Warbird Information Exchange

Chris,

Negative for Morotai : they don't have anything in their database.

Will continue looking for Halmahera and Borneo airfields. But problem for Borneo is the lack of precise coordinates of former Japanese airfields.

Laurent

Hi Laurent:

I have coordinates.

Thanks,

Chris

Chris,

Below is the only one i could find on Halmahera in SpaceImaging : Oba/Sofifi airfield

http://archive.spaceimaging.com/ikonos/ ... at.6.0.jpg

For all other airfields; it's either cloud covered or unavailable

Miti and Kaoe are still clearly visible on Terraserver. Pity their 15M resolution looks so bad.

Enough for today, my wife is fed up

Laurent

Laurent:

As for the Borneo coordinates, here they are:

Japanese Airfields on Borneo, Dec 1941 - Aug 1945

Api Api, a.k.a. Jesselton, Kota Kinabalu (05º55‘ x 116º05‘):
- airfield, 1200x60, in use by JAAF Jun 44 – Aug 45.
Bajoe (see Tandjung).
Balikpapan (01º13‘ x 116º58‘):
- airfield No.1, 1300x100, 1100x40 and 1000x30, in use by JNAF Jan 42 – Jun 45.
- airfield No.2, 1500x100, no details.
- seaplane anchorage No.3 (No.11), no details.
Bandjermasin, a.k.a. Panjerumasin, Oelin (03º27‘ x 114º45‘):
- airfield No.1, 1100x250 and 1500x150 in use by JNAF Feb 42 – 1944.
- airfield No.2 (Maluka), 1700x100 and 1600x100, in use by JNAF May 42 – 1944.
Bankalanbun (see Pangkalanbon).
Belawai (02º14‘ x 111º12‘):
- airfield, 1200x70, JAAF, period of service unknown.
Bintulu (03º05‘ x 113º05‘):
- airfield, 1600x100, JAAF, period of service unknown.
Dajoe, a.k.a. Dayu (02º00‘ x 115º10‘):
- airfield, in Allied listings but not in Japanese listings.
Jesselton (see Api Api).
Keningau (05º20‘ x 116º10‘):
- airfield, 1600x100, in use by JAAF Apr 45 – Jun 45.
Kota Kinabalu (see Api Api).
Kotawaringin (02º30‘ x 111º25‘):
- airfield, in Allied listings but not in Japanese listings.
Kuching (01º28‘ x 110º20‘):
- airfield, 760x270 and 750x270, in use by JNAF Dec 41 – Aug 45.
Kudat (06º57‘ x 116º50‘):
- airfield, 1800x100, in use by JAAF Jun 44 – Jun 45.
- seaplane anchorage, no details.
Labuan, a.k.a. Pulau Labuan, Maeaa Shima (05º20‘ x 115º12‘):
- airfield, 1500x250, in use by JNAF Dec 42 (41?) – Jun 45.
- seaplane anchorage No.11, no details.
Lahad Datu (05º02‘ x 118º20‘):
- airfield, 1000x90, JAAF, period of service unknown.
Ledo, a.k.a. Singkawang, Redo, Sanggau (01º02‘ x 109º37‘):
- airfield, 1300x100, 1100x100, 1100x100, in use by JNAF Feb 42 – 1945.
Maeaa Shima (see Labuan).
Maluka (see Bandjermasin No2).
Mangkalihat (01º03‘ x 118º51‘):
- seaplane anchorage, no details.
Melak, a.k.a. Samarinda (00º12‘ x 115º46‘):
- airfield No.1 (East), 1300x100, in use by JNAF 1944 – Jun 45.
- airfield No.2 (West), under construction with completion scheduled for early 1945.
Miri (06º50‘ x 114º20‘):
- airfield, 1250x160, in use by JNAF Dec 41 – Jun 45.
Oelin (see Bandjermasin).
Pangkalanbon, a.k.a. Pangkalanbuun, Bankalanbun (02º42‘ x 111º40‘):
- airfield No.1, 1600x200, in use by JNAF 1944 – Jun 45.
- airfield No.2, adjacent to No.1 and construction probably not completed.
Panjerumasin (see Banjermasin).
Ponchanakku (not found – coordinates unknown):
- airfield, 1500x30, in use by JNAF 1944 – Jun 45; may be same as Pontianak;
- in Japanese postwar published listing, but not in wartime Japanese or Allied listings.
Pontianak (00º05‘ x 109º20‘):
- airfield, 1500x150, JNAF, period of service unknown.
Pulau Labuan (see Labuan).
Ranau (06º00‘ x 116º41‘):
- airfield, 800x60, JAAF, period of service unknown.
Redo (see Ledo).
Renan (05º50‘ x 116º40‘):
- airfield, in Allied listings but not in Japanese listings.
Samarinda (see Melak).
Sandakan (05º50‘ x 118º08‘):
- airfield, 1660x100 and 1400x140, in use by JAAF Jun 44 – Jun 45.
Sanggau (see Ledo).
Seria (04º35‘ x 114º25‘):
- emergency landing ground, in Allied listings but not in Japanese listings.
Sibu (02º20‘ x 111º55‘):
- airfield, 1300x100, JAAF, period of service unknown.
Sibu Laut (01º41‘ x 110º13‘):
- airfield, 1200x100, JAAF, period of service unknown.
Simanggang (01º20‘ x 111º25‘):
- emergency landing ground, JAAF, period of service unknown.
Sinkawang (see Ledo).
Tandjung, a.k.a. Bajoe (02º00‘ x 115º07‘):
- airfield, in Allied listings but not in Japanese listings.
Tarakan Island (03º20‘ x 117º34‘):
- airfield, 1400x45, in use by JNAF Jan 42 – Aug 45.
Tawao (04º15‘ x 117º57‘):
- airfield, 1700x100, JAAF, period of service unknown.



Sources:
Allied Translator and Interpreter Section South West Pacific Area, Research Report No. 85, 30 July 44, Index to Air Bases, Confidential.
United States Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas, CINCPAC-CINCPOA Bulletin No. 112-45, 12 May 1945, Digest of Japanese Air Bases, Special Translation Number 65.
Gakken Vol. 28, Analysis of Pacific Bases in WWII, Tokyo: Gakken, 2000 (in Japanese).

Rob, we'd probably need more details on how to find an FOIA form, so we can send it to NASA.

Thanks,

Chris

How do you know who the person is that you should send it to?

Ok Guys:

I found it. If you do a search for NASA and FOIA, it will bring you to their web page. FOIA is the Freedom of Information Act. So we'd be bugging NASA to send photos on the basis of the FOIA. I might be a little difficult, but worth a try. Thanks for the info Rob.


Chris

Chris,

Those 2 US reports : do they give only coordinates or also location maps and drawings or photos of airfields ?

In this case, i would really help a lot if you could send me copies of those 2 reports or tell me where to obtain them.

Most of the times coordinates given are the ones of cities and villages close by and actual position of airfields is sometimes miles away. Without location maps, it's most of the times very hard to locate the airfield on sat photos.

Laurent

I have a stupid question for the coordinates : How do we know if it is North or South

Laurent

Laurent - what about Manggar, Borneo?

Lat 1 16 60S
Lon 116 49 60E

Thanks.

Hello Laurent:

Regretfully, you can't. We'll need a good atlas, and to look which town/airfield is north or south of the equator.

On your previous question, we're stuck too. We'll have to do a lot of research to answer this. I would think the airfield is very close to the town itself.

Take for example Manggar Airdrome. It is 10-12 miles from Balikpapan, but wasn't called Balikpapan Airdrome.

My idea is to get a set of preliminary photos from NASA or whoever with a 5 mile width, and then see what that does for us.

Do you want to send the FOIA, or will I?

Thanks,

Chris

Thanks Rob. Credit goes to you on the FOIA idea.

Thanks,

Chris

Hello Folks:

I've got coordinates for some of the airfields on Halmahera. THese have minutes and seconds, so they should be precise.

Djailolo No. 1 Japan Halmahera Island Dutch East Indies Emergency 127°27'0" 1°4'0"
Djailolo No. 2 Japan Halmahera Island Dutch East Indies Emergency 127°30'0" 1°10'0"
Hatetakabo Japan Halmahera Island Dutch East Indies Airfield 128°6'0" 1°15'0"
Kaoe I Japan Halmahera Island Dutch East Indies Airfield 127°54'0" 1°12'0"
Kaoe II Japan Halmahera Island Dutch East Indies Airfield 127°54'0" 1°12'0"
Lolobata Japan Halmahera Island Dutch East Indies Airfield 128°6'0" 1°17'0"
Miti Japan Halmahera Island Dutch East Indies Airfield 128°4'0" 1°34'0"
Oba (Sofifi) Japan Halmahera Island Dutch East Indies Airfield 127°34'0" 0°45'0"
Pitoe (Doroeba) (Wawama) Japan Halmahera Island Dutch East Indies Airfield 128°18'0" 2°3'0"


Thanks,

Chris

Here are more detailed locations in Borneo with minutes and seconds, and that should answer the question on precision and distinguishing from the nearby town.

Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Seaplane 116°58'0" 1°13'0"
Dajoe Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 115°10'0" 2°0'0"
Jesselton (Abi) Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 116°5'0" 5°55'0"
Keningau Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 116°10'0" 5°20'0"
Kotawaringin Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 111°25'0" 2°30'0"
Kudat Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 116°50'0" 6°57'0"
Ledo (Singkawang II) Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 109°37'0" 1°2'0"
Manggar (Mangar) Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 116°58'0" 1°13'0"
Oelin (Bandjermasin) Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 114°45'0" 3°27'0"
Pontianak Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 109°20'0" 0°5'0"
Ranau Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 116°41'0" 6°0'0"
Renan Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 116°40'0" 5°50'0"
Samarinda II (Melak East) Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 115°46'0" 0°12'0"
Samarinda II (Melak West) Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 115°44'0" 0°13'0"
Sandakan Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 118°8'0" 5°50'0"
Seria (Silia) Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Emergency 114°25'0" 4°35'0"
Sibu Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 111°55'0" 2°20'0"
Sinkawang II (Ledo) (Sanggau) Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 109°42'0" 1°55'0"
Sinkawang III Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 109°33'0" 0°55'0"
Tandjung (Bajoe) Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 115°7'0" 2°0'0"
Tarakan Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 117°34'0" 3°20'0"
Tawao Japan Borneo Dutch East Indies Airfield 117°57'0" 4°15'0"

Thanks,

Chris

I would gladly do it but as i'm not a US citizen, i don't think they would give a darn about my request.

Regarding Borneo airfields, preliminary research gives disappointing results as many former Japanese airfields turned into modern airports or Palm tree plantations.

More later

Laurent

Thanks Laurent:

Where are you from? Thanks for your research, I'll put in a request to NASA this week.


Thanks,

Chris