Warbird Information Exchange

Hello Folks:

Our favorite topic again, Morotai. I did some homework, and it appears there were at least two scrap areas at Morotai. The one where the current smelter still is was between runways 2 and 3 at the midpoint. The second scrapyard was off the end of runway 6 and abeam to the end of runway 5. Runway 6 was actually shorter than runways 1-5. The scrapyard off the end of runway 6 was right off a taxiway connecting runway 5 and runway 7-aka Wama Airfield. I verified this fact in an old aerial photo of Morotai.

Here's some info on the seven runways currently Runways 1 and 2 have been turned into roads that go to the Merpati terminal, and the TNI-AU guardhouse. The middle 1/3 of Runway 3 is now in use and paved.

From where I was on the airfield I could not see runways 4-6 on the ground. There was too much jungle growth. However from the air some of the dispersal points/revents were still visible.

I'm going to send the 2 Lt's at Morotai a photo of the 2nd scrapyard near Wama strip and runway 5-6, and request that they explore this area and take photos.

Lastly, at least one Beaufighter was left in a dispersal area/revetment at Morotai/Pitoe strip; I'll try to pinpoint it, and have our friends take a look.

Hello Folks:

Here's a damaged Beaufighter left at Wama after the war:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/335 ... 7690yCufwk

Here's a view of the Wama dispersal area from the AWM site:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/335 ... 7574BrMcES

In the lower left hand corner of this photo is the other scrapyard near runway 5 which may still be at Morotai

http://community.webshots.com/photo/335 ... 7632qUGReJ