DAF provided vital and decisive air support to the Eighth Army until the end of the war, fighting through Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Sicily and mainland Italy. The tactical concepts which had proven so successful in the latter part of the North African campaign were subsequently adopted with even greater success during the Invasion of Europe in 1944.

Commonwealth and Allied contributions

The SAAF provided over a dozen squadrons to the DAF. This was their main theatre of operations, as the South African government had decided their military should not operate outside Africa. Between April 1941 and May 1943 the eleven squadrons of the SAAF flew almost 34,000 sorties and claimed 342 enemy aircraft destroyed.

The Australian contribution included No. 3 Squadron RAAF which arrived in North Africa in late 1940 and served with the DAF until the closing stages of the war in Europe. By that time 3 Sqn had the most substantial service record of any DAF squadron, including the greatest number of kills (217 claims). Many Australian pilots also flew with RAF squadrons in the DAF. Many exiles from Occupied Europe, especially Polish airmen, also flew in DAF squadrons. No. 112 Squadron RAF was largely made up of Poles and in 1943, the Polish Fighting Team ("Skalski's Circus") was attached to No. 145 Squadron RAF. Personnel who served with the Desert Air Force were awarded the Africa Star campaign medal with a bronze rosette in the "bar" position on the ribbon. The USAAF provided substantial support for the DAF until it established its 9th Air Force in the North African/Mediterranean theatre. Two fighter groups (the 57th and the 79th) flying P40 Warhawks and 1 medium bomber group flying the B-25 served with the DAF from mid 1942 onwards until gradually reverting to 9th AF command.

Strength

The Western Desert Air Forces fielded approximately 1,000 combat aircraft by late 1941. By the time of the Second Battle of El Alamein, the DAF fielded over 1,500 combat aircraft, which was more than double the number of aircraft the Axis could field.