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 Pacific Islands Monthly March 9, 1936  5th AF January 4, 1944   Australian Army May 1, 1944  Lindsay 1944  AWM May 1945  Civil Aviation Historical Society via Geoff Goodall circa 1960-1961   Ray Fairfield 1966  Justin Taylan 2000   Justin Taylan 2005 |
Location Lat 5° 12' 26S Long 145° 47' 19E Madang Airfield is located at an elevation of 20' above sea level bordering the Meiro River. To the south is Madang and to the east borders Madang Harbor and beyond Timin Island. Prewar and during the Pacific War located in Madang District of the Territory of New Guinea. Still in use today as Madang Airport a civilian airport in Madang Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Construction A single runway was completed by early 1936. By 1942, the single runway surfaced with crushed coral, 1,350 x 20 yards (3750' x 60'), requiring landings towards the sea during day, with good approaches. Sgt H. Russell or W.O. P. Englase. Facilities included radio, food & water, medical assistance from Bernett. Native speak pidgin, plenty of empty fuel drums. History On March 9, 1936 the first plane to land was Junkers F13 "Papua" VH-UTS that took off from Finschafen Airfield and was landed at the newly built Madang Airfield. A photograph of the parked plane was taken with locals standing nearby. During August 1941, three New Guinea Volunteer Rifle (NGVR) volunteers Sgt R. E. Emery, Peter Monfries and Dick Vernon traveled from Lae aboard the Montoro with ten native constables and equipment to guard Madang Airfield. Their aerial defenses included a single Lewis 7.7mm machine gun that was emplaced in a gun pit with guard posts on either end of the runway with obstacles that could be removed and a camp area. On January 21, 1941 the first air raid against Madang and Madang Airifeld was conducted by Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) bombers escorted by fighters that cratering the runway. During January 1943, occupied by the Japanese Army as a forward operating airfield for Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) bombers and fighters based at Wewak. By August 13, 1943 the Japanese had runway was 3,250' x 240' runway with a single taxiway and revetments for 30 fighters and one bomber on the eastern end. On March 24, 1943 Japanese bombers arrived at Wewak transporting a group of senior officers including H. E. Tsuboshima, Aide-de-Camp to the Emperor on an inspection tour of Wewak and Madang. On April 19, 1943 Japanese Army 18th Army Lt General Hatazo Adachi took off from Wewak on a flight to Madang Airfield to establish his headquarters at Madang. On October 24, 1943 in the morning a Ki-49-II Helen piloted by 1st Lt Kudo of 7th Sentai, 2nd Buntai crashed off Madang. Japanese units based at Madang 248th Sentai (Ki-43 Oscar) late 1943 59th Sentai (Ki-43 Oscar) 1943 68th Sentai (Ki-61 Tony) 1943 Starting in January 1943 targeted by Allied bombers and fighters until late April 1944. Madang Airfield was heavily bombed and strafed rendering the runway as unserviceable and with several fighter planes wrecked along the runway. Allied missions against Madang December 13, 1942–April 26, 1944 On April 24, 1944 liberated by the Australian Army. At the airfield, a large quanity of high octane aviation fuel was captured and used by the Australians for boats. At the airfield, the Japanese abandoned atleast four planes, drop tanks, 13mm ammunition and aerial bombs. At least two Type 88 75mm anti-aircraft guns were emplaced near the runway. Immediately, Australian Army engineers using a bulldozer began repairing the runway for use by Allied planes. On May 1, 1944 landed L-5 42-98713 and L-5 42-38708. Japanese Aircraft Wreckage On May 1, 1944 a team from Allied Technical Intelligence Unit (ATIU) surveyed at four Ki-43 Oscar wrecks at Madang Airfield and noted their manufacture numbers. One Ki-43-II Oscar was near a bomb crater with 59th Sentai tail markings. Another Ki-43 Oscar had a burned out fuselage center section with tail number 47. Afterwards, these aircraft were souvenired by Australian personnel for aluminum or scrapped postwar. Ki-43-I Oscar Manufacture Number 569 Abandoned at the strip, evaluated by US Army ATIU May 1, 1944 Ki-43-II Oscar Manufacture Number 5122 Abandoned at the strip, evaluated by US Army ATIU May 1, 1944 Ki-43-II Oscar Manufacture Number 5419 Abandoned at the strip, evaluated by US Army ATIU May 1, 1944 Ki-43-II Oscar Manufacture Number 5592 Abandoned at the strip, evaluated by US Army ATIU May 1, 1944 By late April 1944, Madang Airfield was repaired and used by Allied aircraft for the remainder of the Pacific War, primarily the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) including aircraft from 111 Air Sea Rescue Flight (111 ASRF) that operated at both Madang Airfield and Madang Seaplane Base until March 18, 1946 when it moved to Port Moresby and was disbanded. RAAF units based at Madang Airfield 111 ASRF (PBY) March 18, 1946 departs Port Moresby Postwar Madang Airport remained in use as a civil airport used by airlines and managed by the Australian administration. Postwar, the runway was resurfaced and expanded in length. During April 1946 written off at Madang Airfield was Beaufort A9-701. On October 29, 1955 after take off, Madang Air Charters De Havilland DH.84 Dragon VH-AOE had both engines fail and crashed in Madang Harbor upside down with none injured. On November 8, 1955 an attempt was made to recover the aircraft but it broke into two pieces when raised and was deemed a total loss. By the 1960s, a narrow causeway of fill spanned eastward to connect to Timin Island in Madang Harbor. During 1960, trimotors Ju 52 VH-GSS and Ju 52 VH-GSW owned by Mandated Airlines (MAL) formally Gibbes Sepik Airways were stricken from the civil register and parked at Madang Airfield on the north side of the runway opposite the terminal area. During 1961 both were sold for scrap metal and broken up. In the first half of 1962, scrap metal including Ju 52 VH-GSS, Ju 52 VH-GSW, parts of a Beaufort, likey Beaufort A9-701, wreckage of a Norseman and Japanese wreckage likely Ki-43 Oscars were embarked aboard a vessel at Madang and shipped to Australia. In June 1962 the scrap metal arrived Adelaide was sold to E. R. Way & Son in Thebarton, Adelaide and smelted. Until 1972, portions of Beaufort A9-701 remained at Madang Airfield opposite the passenger terminal. Sometime afterwards the remainder plus other World War II wreckage around around the airport area was collected and scrapped. On Apr 11, 1972 while landing, DC-3 VH-PNB was unable to stop, overran the runway and came to rest in a lake and was damaged beyond repair and written off. On October 30, 1972 while landig, Ansett Airlines DC-3 VH-PNA suffered a break failure and veered off the runway and was damaged beyond repair and written off. Today Still in use today as Madang Airport. Serviced by Air Niugini and several smaller airlines on a daily basis. The single runway oriented 25/07 measures 5,174' x 105' and is surfaced with asphalt. Airport codes: ICAO: AYMD and IATA: MAG. Beaufort A9-701 Written off at Madang Airfield, wreckage remained opposite the terminal until scrapped in 1972 References Pacific Islands Monthly May 1936 "First 'Plane on New Madang Aerodrome" (photo) "The Junker [sic Junkers] plane of the Lutheran Mission at Finschafen made aviation history in New Guinea. It was the first machine to land on the newly completed aerodrome at Madang, on March 9." Notes about New Guinea airfields, recorded circa May - July, 1942 by Oliver C. Doan via Jean Doan research Edward Rogers AWM "Madang and Alexishafen" F01696 cine footage May 1, 1944 Madang Airfield fuel dump 10:02:37 - 10:03:05, Ki-43 Oscar wreckage 10:03:05 - 10:03:15 bulldozer repairing runway 10:03:15 - 10:03:21, Type 88 75mm anti-aircraft guns 10:06:11 - 10:06:34 L-5 42-98713 and L-5 42-39708 landing at Madang Airfield 10:06:45 - 10:07:04 Ki-43 Oscar of the 59th Sentai near bomb crater 10:07:04 - 10:07:19 Ki-43 Oscar wreckage 10:07:19-10:07:22, Ki-43 Oscar tail 47 10:07:22 - 10:07:33, Ki-61 Tony wreckage and upside down tail 10:07:33 - 10:07:44 AWM "New Guinea lull of stand down" F07161 cine footage October 27, 1944 Ki-43 Oscar 13:03:34 - 13:03:54 Madang (2006) pages 135, 150, 183 South Pacific Air War Volume 1 (2017) pages 41 (map), 76 (January 21, 1942 Madang), 79 (January 21, 1942 Madang), 171 (February 27, 1942), 248 (index Madang) NAC - Madang Airport Contribute
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