Kila Airfield
Encyclopedia
Kila Airfield is a former World War II
airfield near Port Moresby
, Papua New Guinea
. It was part of a multiple-airfield complex in the Port Moresby area, located north of Joyce Bay, three miles from the town of Port Moresby near the village of Kila Kila.
The airfield was Port Moresby's first civilian airfield, built in 1933 by the Australian administration.
A large hill at on the approach to the field limited its usefulness. The runway was 5,000' x 100' surfaced with black loam with marston matting (as of October 8, 1943). A dispersal area with revetments and taxiways were located on the northern side of the runway. Several buildings were located at the center of the runway.
After the war the airfield was returned to the New Guinea government. Today the airfield is now part of the Kila Police Barracks, a golf course and a technical school. Some of the wartime revetments remain on the police property and portions of the wartime taxiways and runway are visible.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
airfield near Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. It was part of a multiple-airfield complex in the Port Moresby area, located north of Joyce Bay, three miles from the town of Port Moresby near the village of Kila Kila.
The airfield was Port Moresby's first civilian airfield, built in 1933 by the Australian administration.
History
The airport was used by the Americans beginning in 1942 and expanded into an airfield for fighters, light bombers and service aircraft. Many USAAF squadrons were briefly stationed at the airfield during the war, and major units assigned to Kila were:- Headquarters, 3d Bombardment Group3d WingThe 3d Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Pacific Air Forces Eleventh Air Force. It is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska....
(January 28 – May 20, 1943)
- 8th Bomb Squadron8th Flying Training SquadronThe 8th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 71st Flying Training Wing based at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the T-6A Texan II aircraft conducting flight training.-History:...
, A-20 Havoc - 13th Bomb Squadron13th Bomb SquadronThe 13th Bomb Squadron is an active United States Air Force organization assigned to the 509th Operations Group, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri...
, A-20 Havoc - 89th Bomb Squadron89th Tactical Missile SquadronThe 89th Tactical Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 38th Tactical Missile Wing, based at Wueschheim Air Station, West Germany. It was inactivated on 22 August 1990.-History:...
, A-20 Havoc - 90th Bomb Squadron90th Fighter SquadronThe 90th Fighter Squadron is part of the 3d Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It operates the F-22 Raptor aircraft conducting air superiority missions.-Mission:...
, A-20 Havoc- 8th Fighter Squadron8th Fighter SquadronThe 8th Fighter Squadron was part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-22A Raptor, having previously operated the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft from 1992 until the squadron's inactivation on May 16, 2008...
(49th Fighter Group), 25 September-15 April 1943, P-39 Aircobra - 80th Fighter Squadron80th Fighter SquadronThe 80th Fighter Squadron is an F-16 fighter squadron of the United States Air Force, currently part of the 8th Operations Group of the 8th Fighter Wing, and stationed at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea.The 80th has served in combat operations in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam...
(8th Fighter Group), 21 March-11 December 1943, P-39 Aircobra
- 8th Fighter Squadron
A large hill at on the approach to the field limited its usefulness. The runway was 5,000' x 100' surfaced with black loam with marston matting (as of October 8, 1943). A dispersal area with revetments and taxiways were located on the northern side of the runway. Several buildings were located at the center of the runway.
After the war the airfield was returned to the New Guinea government. Today the airfield is now part of the Kila Police Barracks, a golf course and a technical school. Some of the wartime revetments remain on the police property and portions of the wartime taxiways and runway are visible.
See also
- USAAF in the Southwest PacificUnited States Army Air Forces in the South West Pacific TheatreDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Forces engaged in combat against the air, ground and naval forces of the Empire of Japan in the South West Pacific Theatre....
- Port Moresby Airfield Complex
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