Location
Located
west of Alexishafen, on the North Coast Road, 21 km north of Madang. A second strip, Alexishafen
II (Danip Airfield) is located to the NNW of this airfield.
Construction
Built by the Japanese Army beginning in early February 1943. The Japanese conscripted local labor to assist with the construction. A single dirt runway, with
a taxi and dispersal area was built and used as an advance airstrip for forward operations for units based in Wewak.
In October 30, 1943 the strip was
4,800' x (65) 395'. The strip included 11 bomber and 22 fighter
revetments (in October 30, 1943). A flight gap was built NE
out to the Sek Harbor and SW to to the Biges River. The airstrip
was covered by anti-aircraft batteries near the Biges River,
and at the Alexishafen Mission.
Japanese Army Air Force Units Based
at Alexishafen
Alexishafen was a forward airfield used by many units, including:
68th Sentai (Ki-61) detachment
77th Sentai (Ki-43) detachment
248th Sentai (Ki-43) late 1943
81st Dokuritsu Chutai (Ki-46)
26th Sentai (Ki-51)
Neutralized From The Air
Heavily bombed by American and Australian aircraft. Coast watchers in the area reported the activities of the base on several occasions
and called in several air attacks. American aerial photos mark the runway as unserviceable as of January 12, 1944.
American
Missions Against Alexishafen
December 18, 1942 - April 15, 1944
Recapture by Australian Forces
Occupied by the Australian 30th Battalion on April 26, 1944,
moving up from Madang to the south. Alexishafen was the first airfield in the
South Pacific that the Japanese attempted to demolish the runway with aerial bombs, and set booby traps in the area. They placed charges
on aerial bombs and concealed mines. Australian Bomb Disposal Teams worked
on the airfield to clear it, but it was never used again as an airfield for
the Allies. Quantities of stores, much undamaged was left behind. The airfield was never repaired or used by Allied forces.
US Army ATIU Visit & Review of
Wrecks
The strip was visited by Allied Air Technical Intelligence
on June 28, 1944. They
discovered a total of 36 wrecks at the strip, most damaged
by bombing and strafing. Thanks to Richard Dunn for this information.
Micahel Freeman visited
the strip with ATAI:
"Behind Enemy Lines (page
232 - 233): The USAAF had peppered the
entire area. Most of the aircraft both in revetments and along the strip were
'burned out'. Many of the bombers,
Sally, Helen and Lily were completely gutted with only sections of the tails,
wings and engines still intact."
Abandoned & Overgrown
The
airfield has been abandoned since WWII. Most of these relics remained until
the late 1970's because the land was owned by the Catholic Mission,
and somewhat protected from scrappers. Charles
Darby counted forty-three Japanese Army Aircraft found at Alexishafen
air base in 1974. In recent years, most of these planes were scrapped, removed
or otherwise disappeared.
Today
Bomb
craters and aircraft wrecks show the effects of
saturation bombing and parafrags that destroyed the base. Revetments
for AA guns still visible along the runway, and large bomb
craters are present all over the area. There are no buildings
visible in the area, and jungle has reclaimed everything except
the rough rectangular shape of the runway. Over the years,
most of the airframes were recovered by outsiders, scrapped
or otherwise disappeared. A few wrecks remain as tourist attractions
for visitors from Madang and occasionally, a small hut might
be manned for "tours" of
the area or to see the remaining wreckage. A few huts are now
being built in the area by squatters.
Manfred Hacker recalls:
"I lived in Alexishafen for three years in the
early 1970s. One of my pleasures was to show visitors the many
aircraft wrecks in the area. Most of the planes seemed to be fairly
well untouched. Every now and then a group of Japanese tourists
would come by, and have a ceremony at the wrecks. They would burn
incense, and leave gifts."
Ki-49 Helen Manufacture
Number 3220
Abandoned at airfield, tourist site, wings scrapped, tail severed
Formally At Alexishafen, Recovered
Ki-43-II Oscar Manufacture
Number 5465
Recovered
by AWM in 1984, unrestored at AWM & AWM Annex
Ki-61 Tony Manufacture
Number 292
Recovered
by Robert Jarrett 1989, displayed at Classic Jets
Museum
Ki-61 Tony Manufacture
Number 299
Recovered
by AWM 1984 to PNG Museum, exported
Robert Greinert
Alexishafen Scrapped
or Partially Scrapped
Ki-21 Sally Manufacture Number 4403
Tail Section
Ki-21 Sally Manufacture Number 4501
Wreckage, scrapped or otherwise removed
Ki-21 Sally Manufacture Number 6336
Wreckage, scrapped or otherwise removed
Ki-21 Sally Manufacture Number 6377
Wreckage, scrapped or otherwise removed
Ki-21 Sally Manufacture Number 6382
Wreckage, scrapped or otherwise removed
Ki-43-I Oscar Manufacture
Number 726
Abandoned
at Alexishafen, scrapped sometime in late 1970's
Ki-43-II Oscar Manufacture
Number 5106
Ki-43-II Oscar Manufacture
Number 5927
Tail only, whereabouts unknown, likely scrapped
Ki-43-II Oscar Manufacture
Number 5965
Wreckage
remained until early 1960s, whereabouts today
unknown
Ki-46-II Dinah Manufacture
Number 2375
Abandoned
at Alexishafen, scrapped sometime in late 1970's
Ki-48-II Lily Manufacture
Number 1342
Abandoned
at the strip, largely scrapped over the decades
Ki-61 Tony Manufacture Number 347
Inspected by Darby in 1974, since removed or scrapped
Ki-61 Tony Manufacture Number 484
Inspected by Darby in 1974, since removed or scrapped
Ki-61 Tony Manufacture Number 521
Inspected by Darby in 1974, since removed or scrapped
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