Egypt circa 1954-56.....a couple of questions

[Daryl J.]

My Egyptology from this period is non-existant.   What are some reasonable resources that would illustrate the political and military climate of the area at the time? It does not necessarily need to be from the British point of view although that would also be helpful.    Part of my backstory in N. Africa needs to based in fact and don't really know where to start.   Wikipedia has been of limited help.


TIA,


Daryl J.

[Arc3371]

Could you be more specific?

Egypt had a fair relationship with the UK (this changed with the Nationalization of the Canal), Italy was a major supplier of aircraft Vampire FB.52 as were the UK Meteors, Vampires, trainers.

[Daryl J.]

Sure.

What would a young, American businessman face in Cairo, 1955?
What interest did the USSR have at that time there?   And by the same token, the US?  France?   Local squabbles say with Libya, Ethiopia, etc.?
Of what would he have to fearful of or be totally free to do?

[Edit]:   The lead character operates a war surplus C-47/DC-3 hybrid out of Cairo down to Luxor for tourists.   The condition of the of the tourist industry is largely irrelevant; it's just an excuse to get an airplane into the plot.      The aircraft gets used for things besides the tourist trade yet not contraband per se.   


Thanks for asking!
Daryl J., who just saw a Tri-pacer fly over.

[Arc3371]

I dont believe there would be a problem for a US citizen in Egypt prior to the cancellation of the Aswan Dam credit, as said earlier fair relations with Italy, UK and US, the Soviets didnt really gain influence until after the Suez war when the financed the Aswan Dam and became the main supplier of arms. France I am not sure but I assume that it was some tension due to support for Israel. Libya was still a monarchy that had to small armed forces to be a threat and British Sudan was between Egypt and Ethiopia. The main threat  was Israel.

[Zen]

Errr not quite, Soviet influence was rife in Egypt during the events leading upto Suez, its just that Nasser went far beyond what Moscow thought he should do.
Nasser was very much his own man, but he was already turning to Moscow before he nationalised the Canal.

[Arc3371]

What? Before the weapons deal with the Czechs leading to the withdrawing of the Worldbank loan what influence was there? And considering that the UK was willing to deliver Vampire FB.52, T.12, Meteor F.8 and NF.13 as late asa 1955 how "rife" was the influence?

[Zen]

Potshots where being taken at my uncle guarding a RAF site prior to nationalisation thats what I can tell you directly from my own family.

KGB and SIS where doing a dance in the country so I understand. Nasser wanted the Europeans out, and Russia was there to 'help' them.

I suspect some of those sales are not what they seem. In '55 and the Vamp is very much out of date along with Meteors. Willing to deliver I doubt not, but whether they where viewed as much use by Egypts airforce is another matter. More likely as handmedowns by the old colonial power getting rid of its old equipment.

Oddly enough the people in Moscow at the time, IF they'd been asked, would've told Nasser not to take the Canal, in fact they'd have instructed him not, to if they'd known.

[Arc3371]

The British left the canal zone in 51 so perhaps thats why they were taking potshots ... Vampire was still very much in use by the RAF and Meteors NF 11 &13 being delivered to the RAF 1951-55 so nut much of hand me downs. And as stated several times up to September 1955 UK & US sponsored Egypts WB loan

[NARSES2]

The British left the canal zone in 51 so perhaps thats why they were taking potshots ... Vampire was still very much in use by the RAF and Meteors NF 11 &13 being delivered to the RAF 1951-55 so nut much of hand me downs. And as stated several times up to September 1955 UK & US sponsored Egypts WB loan

Britain started to withdraw from Egypt in 1951 but rioting in Port Said and other places halted the withdrawal. Complete withdrawal didn't happen until 1956.

As for "pot shots" it was almost endemic in the region and practised by both sides. My dad had some stories from the WWII period which to modern ears are totaly non-pc and there are numerous stories post war. A lot of it was down to boredom.

[Zen]

Meteor was out of date thats for sure, even in '51, let alone '55.
When the nightfighter program was reviewed in April 1950, it appeared the DH110 would not be available as hoped in 1953 (as estimated in 1949), but rather 1956-57.
By 1953 it was hoped the DH110 would enter service in 1958, it actualy did form its first squadron on the 2 July 1959, and embarked aboard HMS Ark Royal in Feb 1960.
By that time the DH110 was out of date, as the RN suspected it would be in 1954 which is why it had ordered a prototype of the Supermarine Type 556 Scimitar development.

Venom was a stopgap initialy developed for the RAN.
DAW argued for the machine due to the delays in the DH110 and to gain some experience that would back up his concerns that even day fighters needed radar.
It was cheap, and quick, even if inferior to the DH110, but acceptable.

Mig15 is all I have to say, its influence is powerful on the RN from 1951.

[Arc3371]

Obsolescent and hand me downs are two different things, the fact remains that the UK was willing to supply its most recent types to Egypt