Location
Located along the Meiro River, across from Madang Town.

Construction
Built prior to the war.

Wartime History
In middle 1942 the single runway surfaced with crushed coral, 1350 x 20 yard, requiring landings towards the sea during day, with good approaches. Sgt H. Russell or W.O. PEnglase. Facilities included radio, food & water, medical assist. chrg & Bernett in vicinity, native speak pidgin, plenty of empty drums.

Occupied by the Japanese Army in January 1943, as a forward operating airfield for aircraft based at Wewak. Later, it was expanded to a 3.250' x 240' runway (as of August 13, 1943) with a single taxiway and revetment area (30 fighters, 1 bomber) on the eastern end. Aerial photos in January 4, 1944 show the strip as bombed out and unserviceable.

On March 24, 1943 Japanese bombers arrived at Wewak taking senior officers (H.E. Tsuboshima, Aide-de-Camp to the Emperor, and his party) on an inspection tour of Wewak and Madang.

April 19, 1943 Lt. General Adachi and his staff departed from Wewak to Madang to establish his headquarters there.

October 24, 1943 in the morning a Ki-49-II piloted by 1st Lt Kudo of 2/7Sentai crashes off Madang.

JAAF Units Known to Use Madang:
248th Sentai (Ki-43-III Oscar)
59th Sentai (Ki-43 Oscar)
68th Sentai (Ki-61 Tony)

Allied Missions Against Madang
December 13, 1942 - April 26, 1944

Australian Liberation
Liberated on April 24, 1944 by Australian ground forces. At the field, a large amount of high octane fuel was captured, and used by the Australians for their boats.  Also, several wrecked aircraft an 13mm ammunition and aerial bombs. The airfield was repaired and used by the RAAF until the end of the war, and as a rear supply base and for aerial access to the town. Photo May 1945.

Aircraft At Madang: Scrapped or Removed

Ki-43-II OscarManufacture Number 5419
Abandoned at the strip, evaluated by US Army ATIU May 1, 1944

Ki-43-II OscarManufacture Number 5122
Abandoned at the strip, evaluated by US Army ATIU May 1, 1944

Ki-43-II OscarManufacture Number 5592
Abandoned at the strip, evaluated by US Army ATIU May 1, 1944

Ki-43-II OscarManufacture Number 569
Abandoned at the strip, evaluated by US Army ATIU May 1, 1944

Beaufort Mark VIII Serial Number A9-701
Formally opposite the terminal, scrapped in 1972

Today
Used since the war by the Australian administration. The strip was resurfaced and expanded. Today as Madang's main airport, serviced by Air Nuguni and several smaller airlines. Airport code MAG.

References
Notes about New Guinea airfields, recorded circa May - July, 1942 by Oliver C. Doan via Jean Doan research Edward Rogers

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009