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Location McDonald Field is located along the Sutart Highway (North South Road) and Douglas River south of Lloyd Creek in the Northern Territory of Australia. Also known as McDonald Airfield, McDonald Drome, Burkholder Airfield or Burkholder Drome. Sometimes misspelled "MacDonald". To the northwest is Long Field, Fenton Field and beyond Darwin. Construction During March 1942, built by the U.S. Army 43rd Engineer Regiment with additional work by the U.S. Army 808th Airborne Engineers (Company "A" and HQ Detachment), Allied Works Council and the No. 1 Airfield Construction Unit. The single runway was 6,000' long by 100' wide with 50' shoulders surfaced with 4" of gravel. Taxiways were also constructed with 5,000', each 40' wide with 15' shoulders paved with 3" of gravel. A total of eighteen dispersal areas were built, without revetments. Company A also built camp buildings. Wartime History On November 24, 1942 the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) occupied MacDonald Airfield with No. 54 Operational Base Unit administered the base. Between January 18, 1943–May 7, 1943 based Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEIAF), 18 Squadron comprised of Dutch pilots, Australian aircrews operating B-25 Mitchell bombers on bombing missions over Japanese occupied Timor and Penfoei. Naming Honors Named in honor of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Wing Commander Joshua Roger Gray McDonald who was killed on December 10, 1941 piloting Hudson A16-69. Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEAF) 18 Squadron (B-25C) Fairbairn arrives December 5, 1942–May 7, 1943 Afterwards, MacDonald Airfield became an Army communication camp, but at least one force landing occurred at the former airfield. References Oz@War - McDonald Airfield, NT Also Known as Burkholder Field During WW2 Contribute
Information Last Updated
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 Map 1943 |
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