Fenton Airfield is a World War II military airfield located at Tipperary Station, Hayes Creek, Northern Territory, Australia.
Abandoned since 1945, the site is an outstanding example of a World War II heavy bomber airfield construction and layout, and is one of three surviving examples of heavy bomber airfields in the
Katherine to
Darwin region. The other 2 are Long closer to Hayes Creek and
Manbulloo just West of
Katherine.
The airfield is open to the public; the main runway, taxiways and hardstands are accessible. Remnants of the control tower remain and items of
aircraft wreckage can be found in the area.
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
The airfield was built by C Company and HQ Detachment of the 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion between 27 April 1942 and 16 July 1942. The airfield was named after Flight Lieutenant Clyde Fenton. The single runway was 6,000 ft long and 100 ft wide.
It was mainly utilised by Liberator bombers mounting long range raids against Japanese forces in the Netherlands East Indies North Western Area of Operations and the South West Pacific Area.
Further development of the airfield was undertaken by No. 1 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF, No 14 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF and New South Wales Department of Main Roads under the Allied Works Council. The runway was enlarged to approximately 7,218 ft long and 164 ft wide and about sixty aircraft dispersal bays, some with earthen revetments.
Image Could Not Be Found
During its operational use Fenton Airfield was a major airfield, being headquarters for many Royal Australian Air Force Squadrons, and
United States Army and Air Force units. Reconnaissance flights were flown over Timor Island, New Guinea and Celebres Islands, and attacks and armed reconnaissance missions were carried out against Japanese airfields, ground installations and shipping. On 29 February 1944 the USAAF 380th Bombardment Group flew a 16-hour mission from Fenton to Borneo, flying over 2,500 nautical
miles.
With the end of the war in late 1945, the airfield was abandoned. Over the years, it has reverted in large part to the natural terrain from which it was built. All of the base
infrastructure is gone, with concrete and various foundations, piles of rubble and the occasional aircraft part remaining. In aerial photographs, the remains of some roads that probably led to dispersed parts of the base away from the operations area such as the
bomb dump and the administrative containment area are faintly visible, but no structures exist. At the Base
Camp site there are many concrete slabs remaining.
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
Units based at Fenton Airfield
No. 1 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF
No. 6 Repair and Salvage Unit RAAF
No. 11 Signals Unit RAAF
No. 14 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF
No. 21 Squadron RAAF (B-24)
No. 23 Squadron RAAF (B-24)
No. 24 Squadron RAAF (B-24)
82nd Wing RAAF (No.'s 21, 23 & 24 Squadrons RAAF)
United States Army Air Force Fifth Air Force
64th Bombardment Squadron (43d Bombardment Group), B-17 Flying Fortress 2 August-25 September 1942 43d Materiel Squadron 319th Bombardment Squadron (90th Bombardment Group), B-24 Liberator, 5 February-23 June 1943 Deployed from: RAAF Base
Darwin, NT 380th Bombardment Group, B-24 Liberator, May 1943-9 August 1944 528th Bombardment Squadron, 28 April 1943 – 20 August 1944 529th Bombardment Squadron Assigned to:
Manbulloo Airfield, NT, 28 April-7 November 1943 Assigned to: Long Airfield, NT, 7 November-10 July 1944 Assigned to: RAAF Base
Darwin, NT, 10 July-February 1945 530th Bombardment Squadron 531st Bombardment Squadron Assigned to:
Manbulloo Airfield, NT, 28 April-5 December 1943 Assigned to: Long Airfield, NT, 5 December-21 July 1944 Assigned to: RAAF Base
Darwin, NT, 25 July-1 March 1945 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion,
United States Army
404th Quartermaster Air Depot Platoon,
United States Army
Image Could Not Be Found
Japanese Bombing Raids on Fenton Airfield
30 June 1943 (12:30pm)
6 July 1943 (12:02pm)
13 August 1943 (9:45pm)
13 August 1943 (11:12 pm)
21 August 1943 (03:07 am)
15 September 1943 (00:25 am)
18 September 1943 (03:50 am)
Image Could Not Be Found
F/lt
John Richard Parkinson and F/o
John McPherson Pitt were burnt alive in this crash, They rest in peace side by side in the
Adelaide River War Cemetery.
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
Williams Father was a member of the crew on Queer Dear/Deer that was involved in a mid air accident that took the life of RAAF 452 Sq pilot A.K Kelly.
Heavenly Body Ditched, due to Engine Failure and is still in the South China Sea, DiDomenico’s Crew was not in the aircraft at the time.
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
The whole crew of 10 were killed, 1 photographer aboard survived, It is a very moving experience to visit the
crash site.
I have flown over Fenton
Airstrip and Base
Camp and landed on the strip in a
Jabiru 120 , the owner / Pilot lives in
Darwin.
.