Location
Located to the south of Rabaul, further to the south is Matupi
Island. Known prewar as "Lakunai" or "East Airfield".
Construction
This airfield
was built by the Australian RAAF as single runway 4,700'
in length, prior to the war. The runway was surfaced with sand and volcanic ash.
Japanese Occupation
Occupied by the Japanese on
January 23, 1942. The 7th Construction Unit began working to expand and improve the airfield. Know by the Japanese as Rabinjikku (Rabaul lower). By the end of January two groups of A5M4 Claudes arrived.
Lakunai was the primary fighter airstrip at Rabaul
until new strips were built at Rapopo and Tobera.
The field was expanded by the Japanese with revetments
to the north and south of the strip, and taxiways with steel
matting. Volcanic ash from Tuvurvur often coated
the area with a layer of ash.
The
base had a compliment of anti-aircraft guns around the strip,
and supported by guns on Matupi
Island to the south, and Sulpher
Creek area to the north. The
aerodrome was primarily used by the Navy, although a number of
Army units also were based here in early 1943 until around
August when almost all the Army aircraft at were transferred
to Lae or Wewak. Lakunai was neutralized from the air by Allied attacks.
Japanese Naval Units Based at Lakunai
Chitose Kokutai (4th Kokutai)
A5M4 - January 31, 1942
4th
Kokutai (A5M4 & A6M2) - February 10, 1942
Tainan Kokutai (A6M2) April 1942 - November 1942 also Vunakanau
6th Kokutai (A6M2 Zero) Japan via Truk September 1942 -
501st Kokutai (D4Y Judy) Japan via Truk October 1943 -
Japanese Army Air Force Units Based at
Lakunai
11th Sentai (57 x Ki-43) from Burma via Truk December 18, 1943
1st
Sentai
(Ki-43) from Truk January
9,
1943
68th
Sentai (Ki-61) from Truk April 1943
78th Sentai (Ki-61) from Truk June 1943
81st Sentai (Ki-46 and Ki-21) 1943
Allied Missions Against Lakunai
June 12, 1942 - June 17, 1944
Postwar
Usage
Heavily bombed thorough the war, the strip was littered with
wrecked aircraft, After the surrender of Japan, the airfield was occupied by Australians
in September 1945.
Repaired, USMC PBJ Mitchell 35214 landed at the repaired airfield on November 1, 1945 from Manus, the first Allied aircraft to land at the strip after the war. A RAAF Dakota landed on October 30, 1945 with a load of
mail from Australian servicemen. Returned to service in later 1945, it briefly
based RAAF Beauforts of 8 Squadron.
The airfield was used as Rabaul's main airport from
1945 until 1994.
1994
Volcano Eruption
In 1994, a large volcanic eruption covered
the airport with ash. In anticipation of this, airport services
were shifted to a new airport built at Tokua.
Today
The runway is covered in ash. Beside the runway is some wreckage of Japanese
aircraft, including a well known Ki-21 Sally, and
the remains of another Sally and a Ki-43. Although the area
was coated in ash the wrecks are still
accessible and undamaged, cleared to allow
visitors to view them.
Mitsubishi
Ki-21 Sally
Wreckage abandoned near airfield, popular tourist site
Nakajima
Ki-43 Oscar
Center section only abandoned near Sally
Mitsubishi
Ki-21 Sally
Center section only
Interstate TDR-1 Attack Drone
Destroyed by locals after its discovery
127mm
Semi-Automatic Anti-Aircraft Gun
Western edge of airfield, overlooking Sulpher
Creek
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