Location
Located at Iron Range, inland from the coast.

Construction
Built by the US Army, three runways were built in this airfield complex: Claude 1, Claude 2 and Gordons. They also built the road from Portland Roads inland to the airfield.

Wartime History
Wartime airfield used by the USAAF medium and heavy bombers, and RAAF aircraft.

American Units Based at Iron Range
22nd BG, 19th BS (B-26) Woodstock Sept 15 42 - Feb 4 43 Woodstock
22nd BG, 33rd BS (B-26) Woodstock Sept 29 42 - Feb 4 43 Woodstock
22nd BG, HQ (B-26) Woodstock Sept 29, 42 - Feb 4, 43 Woodstock
43rd BG, 64th BS (B-17s) ? - Oct 12, 42 Fenton
43rd BG, 65th BS (B-17s) Torrens Creek Oct 13 - Nov 6, 42 to Mareeba
43rd BG, 403rd BS (B-17s) Torrens Creek Oct 17 - Nov 23, 42 Turnbull
90th BG, 319th, 320th BS (B-24s) Hawaii Nov 4, 1942 - ?
90th BG, 321st, 400th BS (B-24s) Hawaii Nov 4, 1942 - ?

Today
One of the three wartime runways, "Gordons" is still in use, but renamed Lockhart River. The other two runways are overgrown.

Richard Rudd visited the area in the 1980s:
"When we 'bush bashed' around that area cracking rocks/geological sampling, we found coke bottles, old helmets and on top of a hill to the east of the field, there was a tree with a large blaze cut on it, with an arrow and E, spelt out in .45 shells hammered into wood. These were dated 1941. Down by the strip on logs was a B-26(?) wing and the fuselage only of a Kittyhawk. No wings, tail and nothing from the firewall fwd. Recovered in the '70s I believe by Jack McDonald (?). Also some bits of the P-47D 42-22973 that hit the P-40N 42-105306."

Lockhart River (Iron Range) Memorial
Established on ANZAC day, April 25, 2005. The Memorial Wall is situated in the confines of the Iron Range (Lockhart River) Airport area for all community members and visitors to the community of Lockhart River.

References
Thanks to Michael Musumeci for information, photos and news release.

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

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