National Experiences - British Commission for Military History

In c o n c l u s I v e e x p e r I m e n t – brItIsh AIr po w e r A n d t h e su e z crIsIs, 1956. th e Al l I e d AIr cA m pA I g n reAssessed 75
failed to destroy it. Further missions by ground attack planes were not carried out
owing to the possibility of causing civilian casualties and the leaflet missions were
cancelled as well. 76
Due to the abandonment of the initial timetable, there was no concentrated air
effort against the Egyptian Army installations. They were subjected to bombing
from 2 November. Large targets, such as Huckstep Camp and Almaza Barracks,
were subjected to aerial attacks. In addition, the air campaign included an extensive
number of battlefield interdiction sorties aimed at preventing reinforcements from
reaching Port Said from the morning of 3 November. 77
On 4 November, the air effort was redirected because the landing sequence had
been altered. According to the Air Task Force’s overall plan, most of the attack sorties
were directed against the defences of Port Said. 78 Most of the sorties near Port Said
were flown by naval aircraft that strafed the coastal and anti-aircraft positions and
other static defences throughout the day. The land-based ground attack planes were
still used for interdiction. 79 The bomber force, the role of which diminished after the
Egyptian Air Force was destroyed, made to raids against Huckstep Barracks and as
a diversion against coastal defences near Alexandria. 80
PERIOD PROPORTION OF TOTAL EFFORT
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Airfields Barracks Armed
Reconnaissance
96%
68%
34%
22%
19%
11%
-
25%
16%
8%
15%
-
-
-
33%
8%
15%
25%
Table 3: Allocation of air effort against different target categories
Defences Others
-
-
-
39%
47%
60%
4%
7%
17%
22%
10%
4%
76
See Brian Cull with David Nicolle and Shlomo Aloni, Wings Over Suez, pp. 237-239. For a description
of the raid from the time, see NA AIR 20/9967, Bomber Wing Cyprus, “Report on Operation
Musketeer, annex D”, 30 December 1956.
77
NA AIR 14/4030, Admiralty, Department of Operational Research, August 1957, Report No.34:
“Carrier Operations in Support of Operation Musketeer” and Brian Cull with David Nicolle and
Shlomo Aloni, Wings Over Suez, pp. 248-262.
78
NA AIR 20/10206, Air Task Force Headquarters, 3 November 1956, “Operation Telescope, Overall
Air Plan”.
79
ADM 116/6104, Office of the Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers, 14 December 1956, “Operation Musketeer
– Reports of Proceedings – Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers”, pp. 23-24.
80
NA AIR 14/4441, Bomber Command, Operational Research Branch, Report number 355: “Bombing
and Ground Attack Operations during Operation Musketeer”.