Corunna Downs Airfield

Corunna Downs Airfield was a secret Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base at Corunna Downs, 40 km (25 mi) south of Marble Bar in the Pilbara region of Western Australia during World War II.^[2][3][4]

Corunna Downs Airfield
Part of World War II
Pilbara Near Marble Bar in Australia
Site information
Type	Airbase
Owner	Royal Australian Air Force
Operator	No. 73 Operational Base Unit RAAF[1]
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Poor
Location
Corunna Downs Airfield location of the airbase in Western Australia
Coordinates	21°26′00″S 119°46′58″E
Site history
Built	1942 (1942)
In use	until 14 January 1946 (1946-01-14)
Fate	Abandoned
Events	Long range missions against Japanese shipping and base facilities in the Dutch East Indies
Garrison information
Occupants	Australia No. 24 Squadron RAAF No. 25 Squadron RAAF United States 380th Bomb Group (Fifth Air Force, USAAF)
Airfield information
Runways Direction Length and surface NS 5,000 ft × 150 ft (1,524 m × 46 m) Dirt EW 7,000 ft × 150 ft (2,134 m × 46 m) Dirt Brockman's Station Location Salgash Corunna Downs Road, East Pilbara, Pilbara Nearest city Marble Bar Built 1942 (1942) Built for Royal Australian Air Force Original use Military base Current use Public use Western Australia Heritage Register Designated 26 May 2006 (2006-05-26) Reference no. 3695

History

In 1942 the RAAF built a secret airbase on Corunna Downs Station, adjacent to the 1891 Brockman’s homestead. The airfield, created especially for B-24 Liberator long-range heavy bombers, comprised two intersecting bitumen runways, a north–south (165°) runway 5,000 ft × 150 ft (1,524 m × 46 m) and an east–west (107°) runway 7,000 ft × 150 ft (2,134 m × 46 m).^[2] No. 73 Operational Base Unit was responsible for operating the airfield during World War II.^[5] Based in Corunna Downs Airfield, RAAF No. 24 Squadron, No 25 Squadron and the United States Army Air Corps 380th Bomb Group flew long range missions against Japanese shipping and base facilities in the Dutch East Indies.^[2][6] When World War II ended, the airfield was abandoned and never operational since.^[7]

See also

• List of airports in Western Australia