April 2, 1942
December 15, 1942
November 4, 1943
c1944
November 11, 1944
|
Location
Located at the southern end of Buka Island, near Buka Passage behind Buka town, and pre-war Chinatown.
Construction
A single runway rougly 700 x 60 meters was built prior to the war by Australians running rougly north-east to south-west. Also, an emergency runway 500 x 60 meters off the end of the runway, forming an 'L' shape.
Wartime History
Prior to the war, Australian troops built gun pits
around the strip in December 1941. On January 2, 1942 with the Japanese aproaching, they prepaired
the aerodrome for demolition, blowing holes in the runway, and logs
and pipes to prevent aircraft from landing. The following day, orders
came to prepair the field for fleeing aircraft from Rabaul to land. On January
3 a RAAF Wirraway piloted by Flight-Lieutenant Brookes arrived, he inspected
the airstrip, suggested some improvements and flew off.
Japanese Occupation
Occupied by the Japanese during mid-March 1942.
On July 26, 1942, a Japanese Navy special detachment was sent to inspect Buka Airifeld, but considered it unacceptable as a prospect for a speedily constructed major airfield.
None the less, by December 1942 the strip was further improved
by the Japanese with bitumen surfacing, an electrical power plant,
underground fuel tanks, and new pillboxes and trenches. From
December onwards many hulks were at the strip. Coastwatchers
reported nightime patrol flights during full moon. Also, scouting
by a Betty bomber flying down each coast of Bougainville and
returning by afternoon as part of regular reconnassance.
On May
13, 1943 Allied reconnaissance observed 36 fighters and 6 bombers
at the airstrip. On October 1, 1943 Allied reconnaissance observed 35 aircraft at Buka, including 19 dive bombers.
Japanese Units Based at Buka
751st Kokutai (G4M) mid 1943 HQ at Vunakanau
705th Kokutai (G4M) late Feb - early March 43 HQ Vunakanau
702nd Kokutai (G4M) Sept 1942 to Ballale and Vunakanau
American Missions Against Buka
January 14, 1943 - January 14, 1944
Tom Blackburn in VF-17
The Jolly Rogers recalls:
"Buka and Bonis remained serious threats to the Torokina
beahhead throughout early November 1943. Although the Japanese did
not reguarly bas airplanes at either field, they miticulously
patched runway damage after each bombing raid, and maintained
heavy anti-aircraft defenses around both runways. The danger
lay in the readiness of the runways, through which they could
stage raids against the beachhead, and damaged aircraft had
a safe haven 165 miles south of Rabaul."
Post War Scrapping
Robert Curtis adds:
"I was district agricultural officer in Bougainville 1957 to 1962, stationed
at Kubu above Buka Airstrip. Many aircraft were recovered in and around Buka Airstrip
and melted down for scrap metal in a portable crucible during 1958-59."
|
October 22, 1943
View in Google Earth
|
Stephen Turner 1985
Justin Taylan 2003
|
Today
This airfield remains in use today. Used for limited flights by Air Niugini and secondary airlines. During the 1990's "Bougainville Crisis" Buka Airfield was the only airport in Bougainville Province to remain open.
Josh
McDade adds in 1999:
"Locals tell us that supposedly
two aircraft were dug up at some time
parallel
from the northern sides of the runway.
Couldn't
get more information on when or where the aircraft are
now.
There are definitely large excavated old
craters within a hundred meters of
the runway."
Justin Taylan visited in September 2003:
"I had a few hours before my flight, and walked around the airfield area. On the south side of the runway, across from the small terminal, there was a propeller and some wreckage displayed at a house. On the northern side of the strip, I searched for the Betty wreck, but believe it was scrapped or otherwise removed. All that I could find were some small pieces of Japanese aircraft wreckage, and an empty gun pit, made of empty fuel drums."
|
|
