Lae Airfield

Lae Airfield
Lae Airfield;
	Part of Fifth Air Force
	Located in Oro Province, Paupa New Guinea Lae Airfield Lae Airfield (Papua New Guinea)
Type	Civilian/Military Airfield
Coordinates	06°43′59″S 146°59′45″E / 6.73306°S 146.99583°E
Built	1930s (prewar airport)
In use	1942–1945

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For the civil airport in Lae, Papua New Guinea, see Lae Nadzab Airport.

B-17s of the 19th Bombardment Group attacking Japanese-held Lae Airfield, New Guinea on 26–27 June 1942. Boeing B-17E Fortress 41-2633 (Sally) in Foreground. This aircraft was damaged by a storm in April 1945. Afterwards it was flown to Brisbane, Australia for scrapping in May 1945

Lae Airfield is a former World War II airfield and later, civilian airport in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. The airport was closed in the 1980s, in favor of Lae Nadzab Airport, which was able to accommodate larger jet aircraft. The facility is now being redeveloped.

[edit] History

Built in the 1930s the airport was known as Lae Drome or Lae Aerodrome. The largest aircraft to use the airport prewar were Junkers G.31 Tri-Motor. that serviced the gold fields at Bulolo. The problem with Lae's east/west runway was that it ran directly into hills, limiting the size of aircraft able to land.

This airfield is probably most famous for its pre war distinction as being the place where Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Model 10 Electra took off before disappearing on her around the world flight. It was the last stop she made before going missing, to this day her plane has never been found. There is a small Amelia Earhart plaque at the former airport.

Occupied by the Japanese in February 1942 and developed into a forward airbase. The airfield was heavily bombed by Allied forces until its liberation.

After the September 1943 liberation of the Lae area, the airfield was occupied by the Allies, they used the airfield for smaller aircraft, with the larger types flying to Nadzab Airfield, the main American base in the area.

Post war, the airfield continued to be used as a civilian airport until 1980s.