May 1942
December 9, 1942
October 18, 1943
c1943
1975
Peter Flahavin 2004
John Innes
2005
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Construction
Constructed near the coast at Kukum, 1 1/2 miles west of Henderson
Field, and two miles south-west of Lunga Point. Initially, a single marston matting covered runway (inland). Preferred by pilots, as the landing approach
and take off were over water, exposing them to the
least chance of fire from the Japanese.
Expansion
A second runway was built close to the sea of crushed coral. The base was surrounded by coconut palms, with servicing and living areas to the south of the strip.
Units based at Fighter 2 (incomplete
list)
USAAF 13th AF
347th FG, 68th FS
Nov 12, 1942 - [April 12, 1943 to Fiji Feb
4, 1944 to Bougainville]
RNZAF
15 Squadron (P-40) April 26, 1943 - ?
14 Squadron (P-40) June 10 from Espiritu Santo - July 24, 1943
16 Squadron (P-40) July 25, 1943 - September 1943
Post War
After the war, the strip was still used as the
Solomon Islands main airport, until 1969, when the strip
was closed, and Henderson
Field reopened as the national airport.
Today
The airfield now the Honiara Golf Course, and an industrial area of warehouses.
The
palm trees that used to be behind the beach are now gone and replaced by the
Honiara Brewery.
In 1995 they were re-grading the road
between Matanikau and Kukum and constantly finding bits of bone.
John
Innes adds, February 5, 2005:
"They are constructing a soccer
academy about 500 yards inland from Kukum strip. As they
are digging, the foundations they are uncovering what would
have been part of that Kukum (Fighter Two) complex.
In
these pictures you can see the metal base that the crushed
coral was put on, with metal base underneath. Also the
amount of coral which quite clearly contrasts to the natural
soil."
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