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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 0287.PDF
FiiBRt'ARY 8TH, I945 FLIGHT 151 • POSTWAR AUSTRALIAN BOOST later despite U.S. Army engineers' predictions that it would take ten months to complete the station to a stage where it could be used. Tocumwal has more than 366,900 sq. yd. of runways, 254,000 sq. yd. of taxiways, gravelled areas covering 1,098,000 sq. yd., and tarred surfaces of more than 1,375,000 sq. y,d. The flying-boat base a.t Lake Boga (eight miles in cir- cumference) was begun in June, 1942, and was completed a few months later. It still remains one of the biggest flying-jboat repair and service depots in the South-West Pacific area despite its 200-mile distance from the sea. This location was selected to avoid the risk of shelling and spasmodic raiding from carrier-borne aircraft to which the more accessible coastal bases were subject. But the dispersal of the Japanese invasion fleet in the Coral Sea battle of May 8, 1942, ended the immediate threat of Japanese landings on the north-east mainland, and need for large air bases, maintenance and repair shops on the same scale as Tocumwal- and Lake Boga developed to the north. The steady advance brought other airfields, with latest night-landing equipment, navigation and * .burning aids. Development was not confined to the east coast. It expanded on an equivalent scale in the hvest and to the central north Townsville (North Queensland) provides one mention- able example. Formerly the site of a small civil air- port, it became the jumping-off place for the 720-mile ferry hop across the Coral Sea to Port Moresby. Aircraft, mostly Douglas C-47S, made the crossing in 4J hr. average time, but bad weather fronts in the steamy tropical cli- mate made the use of radio navigational aids vital. It was common to leave Townsville and fly over or through heavy rain and turbulent cumulus without sighting coral reef or sea until the "ship" nosed down off the Papuan coast. Speeding Up t As the tempo of the Allied/ air offensive quickened, Townsville airfield, expanded and modernised to cope with B-17S and B-24S bombed-up to capacity, became an operational and air-dispersal point for transport aircraft, bombers and fighters. Removed from fear of enemy attack, it became a gigantic rear echelon base for repair and maintenance. To cope with air traffic, the Australian Government built another vast field within a few miles of the expanded Townsville base. Here the U.S.A.A.F. established one of the biggest aircraft hospitals in the world. ~~ Most of these air stations, and those to the north and west, have'followed a general pattern. Scores like those in the general plan (on page 150) will be available for almost immediate post-war use. They offer bright peacetime prospects to centres whose lack of development has been largely due to communications difficulties. The Common- wealth Department of Civil Aviation has also played an important role in the wartime programme. Full resource-; of Australia's civil airline fleet have been pooled for war time operation. Present services function on skeleton schedules so that the fullest possible use may be made of civil- aircraft for military charter duties. < During movement of troops to New Guinea for the assault on Buna (British New Guinea) in December, 1942, all Australian civil airline services were cancelled. Every serviceable machine was pressed into the aerial trek to New Guinea bases. The convoy which made Iliis hazardous crossing included everything from aged DM Dragons to D.C.-3S. Miles and Loads Some idea of the wartime burden carried by Australian civil airlines during five years of war can be had from a comparison of official statistics for the years ending June, 1939, and June, 1944. Total miles flown in J939 were 9,664,628, little less than the 1944 tally ol 9,703,898. but passengers carried jumped from 99,511 to 214,667. Comparative mail loadings for the 'same period were 164,187 lb. and 4,402,504 lb. Freight figures for 1944 were 90 per cent, greater than those of 1939. This task was completed with greatly reduced air Heels, and the figures apply only to strictly civilian services. A close priority system was inaugurated early in the war. and most of the civilian passengers were on urgent defence or national business. In addition, civil aircraft under charter to the U.S. Army flew 4,984,222 miles, lifted 70,747 service personnel and 3,208 tons of service freight. In 1939 the Civil Aviation Department controlled 68 air- fields. To-day it is operating 74. Airfield acreages under its jurisdiction have increased from 10,800 acres in 1939 to 19,700 in 1944, and Service stations and their airfields are not included. Paved runways have increased from 1,018,000 sq. yd. to 4,956,000 sq. yd., and values of its assets from ^986,000 in 1939 to £3,054,499 in 1944. The Department of Civil Aviation is now operating an extensive acradio network. It has built 14 communica- tions stations in the past five years. Another is at present under construction. Twelve direction-finding stations recently completed bring the total now in use to 35. Australia began the war with 10 radio range stations, has 15 at the moment, and 28 under construction. There were no homing beacons imder_Civil Aviation control in 1939. To-day there are 22, and two more are nearing comple- tion. It now operates 28 fully lit airfields at key centres throughout the Commonwealth. Mr. Enticknap's plan may be an optimistic one, but whatever obstacles bar its progress, lack of good modern airport facilities will not be one of them. AIB AMBULANCES RESCUE WOUNDED IN BURMAR .A.F. light aircraft operating or. forward strips and run- ways hacked out of jungle have saved the lives of many West African troops fighting in the remote reaches of the River Kaladan, in Arakan. Hundreds of wounded were carried in a matter of minutes from the jungle battlefields to the comfort of British and Indian hospitals, journeys which, had they been possible by land, would have taken many days. The hazards of this work were recognised recently when the D.F.M. was given to Fit. Sgt. (now Pilot Officer) J. K. Davies, of Pontefract, and the D.F.C. to W/O. M. L. Cecil, of Subiaco, W. Australia, former members of the squadron. The latter never lived to receive his award, as he was killed in a flying accident during the monsoon. The story behind the work of these pilots began early last year, when the West Africans made their advance along the Kaladan and evacuation of the wounded became a problem. The answer lay in employing Tiger and Fox Moths, modified to take stretcher cases. As the We5;t Africans advanced, they built small landing strips in paddy fields or on dry river beds. These strips were never more than a few hundred yards from Japanese positions, and were almost continually under mortar or machine-gun fire. During engagements with the enemy a call would be sent back, and the ambulance pilots at once set out to pick up casualties. Their journey, a little over 50 mil»s there and back, was mostly over enemy territory and entailed a double crossing of a 3,000ft. high range of hills. P/O. Davies and W/O. Cecil flew an average of 10 hours a day to evacuate wounded. Davies made ovci 100 sorties. At one position where casualties were being evacuated the enemy made an attack and the West Africans withdrew to another point. Wounded still remained to be evacuated, and the pilots flew in to pick them up until they were forced to stop. Even on that occasion W/O. Cecil insisted on his " last run," and, taking in a pilot to fly out a damaged Moth, h<- collected the last casualties from the deserted strip under mortar fire a few minutes before the Japs arrived. Between February 16th and May 8(h last year over 2,000 casualties were brought out to forward bases, whore (hoy were put into hospital or transferred to Dakotas and down to the rear.
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