Vivigani Airfield
Encyclopedia
Vivigani Airfield was an airstrip at Vivigani on Goodenough Island
, part of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands
in Papua New Guinea
.
.
The Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) prepared the airfields, first building an emergency landing strip in April 1943. A road was built from the Vivigani docks to the airfield. The first use of the airfield was by 6 Bristol Beaufort
s of No. 100 Squadron RAAF
, staging out of Gurney Airfield
, Milne Bay
for a strike on Gasmata
, Papua New Guinea
on 17 May 1943.
No. 5 Mobile Works Squadron
worked on the airfield between February and November 1943 and was joined by No. 7 Mobile Works Squadron RAAF between June and September 1943. The airfield consisted of two parallel runways 6600 feet (2,011.7 m) long and 150 feet (45.7 m) wide.
The airfield was used by both the 5th Air Force and the RAAF.
Goodenough Island
Goodenough Island in the Solomon Sea is the westernmost of the three large islands of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands in Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. It lies to the east of mainland New Guinea and south west of the Trobriand Islands.It should not be confused with Goodenough's Island...
, part of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands
D'Entrecasteaux Islands
D'Entrecasteaux Islands are situated near the eastern tip of New Guinea in the Solomon Sea in Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. The group spans a distance of 160 km, has a total land area of approximately 3,100 km² and is separated from the Papua New Guinea mainland by the...
in 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...
.
World War II
The Australian 2/12th Battalion reached Vivigani on 27 October 1942, occupying the island after defeating the Imperial Japanese troops marooned on the island during World War IIWorld 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...
.
The Royal Australian Air Force
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) prepared the airfields, first building an emergency landing strip in April 1943. A road was built from the Vivigani docks to the airfield. The first use of the airfield was by 6 Bristol Beaufort
Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber....
s of No. 100 Squadron RAAF
No. 100 Squadron RAAF
No. 100 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force bomber and maritime patrol squadron of World War II. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and was disbanded in 1946.-Squadron history:...
, staging out of Gurney Airfield
Gurney Airport
Gurney Airport is an airport serving Alotau in the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea.The airport is a single runway general aviation facility, however in December, 2008, the PNG Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, Don Polye announced that aviation company Skyworld had been granted...
, Milne Bay
Milne Bay
Milne Bay is a large bay in Milne Bay Province, southeastern Papua New Guinea. The bay is named after Sir Alexander Milne.The area was a site of the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942....
for a strike on Gasmata
Gasmata Airport
Gasmata Airport is an airport in Gasmata, Papua New Guinea .-Airlines and destinations:...
, 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...
on 17 May 1943.
No. 5 Mobile Works Squadron
No. 5 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF
No. 5 Airfield Construction Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force construction squadron. The unit was first formed in July 1942 and served in New Guinea and Borneo during World War II. Following the war it formed part of Australia's contribution to the occupation of Japan until it was...
worked on the airfield between February and November 1943 and was joined by No. 7 Mobile Works Squadron RAAF between June and September 1943. The airfield consisted of two parallel runways 6600 feet (2,011.7 m) long and 150 feet (45.7 m) wide.
The airfield was used by both the 5th Air Force and the RAAF.
Units Based at Vivigani during World War II
- No. 6 Squadron RAAFNo. 6 Squadron RAAFNo. 6 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force training and bomber squadron. The squadron was first formed in 1917 and served as a training unit based in England during World War I. It was disbanded in 1919 but re-formed at the start of 1939...
(Bristol BeaufortBristol BeaufortThe Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber....
s) - No. 8 Squadron RAAFNo. 8 Squadron RAAFNo. 8 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force flying training squadron of World War I and medium bomber squadron of World War II. The Squadron was first formed in October 1917 and was disbanded in January 1946 after seeing action during the Pacific War....
(Bristol Beauforts) - No. 22 Squadron RAAFNo. 22 Squadron RAAFNo. 22 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force mixed regular and reserve squadron that provides support for the RAAF in the Sydney region. Formed in 1936, the squadron served in Papua New Guinea during the Second World War, and later followed the Pacific war as far as the Philippines...
(Bostons) - No. 30 Squadron RAAFNo. 30 Squadron RAAFNo. 30 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force . Raised in 1942 as a fighter unit, the Squadron saw action in the Second World War and later served in the target towing and surface-to-air missile roles. After a long period of disbandment lasting from the late 1960s, No...
(Bristol Beaufighters (Strike/Attack Fighter models Mk.1c, Mk.VIc, Mk.XIc and Mk.Xc) - No. 77 Squadron RAAFNo. 77 Squadron RAAFNo. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown.-History:...
(P-40's) - No. 79 Squadron RAAFNo. 79 Squadron RAAFNo. 79 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force flight training unit which has been formed on four occasions since 1943. The squadron was established in May 1943 as a fighter unit equipped with Supermarine Spitfires, and subsequently saw combat in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II...
(SpitfireSupermarine SpitfireThe Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
) - No. 100 Squadron RAAFNo. 100 Squadron RAAFNo. 100 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force bomber and maritime patrol squadron of World War II. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and was disbanded in 1946.-Squadron history:...
(Bristol Beauforts) - No. 108 Communication Unit RAAF (PBY CatalinaPBY CatalinaThe Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
s) - No. 7 Mobile Works Squadron RAAF