Mount Druitt Aerodrome
Encyclopedia
Mount Druitt Aerodrome was a Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) landing ground during World War II
at Mount Druitt, New South Wales
, Australia
.
Land was resumed in March 1942, for the construction of an aerodrome, two aircraft hangars and workshops on the site. The runway was 5000ft (1524m) long x 159ft (48.46m) wide.
The aerodrome was utilised for a period of time, after World War II, as a storage facility (bomb dump) for United States Army Air Force and 10,000 500lb general purpose aerial bombs were placed upon the landing strip.
The runway ran down the center of the current Whalan Reserve in a roughly North-South (NNW-SSE) direction. After the war the fledgling Australian Racing Drivers Club ran races there (1951-53) at the Mt Druitt race track which incorporated part of the runway and taxi ways.
The land was not handed back to its owner until January 1951.
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) landing ground during World War II
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...
at Mount Druitt, New South Wales
Mount Druitt, New South Wales
Mount Druitt is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mount Druitt is located 43 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Blacktown, and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.There are numerous...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Land was resumed in March 1942, for the construction of an aerodrome, two aircraft hangars and workshops on the site. The runway was 5000ft (1524m) long x 159ft (48.46m) wide.
The aerodrome was utilised for a period of time, after World War II, as a storage facility (bomb dump) for United States Army Air Force and 10,000 500lb general purpose aerial bombs were placed upon the landing strip.
The runway ran down the center of the current Whalan Reserve in a roughly North-South (NNW-SSE) direction. After the war the fledgling Australian Racing Drivers Club ran races there (1951-53) at the Mt Druitt race track which incorporated part of the runway and taxi ways.
The land was not handed back to its owner until January 1951.
Units based at Mount Druitt Aerodrome
- No. 13 Signals Unit RAAFNo. 13 Signals Unit RAAFNo. 13 Signals Unit RAAF was a Royal Australian Air Force signals unit during World War II.The unit formed at Mount Druitt Aerodrome, Mount Druitt, New South Wales on 22 November 1943. On 3 December 1943, the unit travelled to No...
- No. 1 Repair and Salvage Unit RAAF
- No. 2 Repair and Salvage Unit RAAF (renamed to No. 2 Repair and Servicing Unit RAAF)
- No. 6 Repair and Salvage Unit RAAF
- No. 11 Repair and Salvage Unit RAAF
- No. 14 Repair and Salvage Unit RAAF
- No. 18 Repair and Salvage Unit RAAF