RAAF Base Darwin

RAAF Base Darwin
Characteristics
ICAO code	YPDN
IATA code	DRW
Coordinates	12 ° 24 '53 " S , 130 ° 52' 36" E Coordinates: 12 ° 24 '53 " S , 130 ° 52' 36" E
Height above MSL	31 m (102 ft )
Transport links
Distance from the city center	6 km northwest of Darwin
Basic data
opening	1940
operator	Royal Australian Air Force
Runways
11/29	3354 m × 60 m asphalt
18/36	1524 m × 30 m asphalt

RAAF Base Darwin ( IATA : DRW , ICAO : YPDN ) is a military airfield of the Royal Australian Air Force six kilometers north-west of Darwin in the Northern Territory . The base shares the runways with Darwin Airport .

history

A RAAF B-24 in Darwin

The first airfield was built in 1938 and on June 1, 1940 a military base was opened here. During the Second World War, the base was home to a large number of RAAF and United States Army Air Forces aircraft . The USAAF briefly stationed, among other things, Consolidated B-24 on the base. The base was also bombed several times by the Japanese armed forces.

After Cyclone Tracy , evacuations were carried out from this base.

Since the beginning of the 1990s, the base has been hosting the international air force maneuver "Pitch Black", which takes place every two years.

Todays use

A Northrop B-2 of the USAF on the basis

Today a total of eight units are stationed on the base. The only type of aircraft operated by the 92nd Wing Detachment is the Lockheed AP-3C "Orion" .

Web links

Commons : RAAF Base Darwin - Collection of images, videos and audio files