Yandina Airport is an airport on
Mbanika
Mbanika or Banika is an island in Solomon Islands; it is located in the Central Province and is the second largest of the Russell Islands Group. The principal settlement is Yandina.
As portrayed in the HBO miniseries, '' The Pacific'', episod ...
in the
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...
.
History
The
33rd Naval Construction Battalion arrived on Banika Island in late February 1943 and commenced construction of a fighter airfield. By 13 April a basic airfield known as Airfield 1, Renard Airfield or South Field was usable. The 35th Battalion took over construction and by mid-May had completed a coral by runway. By the end of June a taxiway, two warm-up areas, by , and 25 revetments had been completed and work had commenced on lengthening the runway to to make it usable by medium bombers. The 33rd Battalion had also erected an aviation-gasoline tank farm of eight 1,000-barrel tanks, together with piping and fittings. Enemy bombing on June 25, 1943, caused considerable damage to the Tank Farm. One tank was set on fire and was completely destroyed; three others were punctured by shrapnel. The piping was also damaged. Repairs were completed in five days. Gasoline service to the airfield was maintained without interruption.
Renard Field, South Field
'pacificwrecks.com''
USAAF units operating from the base included:
*67th Fighter Squadron
The 67th Fighter Squadron "Fighting Cocks" is a fighter squadron of the United States Air Force, part of the 18th Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 67th is equipped with the F-15C/D Eagle.
Mission
The 67th Fighter Squadron is one ...
operating P-39s from 23 January-15 August 1944
US Navy operating from the base included:
*VB-140 (PV-1) (Lockheed Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura is a twin-engine medium bomber and patrol bomber of World War II.
The Ventura first entered combat in Europe as a bomber with the RAF in late 1942. Designated PV-1 by the United States Navy (US Navy), it entered combat in 1 ...
Bombing Squadron)
*VB-148 (PV-1) (Lockheed Ventura Bombing Squadron)
Airlines and destinations
See also
* Naval Base Banika Island
References
*
Airports in the Solomon Islands
Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II
{{Solomons-struct-stub