At 11.15 GMT on 3rd September, 1939 war was declared with Germany 208 Squadron, equipped with eighteen Lysander I aircraft was based at Qasaba in the Western Desert, ten miles east of Mersa Matruh. It formed part of the Advanced Wing under Headquarters Egypt Group and was controlled by GOC 7th Armoured Division for operations.
As with many squadrons at the outbreak of war 208 found itself equipped with obsolescent aircraft. The Lysander, a high wing monoplane powered by a Mercury XII engine, had been in service since before the war and had undergone a number of minor changes to suit it to its duties. The wingspan was 50 feet and the top speed was claimed to be 230 mph at 10,000 feet with a range of 600 miles and a service ceiling of 26,000 feet. It was one of a rapidly diminishing proportion of aircraft which still used a fixed undercarriage, and the “spatted” wheels and stub wings on the wheel fairings became an outstanding recognition feature. Small bomb containers were attached to these stub wings and the remaining armament consisted of two Browning machine guns and one Lewis gun. The good outlook from the crews cockpits made this aircraft particularly suitable to reconnaissance work.
