Wartime History
During the early months of 1942, used by U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as a military airfield for B-17 Flying Fortresses from the 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG).

On February 19, 1942 Japanese aircraft from Palembang Airfield attacked Bandoeng Airfield on their first major air raid against western Java. On the ground, they destroyed four parked bombers: B-17E 41-2493, B-17E 41-2503, B-17E 41-2466 and LB-30 Liberator.

During March 1942 occupied by the Japanese. Soon afterwards, Japanese technical personnel from Giken (Army Aviation Technical Research Institute) arrived and a pair of B-17E Flying Fortresses including B-17E 41-2471 were repaired at Bandung using abandoned spare parts.

During early 1942, Bandung Airfield was also visited by Asahi reporter Torao Saito who wrote:
"The maintenance facilities for the B-17 in Java were excellent for that time and existing conditions, it appeared that Bandung Field was the main maintenance base for the Americans, and it was here that our technicians from the Giken performed their initial flight evaluation tests on these newest of American war birds.”

By late 1942, the Japanese repaired a pair of B-17E bombers to flying status that were both were test flown from this airfield. Afterwards, the repaired B-17Es were escorted by a L2D Tabby plus fighter aircraft for the ferry flight via the Philippines to Tachikawa Airfield in Japan.

Today
Disused since the Pacific War.

References
Index to Air Bases - Research Report No. 85, I.G. No 9185 - July 30, 1944
Air Classics "Japan's Mystery Fleet of American Bombers" by Robert Mikesh Vol 9, No 5, May 1973
Aviation History "The Surprisign Story of Japan's B-17 Fleet" by Robert C. Mikesh July 2010
Fortress Against The Sun (2001) page 126, 139, 459 (index Bandoeng)

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Last Updated
April 21, 2020