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Darwin
Lat 12° 28' 0S Long 130° 49' 60E Port city located in the north of Australia.
Today
There are many sites in the city related to the war, including museums and shipwrecks in the harbor.History
The port and town of Darwin suffered 64 air raids from Japanese between February 19, 1942 until November 12, 1943 that rendered the port ineffective for most of the war. A number of airfields were built in the area, that based both RAAF, USAAF and NEIAF aircraft.
Japanese Air Raids Against Darwin
Japanese Navy & Army Air ForceDarwin Airfield (RAAF Station Darwin)
Built prior to the war, importation location in early war, attacked by JapaneseDarwin Harbor
Harbor with sunken ship and airplane wrecks from the war
East Point Military Museum & Fortifications
Museum built at wartime bunker location.Oil storage Tanks & Tunnels
One of the more interesting things constructed in Darwin during World War II were some oil storage tanks near the wharves. Originally eight were planned but only four were built. Today, two of these are open for viewing between 10 am and 2 PM. Tunnels driven into the limestone go underneath Darwin's City Center.Australian Aviation Heritage Centre
Aviation museum with several WWII aircraft and displays.
Winnellie Airfield Suburb South of Darwin.
Strauss Field (28 Mile)
Airfield 28 miles south of Darwin (27 Mile). Based RAAF Squadrons in 1944.
Hughes Field (30 Mile) Location
Located 30 miles to the south of Darwin, south of Strauss Field, inland from the highway to Darwin.
Batchelor Field Location
American Units at Bachelor Field
19th BG (B-17) from Del Monte December 17-20, 1942 - December 30, 1941
19th BG, 93rd BS (B-17) from Clark Field December 19 - December 31, 1941American Usage
In December 1941, Batchelor was a sparse RAAF training base to prevent their distruction in the Philippines and to regroup. Staging base for the 22nd BG's November 2-4, 1942 raids on Dili and Aileu in Timor with B-26 Mauraders. The four B-17s that evacuated General MacArthur, his family and senior staff landed here on March 10, 1942: B-17E 41-2408, B-17E 41-2429, B-17E 41-2434 and B-17E 41-2447.
P-38F Lightning Serial Number 41-2122
Fenton Airfield Location
Located 100km south of Darwin.Construction
This sealed strip was built by the Australians in late 1942 and named after Flying doctor Clyde Fenton, and improved into early 1943. It was used by both the RAAF and USAAF during WWII.Jim Wright, The Flying Circus, page 95 adds:
"Aussie construction crews had finished the broad airstrip, with thirty-five revetments, semicircular patches of paving sticking out from four paved lanes that connected with the main runway."Units Based at Fenton
5th Air Force
43rd BG B-17's
90th BG 319th BS B-24's
380th BG, 528 BS, 530th BS (B-24) from USA April 28, 1943 - Aug 20, 43 to Darwin
380th BG, 529 BS, 530 BS 531 BS (B-24)
RAAF Units
82nd Wing - 21, 23, 24 Squadron B-24'sJapanese Air Raids Against Fenton
Late April, 1943
(after arrival of 380th BG) a formation of Japanese bombers from (Koepang?) TImor bomb the strip in late afternoon from medium altitude. They disable one B-24 and other property damage. Reference The Flying Circus, page 98.
Located to the north of Fenton, Pell Airfield was named in honor of Major Floyd Pell, who was initially part of General Douglas MacArthur's air staff, attempted to take off to intercept the Japanese attack on February 19, 1942 from Darwin RAAF airfield but his aircraft was hit by a strafing Japanese fighter aircraft and was killed when he then parachuted out at about 24 metres. During 1944, several RAAF aircraft crashed at or around the airfield including two Boomerangs and two Beaufighters.
Japanese Missions Against Pell
October 24, 1942 (4:52am)
August 21, 1943 (3:30am)
