Aitkenvale Aerodrome Explained

Aitkenvale Aerodrome
Operator:	Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
Built:	1942
Used:	1942–1945
Occupants:	No. 1 Reserve Personnel Pool RAAF No. 24 Squadron RAAF No. 84 Squadron RAAF
Coordinates:	19.3125°N 146.7397°W
Pushpin Map:	Queensland
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location in Queensland

Aitkenvale Aerodrome was an aerodrome located 10km (10miles) southwest of Townsville, Queensland, Australia near Aitkenvale Weir on the banks of the Ross River. It was also known as Weir and Aitkenvale Weir.

The aerodrome was constructed in 1942, during World War II, for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as part of a group of airfields to be used as aircraft dispersal fields in the event of Imperial Japanese attack on the Townsville area.

Located adjacent to the Weir State School, it became operational on 9 April 1942.^[1] Initially consisting of a 4500feet gravel NE-SW runway, which was later sealed with bitumen.

It was abandoned after the war and has been redeveloped for housing.

Units based at Aitkenvale Aerodrome

• No. 1 Reserve Personnel Pool RAAF
• No. 24 Squadron RAAF
• No. 84 Squadron RAAF
• No. 36 Squadron RAAF

Aircraft crashes

• November 1943 – P-40N Kittyhawk, Serial No. A29-498 (#42-104720)
• 19 June 1944 – P-40 Kittyhawk, Serial No. A29-704^[2]

See also

• List of airports in Queensland

References

• Marks, Roger R. (1994). Queensland airfields WW2 – 50 years on. –

Notes and References

1. Web site: Dunn. Peter. AITKENVALE WEIR AIRFIELD TOWNSVILLE AREA DURING WW2. ozatwar.com. 30 January 2013.
2. Web site: Dunn. Peter. ACCIDENT INVOLVING A KITTYHAWK AND A STEER AT AITKENVALE AIRFIELD, TOWNSVILLE, QLD ON 19 JUNE 1944. ozatwar.com. 30 January 2013.