Strauss Airfield
Strauss Airfield | |||||||||
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| Pilots of No. 452 Squadron RAAF being briefed by the Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader L. T. (Lou) Spence, circa December 1944 (right, kneeling) | |||||||||
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| Location | Noonamah, Northern Territory | ||||||||
| Coordinates | 12°39′31.7′′S 131°04′39.6′′E / 12.658806°S 131.077667°E / -12.658806; 131.077667 | ||||||||
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Strauss Airfield is located in Northern Territory Strauss Airfield Strauss Airfield Location of airport in Northern Territory | |||||||||
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Strauss Airfield was an airfield in the Northern Territory of Australia in the locality of Noonamah [1] constructed between 19 March to 27 April 1942 during World War II. It was also known as 27 Mile Field or Humpty Doo Strip.
History
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Constructed by sections of the United States Army 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion, they built a single runway of 5,000 ft ×ばつ 100 ft (1,524 m ×ばつ 30 m) wide with associated taxiways and dispersals.
The airfield was officially dedicated as Strauss Field in memory and honour of United States Captain Allison W. Strauss who was killed piloting a P-40 Kittyhawk from the 8th Pursuit Squadron ("The Blacksheep") of the 49th Fighter Group after crashing into Darwin harbour during a Japanese air raid on the Darwin RAAF airfield on 27 April 1942.
On 13 October 2003, the Strauss Airfield was added to the Northern Territory Heritage Register.[1]
Japanese Bombing Raids against Strauss Airfield
[edit ]- 26 November 1942 (03.20 am)
- 27 November 1942 (03:56 – 04:46 am)
Units based at Strauss Airfield
[edit ]- No. 76 Squadron RAAF (P-40)
- No. 452 Squadron RAAF (Spitfire)
- No. 457 Squadron RAAF (Spitfire)
See also
[edit ]References
[edit ]- ^ a b "WWII Strauss Airstrip". Heritage Register. Northern Territory Government. 13 October 2003. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
External links
[edit ]
- Lt. Col Bernard L. Robinson Reports on the NT June 1942
- Strauss Airfield – NT Heritage Listing
- OzatWar website
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