Strauss Airfield

Strauss Airfield
Pilots of No. 452 Squadron RAAF being briefed by the Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader L. T. (Lou) Spence, circa December 1944 (right, kneeling)
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Location	Noonamah, Northern Territory
Coordinates	12°39′31.7″S 131°04′39.6″E / 12.658806°S 131.077667°E / -12.658806; 131.07766712°39′31.7″S 131°04′39.6″E / 12.658806°S 131.077667°E / -12.658806; 131.077667
Map
Strauss Airfield Location of airport in Northern Territory
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 5,000 1,524

Strauss Airfield was an airfield in the Northern Territory of Australia in the locality of Noonamah^[1] constructed between 19 March to 27 April 1942 during World War II. It was also known as 27 Mile Field or Humpty Doo Strip.

History[]

Arthur Drakeford, Minister for Air and Civil Aviation, on a tour of No. 76 Squadron RAAF, May 1942

Constructed by sections of the United States Army , they built a single runway of 5,000 ft × 100 ft (1,524 m × 30 m) wide with associated taxiways and dispersals.

The airfield was officially dedicated as Strauss Field in memory and honour of United States Captain who was killed piloting a P-40 Kittyhawk from the 8th Pursuit Squadron ("The Blacksheep") of the 49th Fighter Group after crashing into Darwin harbour during a Japanese air raid on the Darwin RAAF airfield on 27 April 1942.

On 13 October 2003, the Strauss Airfield was added to the Northern Territory Heritage Register.^[1]

Japanese Bombing Raids against Strauss Airfield[]

• 26 November 1942 (03.20 am)
• 27 November 1942 (03:56 - 04:46 am)

Units based at Strauss Airfield[]

• No. 76 Squadron RAAF (P-40)
• No. 452 Squadron RAAF (Spitfire)
• No. 457 Squadron RAAF (Spitfire)

See also[]

• List of airports in the Northern Territory

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Strauss Airfield, Northern Territory.

• Lt. Col Bernard L. Robinson Reports on the NT June 1942
• Strauss Airfield - NT Heritage Listing
• OzatWar website

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