Antil Plains Aerodrome

Antil Plains Aerodrome
Queensland, Australia Antil Plains Aerodrome Antil Plains Aerodrome (Queensland)
Type	Military Airfield
Coordinates	19°26′36″S 146°49′29″E
In use	1942-1945

Antil Plains Aerdodrome was an aerodrome located 19.38 kilometres (12.04 mi) south of Townsville, Queensland, Australia near Antill Plains.

The aerodrome was constructed in 1942, during World War II, for the Royal Australian Air Force 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. It was leased to the United States Army Air Force.

The aerodrome had two runways, one running east-west and the other NE-SW. It was abandoned after the war. Today, the airfield is in constant use by the Barrier Reef Adventure Trikes (B.R.A.T.S) Who fly their ultralights. There are numerous hangars and a model aero club at the end of runway 270. The airfield is now owned and operated by Andrew Hicks and is referred to locally as Montpelier Airpark; www.montpelier-microlights.com.au. Current members include women Trike pilots Pam Pemberton, Ruth Moore and Natalie Tonking. The male Trike flyers are Pembo, Pete Holmes, Tim Moore, Steve Runciman, and Andrew Hicks. There are several fixed-wing aircraft also based there and one Gyro flown by Darryn Watts. Fixed wing pilots include Ross Millard, Arthur Johnston, Darren Simons, Bill Caton, and Steve Goldman. It is the closest UL airfield to town of the three in the area.

Units based at Antil Plains Aerodrome

• 33rd Bombardment Squadron of the 22nd Bomb Group - (B-26 Marauder's) 7 April 1942 - 20 July 1942.

Aircraft crashes

• 12 May 1942 - B-26 Marauder, Serial Number #40-1477 crashed on landing.

See also

• United States Army Air Forces in Australia (World War II)

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• OzatWar website
• Pacific War Wrecks Database