Charleville Airport - Tourist Attraction
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Charleville Airport - Tourist Attraction
Tourists flock to former top-secret US Air Force base near Charleville
IT was the top-secret air base so covert even the locals were sworn to silence.
The US Air Force base, outside Charleville in outback Queensland, was deserted after World War II and has sat forgotten in the desert for more than 60 years.
Read more: Tourists flock to former top-secret US Air Force base near Charleville | News.com.au
Is this just the airport present they are referring to?
IT was the top-secret air base so covert even the locals were sworn to silence.
The US Air Force base, outside Charleville in outback Queensland, was deserted after World War II and has sat forgotten in the desert for more than 60 years.
Read more: Tourists flock to former top-secret US Air Force base near Charleville | News.com.au
Is this just the airport present they are referring to?
Last edited by Ejector; 8th Jan 2013 at 12:56.
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Yeah mate, its the current Charleville airport. They are over-dramatising it somewhat in that story. Driving around in the trees there you can find all sorts of interesting things.
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The dispersal bays and taxi ways are still there.
The main Charleville Airport tourist attraction today is the Cosmos Center.
Longreach Airport was also a bomber base for I think both the USAF and RAAF.
The main Charleville Airport tourist attraction today is the Cosmos Center.
Longreach Airport was also a bomber base for I think both the USAF and RAAF.
Just like the top secret maintenance base at Lake Boga where my grandfather turned spanners on the Catalinas.
Good on the Charleville tourism people for generating interest. But forgotten in the desert???
Good on the Charleville tourism people for generating interest. But forgotten in the desert???
Dark days...
Early in WW2 when the Yanks were turning up in Oz, and with the threat that a Japanese carrier force might do a few "Pearl Harbours" on places like Townsville and Rockhamptom..Air Forces prudently shifted inland..Cloncurry, Longreach, Charters Towers etc.
They soon found that the long hauls to Rabaul etc where rapidly wearing out engines and crews. Once the threat had passed, they moved closed to the job, MBA, TVL, CNS etc. And once the threat to POM, by sea at least, had passed, quickly moved into the 'war zone'
Need to read up on Charleville in 'Qlds WW2 Airfields' by R Marks and see what the story is. And check it out on GE.
Good to see that the "forgotten" ? history may be preserved.
They soon found that the long hauls to Rabaul etc where rapidly wearing out engines and crews. Once the threat had passed, they moved closed to the job, MBA, TVL, CNS etc. And once the threat to POM, by sea at least, had passed, quickly moved into the 'war zone'
Need to read up on Charleville in 'Qlds WW2 Airfields' by R Marks and see what the story is. And check it out on GE.
Good to see that the "forgotten" ? history may be preserved.
The Corones Hotel is well worth a visit when spending any time in Charleville. Many famous aviators including; Kingsford-Smith, Earheart, et al, famous aircraft such as "Grosvenor House" and many more, have graced the skys of Charleville in the past. Charleville is one of Australia's richest aviation culture centers and should be included in the must-see list of any enthusiast. Much of this history is recorded at the Corones Hotel.
Last edited by Lucerne; 8th Jan 2013 at 23:55.
Amelia..
Did she do an earlier swing thru OZ,.. visiting Charleville ?
On her final flight, leg before last was Darwin - Lae. Thence Lae into history and mystery.
Or Nukimaroro SE of Howland Is, as TIGHAR seem to posit, and doing serious archeology there. Think they might have found something off the reef flat in deeper water. Will be fantastic if they can prove it up.
Secret airfield in the desert ?...I thought that was Corruna Downs WA
On her final flight, leg before last was Darwin - Lae. Thence Lae into history and mystery.
Or Nukimaroro SE of Howland Is, as TIGHAR seem to posit, and doing serious archeology there. Think they might have found something off the reef flat in deeper water. Will be fantastic if they can prove it up.
Secret airfield in the desert ?...I thought that was Corruna Downs WA
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I can remember 'exploring' those old concrete floors as a kid in the late 70's/early 80's. From memory at least one was/is very close to "The House". Even then everybody knew the US had been there, accepted folklore had them building the cinema.
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There's an interesting photo in the link below (No. 2 in the photo gallery) that shows a substantial gathering of aircraft and a considerable number of people lined up at the edge of the Charleville aircraft dispersal/parking area, circa 1947.
Does anyone know what this event might have been? It appears as if it was an event of some significance for that number of aircraft and people to be assembled there.
:: WWII Historic Places :: Queensland Government
The story of the Norden bombsight is quite interesting, and I never knew the Americans built a special building to store the bombsights in.
aroa - That should be spelt Corunna Downs. My brothers FIL, a farmer who was conscripted in 1942, was stationed at Corunna Downs for the entire duration of the War. He regularly spoke about the place, it must have made a big impression on him. However, the major thing he spoke about, was the furnace-like, continuous, oppressive heat!
Corunna Downs airfield, WA
Does anyone know what this event might have been? It appears as if it was an event of some significance for that number of aircraft and people to be assembled there.
:: WWII Historic Places :: Queensland Government
The story of the Norden bombsight is quite interesting, and I never knew the Americans built a special building to store the bombsights in.
aroa - That should be spelt Corunna Downs. My brothers FIL, a farmer who was conscripted in 1942, was stationed at Corunna Downs for the entire duration of the War. He regularly spoke about the place, it must have made a big impression on him. However, the major thing he spoke about, was the furnace-like, continuous, oppressive heat!
Corunna Downs airfield, WA
Last edited by onetrack; 18th Jan 2013 at 03:16.
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Looks like I can see the apothecary in the crowd but no Beechcraft? 
Yes - one of the more important bit of history is that I spent 8 months flying a Baron into Charleville on a bank run in 1994/5
I was very grateful to said apothecary giving me a regular lift from the town back out to the airport.
I was very grateful to said apothecary giving me a regular lift from the town back out to the airport.
Last edited by Checkboard; 18th Jan 2013 at 15:30.
VH WIM was a great plane to fly, it lives on as VH VEG based at CB
Charleville is one of Australia's richest aviation culture centers and should be included in the must-see list of any enthusiast. Much of this history is recorded at the Corones Hotel.
