MAJOR BASE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21978, 23 March 1946, Page 4

MAJOR BASE

AMERICAN BOMBERS IN 1942 BIG N.Z. AIRFIELDS HUGE P.W.D. CONTRACTS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Mar. 23. Had Ihe war situation not improved in 1942, 200 to 300 heavy American bombers, including Flying Fortresses and Liberators would have been stationed in Now Zealand, which would have become a major reinforcing base for the South Pacific. Plana were made for the reception of the bombers, including the construction of huge landing strips on the Canterbury plains. Lines of Communication When the Japanese drive southward was at its height, it appeared that the Australian mainland would be invaded, and it was then decided to make New Zealand a major reinforcing base. The first step in the plan was the establishment of lines of communication between the United States and New Zealand. The original route laid down was through Palmyra, Canton, and Fiji to Townsville, but the Japanese offensive threatened this and an alternative line was planned, through Honolulu. Christmas Island, Tahiti. Cook Islands and Tonga tc New Zealand. The existing aerodromes in New Zealand were totally inadequate to cope with heavy bombers and the Public Works Department was given the task of building new airfields and improving existing aerodromes, so that they could carry Flying Fortresses and Liberators.

In the middle of 1941 New Zealand had sent an aerodrome construction unit to Malaya and, with it went the best of the heavy construction equipment in the country. Shortly afterwards, a civilian construction unit was sent to Fiji, and it took the pick of the remaining equipment The result was that the Public Works Department was faced with the biggest aerodrome construction iobs it had ever tackled and had totally inadequate equipment with which to carry out its tasks within New Zealand. Work on 7000 ft. Runways It was essential to establish bases from which bombers could operate at Ohakea. Two runways, one of 4500 ft. and the other of 3600 ft.. were'each extended to 7000 ft. and laid down in concrete. Similar work was carried out at Whenuapai, except that no extension of the runways was required. At each place the area laid down in concrete totalled 100 acres.

With other defence work being pushed ahead rapidly throughout the country, supplies of cement were extremely difficult to obtain. For two months it was necessary to divert all cement supplies in New Zealand to the two aerodromes.

Faced with the possibility of air raids over New Zealand, it was necessary to arrange for dispersal of aircraft, preferably in the South Island. The Public Works Department proposed that a new airfield should be constructed on the Canterbury Plains, where dispersal could easily be arranged. A site was chosen at Te Pirita, between the Waimakariri and Rakaia Rivers, where pine plantations provided ample camouflage within easy distance. Ready Within Three Months Three runways, each 7000 ft.. were laid down in gravel and the aerodrome was ready for use within three months. A well-camouflaged site for a repair depot was also reouired. After an extensive survey of the North Island, the aerodrome services branch of the Public Works Department recommended that a suitable site would be at Tokoroa, about 10 or 15 miles north of Taupo. This scheme, however, was not proceeded with. If the repair depot had been established at Tokoroa. it is probable that underground repair shops would have been built. The Americans also requested that fighter aerodromes should be built around Auckland, where they proposed to establish a naval base. As a result, the Ardmore and Seagrove airfields were built, and a new runway was constructed at Mangere. A fourth fighter aerodrome was to be built near Auckland. but with the lessening of the threat to New Zealand, this proposal was dropped.