Darwin


Map
Lat 12° 28' 0S Long 130° 49' 60E  Port city located in the north of Australia.

Today
There are many sites in the city related to the war, including museums and shipwrecks in the harbor.

History
Darwin Japanese Air RaidsThe port and town of Darwin suffered 64 air raids from Japanese between February 19, 1942 until November 12, 1943 that rendered the port ineffective for most of the war. A number of airfields were built in the area, that based both RAAF, USAAF and NEIAF aircraft.

Japanese Air Raids Against Darwin
Japanese Navy & Army Air Force

Darwin Airfield (RAAF Station Darwin)
Built prior to the war, importation location in early war, attacked by Japanese

Darwin Harbor
Harbor with sunken ship and airplane wrecks from the war

East Point Military Museum & Fortifications
Museum built at wartime bunker location.

Oil storage Tanks & Tunnels
One of the more interesting things constructed in Darwin during World War II were some oil storage tanks near the wharves. Originally eight were planned but only four were built. Today, two of these are open for viewing between 10 am and 2 PM. Tunnels driven into the limestone go underneath Darwin's City Center.

Australian Aviation Heritage Centre
Aviation museum with several WWII aircraft and displays.

     Winnellie Airfield

Suburb South of Darwin.

 

Strauss Field (28 Mile)
Airfield 28 miles south of Darwin (27 Mile). Based RAAF Squadrons in 1944.

     Hughes Field (30 Mile)

Location
Located 30 miles to the south of Darwin, south of Strauss Field, inland from the highway to Darwin.

 


     Livingstone Field (34 Mile)

Location
Located to the south of Darwin, along the highway, Hughes Field was to the north.

Click For EnlargementWartime History
Livingstone Field was named in honor of 49th FG, 9th FS pilot Lt. Livingstone who was killed on take off.

 

 


     Coomalie Creek Airfield

Single Bituman runway

RAAF Units based at Coomalie Creek
30 Squadron
1 PRU

Tony Johnsoton adds:
"Coomalie Creek is now in private ownership and the strip is still in good repair. Some remnants still. I have been a guest at the site by the current owner."

 


     Batchelor Field

Location
MapLat 13° 4' 0S Long 131° 1' 0E  Located to the south of Darwin, connected by a rail road line.

American Units at Bachelor Field
19th BG (B-17) from Del Monte December 17-20, 1942 - December 30, 1941
19th BG, 93rd BS (B-17) from Clark Field December 19 - December 31, 1941

American Usage
In December 1941, Batchelor was a sparse RAAF training base to prevent their distruction in the Philippines and to regroup. Staging base for the 22nd BG's November 2-4, 1942 raids on Dili and Aileu in Timor with B-26 Mauraders. The four B-17s that evacuated General MacArthur, his family and senior staff landed here on March 10, 1942: B-17E 41-2408, B-17E 41-2429, B-17E 41-2434 and B-17E 41-2447.

 P-38F Lightning Serial Number 41-2122

 


     Pell Airfield

Located to the north of Fenton, Pell Airfield was named in honor of Major Floyd Pell, who was initially part of General Douglas MacArthur's air staff, attempted to take off to intercept the Japanese attack on February 19, 1942 from Darwin RAAF airfield but his aircraft was hit by a strafing Japanese fighter aircraft and was killed when he then parachuted out at about 24 metres. During 1944, several RAAF aircraft crashed at or around the airfield including two Boomerangs and two Beaufighters.

Japanese Missions Against Pell
October 24, 1942 (4:52am)
August 21, 1943 (3:30am)

 

Fenton Airfield
Located 100km south of Darwn, used by USAAF and RAAF

 

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