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 5th AF 1943  5th AF December 24, 1943  17th PRS June 18, 1944  USAAF 1945  1948  1952   Justin Taylan 2000 |
Location Tobera Airfield was located on the prewar Tobera Plantation on the Gazelle Peninsula of New Britain. The Japanese referred to this location as "Rabaul No. 4". Beyond to the north is Blanche Bay and Rabaul. Between 1884 until September 1914 part of Deutsch Neu Guinea (German New Guinea). Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the New Britain District in the Territory of New Guinea. Today located in East New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Prewar Tobera Plantation was established at this location with rows of coconut palms harvesting copra. Construction During July 1943, the Japanese began construction of a single runway oriented roughly northeast to southwest measuring 3,600' x 100' surfaced with concrete with a large apron area. By August 1943 the runway was completed with a control tower on the north side of the runway. This runway was the shortest length of all the Rabaul area airfields and was primary use by fighters. Several taxiway loops with revetments were constructed on the southern side of the runway with revetments for parked fighters. By late 1943 until early 1944 a second intersecting runway was under construction oriented northwest to southeast but was never completed. Wartime History Tobera Airfield was primarily used by Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) A6M Zeros. The Japanese designated Tobera Airfield with the three letter code: OFI. In the vicinity of Tobera Airfield were camp areas for Japanese personnel and anti-aircraft gun emplacements. Japanese units based at Tobera Airfield (South Airfield) 201 Kokutai (A6M Zero) departs Saipan 252 Kokutai (A6M Zero) arrives late 1943-–February 17, 1944 departs Truk 253 Kokutai (A6M Zero) arrives September 1943–February 17, 1944 departs Truk Zuikaku Detachment (A6M Zero replacements from 2nd Carrier Division) January 1944 105th Naval Base Air Unit (A6M Zero C.O. Yomoyoshi Hori) June 1944–August 1945 28th Construction Unit (civilians and convict labor) C.O. Goro Enari American missions against Tobera October 24, 1943–June 30, 1944 On October 24, 1943 Tobera Airfield first came under attack by U.S. aircraft. During this period, 253 Kokutai Zeros from Tobera intercepted nearly every air raid. To patch the runway after Allied bombing, the Japanese built a 610mm narrow gauge rail road line, with a Kato tractor to pull carts full of dirt to fill the craters. By late January 1944 they had sustained heavy losses in both pilots and aircraft. By the middle of February 1944 less than 20 Zeros remained airworthy at Tobera and were carefully dispersed and hidden. On February 17, 1944 the remaining Zeros were flown northward to Truk. On February 25, 1944 photographic reconnaissance revealed 33 aircraft parked Tobera, although most or all were decoys or disabled. Afterwards, anti-aircraft guns in the vicinity continued to oppose air raids that continued until June 30, 1944. After the last flyable Zeros were withdrawal, the 105th Naval Base Air Unit was instructed to keep Tobera Airfield serviceable and repair the remaining Zeros to airworthy condition. By March 1945, the 105th Naval Base Air Unit had 2,000 personnel and two construction units attached including the 28th Construction Unit comprised of roughly 200 civilians and convict laborers. By 1945, anti-aircraft shells and fuel stocks were very low and carefully dispersed. Most Japanese personnel were tasked with planting and maintaining gardens to grow food for subsistence. Many personnel were stationed three miles north of Tobera Airfield in air raid tunnels that could accommodate 50 men each. Postwar Tobera Airfield area was so heavily bombed the water table was upset and the land overed with bomb craters, revetments, trenches and tunnels Over the years, vegetation began to regrow covering the taxiways. In the early 1950s, Douglas Joycey purchased half of the prewar Tobera Plantation and renamed it Vimy Plantation and began replanting it with coconut palms and harvesting copra. Jim Joycey (son of Douglas Joycey) recalls: "We moved onto our half of Tobera in the early 1950s, before the scrap merchants went through it. As a young lad I recall sitting in my Zero that was intact, except for bullet holes, and still had loaded guns." Today During the early 1980s, Type 10 120mm anti-aircraft gun and search light were recovered from Vimy Plantation using a crane and moved to the Kokopo Museum During the early 1990s, Rick Ray purchased a portion of Vimy Plantation and renamed it Vunatung Plantation managed by his company Golden Dolphin 3 with his wife. The couple built their home at roughly the center of the former runway atop a hardstand. Kato Rail Tractor Used at the airfield on a 610mm gauge track alongside the runway PBJ-1D Mitchell Bureau Number 35143 Pilot Smith shot down May 5, 1944 wreckage discovered 1996, recovered 1999-2000 P-38G Lightning Serial Number 42-12848 Pilot Love MIA November 2, 1943 investigated by US Army CILHI in 1999 SBD-5 Dauntless Serial Number NZ5050 Pilot Cray MIA April 17, 1944 possibly MIA in Tobera area SBD-5 Dauntless Bureau Number 54383 Pilot Becker MIA July 3, 1944 B-25C Mitchell 42-32319 Pilot Thompson crashed January 12, 1944 Aircraft Wreckage Pile At roughly the center of the former runway is a collection of Japanese wreckage collected from Tobera Airfield near the home of Rick Ray. During the 1980s, Japanese wreckage from Vunakanau was moved to Tobera for safe keeping and display. A6M3 Zero Manufacture Number 3650 Abandoned at Tobera, moved into a pile of wreckage at Tobera. Ki-43-II Oscar Abandoned at Vunakanu. During the 1980s the wreckage was moved to Tobera for safe keeping and display. A6M3 Zero Abandoned at Vunakanau. During the 1980s the wreckage was moved to Tobera for safe keeping and display. G4M1 Betty Abandoned at Vunakanau. During the 1980s the wreckage was moved to Tobera for safe keeping and display. References Reclaiming Tobera Airfield 1945–1952 The Siege of Rabaul (1996) by Henry Sakaida pages 77-78 Mystery "USA" in kunai grass near Tobera Airfield by Justin Taylan Thanks to Rick Ray, Brian Bennett, Henry Sakaida and Jim Joycey for additional information Contribute
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