| Alternate Base Name(s): | Parap, One Mile | | Island Name/Chain: | Northern Territory/Australia | | Field Type: | Airfield | | Long/Lat | 12° 25' 39" E / 130° 50' 32" S | Occupying force:| The airfield was established in the suburb of Parap to act as the Australian Terminal as part of the 1919 England to Australia air race. The airfield operated as a combined airfield (a civilian field and a military field).
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) sent No. 12 Squadron RAAF at the aerodrome in September 1939 after the declaration of war against Germany and in increasingly suspicion of Japanese imperialism. By early 1942, the aerodrome was mainly used by the RAAF, although Guinea Airways retained a civilian presence.
The Japanese bombed the aerodrome in a number of raids on Darwin during 1942 resulting in extensive damage to the town and hangar. The hangar was extensively damaged after suffering a direct hit and the damage can still be seen in the the north-east corner fabric of the original steel frame. No. 34 Squadron RAAF was formed on 23 February 1942 at the aerodrome.
No 6. Communications Flight RAAF was based at the aerodrome from August 1942 and delivered mail and food supplies to army and RAAF outposts, as far afield as the Wessel Islands.
In 1945 the Department of Aviation made RAAF Darwin available for shared civil aviation purposes and became Darwin International Airport and as a result, the civilian airport at Parap was closed down by the end of 1946.
The main runway was in the location of Ross Smith Avenue, in the suburb of Parap.
Above quoted from Wikipedia
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Runway : 122 degrees Mag 4900x100 feet sealed gravel (plus 500x100ft over-run)
Runway : 0 degrees Mag 2200x100 feet seal gravel
Altitude : 56 feet
Overlay on Goole earth reveals
Ross Smith Ave = main runway
2nd runway crosses approx at Blesser Street
The following streets once dispersed aircraft to blast pens on western end.
George Cr, Banyan St, Hinkler Cr and Philip St
East end dispersal/pens doesn\\\\\\\'t match current suburban streets.
Gaol still present. Racecourse has changed alignment over same area
Above observed from Department of Civil Aviation drawings found at
http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/recordsearch/index.aspx
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Further reference to this airfield
http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/airfields/parapairfield.htm
http://wapedia.mobi/en/Parap_Airfield
http://www.ozatwar.com/airfields/parapairfield.htm
(hangar building) http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/heritage/visit/qantas/
Photo looking north with above hangar building http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/raaf/moth/p920566.jpg
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| | | Source: | See Above | | Information Contributed by: | Brad Cook |
| Photos (login to add photos) (0) | | Click Photo to Enlarge | |
| | Maps and Diagrams (login to add maps) (1) | | Click Photo to Enlarge | 
(above)
Photocredit:
Contributed by: Brad Cook [Email]
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