Kingston Airstrip

A-11 (Logan Central-Berrinba)

Type
Airfield
Region
South-East

A-11: Between Jacaranda Avenue and Gilmore Road, Logan Central and Berrinba, Logan Central 4114

Three airstrips were hastily cleared on land to the west and southwest of Kingston by US forces in 1942, but they were not used due to the sloping nature of the ground on which they were sited.

The east end of the northernmost airstrip, A-11, commenced at the eastern side of Woodridge Park in Logan Central, west of Jacaranda Avenue. The strip extended to the southwest, parallel with Wembley Road, roughly in line with Gilmore Road.

South of A-11 was another airstrip, named A-10. The southern end of A-10 was located near the roundabout at the intersection of Chambers Flat Road and Browns Plains Road in Marsden, and the airstrip extended to the northwest ending in the area of Eliza Court.

One end of the southernmost airstrip, A-12, was located on the south side of Bumstead Road, just west of its intersection with Chambers Flat Road in Park Ridge. The strip headed southwest, angling slightly away from Chambers Flat Road before ending south of Park Ridge Road.

At both ends of each airstrip trees were felled to clear the approaches to the graded section of the airstrip. Today the airstrips have been erased by development, although part of the A-12 strip is visible as a cleared area on the south side of Park Ridge Road, west of Chambers Flat Road.

History

The arrival of US forces in Queensland from late December 1941 led to an increased demand for airfields to accommodate US aircraft. Existing RAAF airfields were used, and new fields were also constructed. Five airfields were established near Kingston, south of Brisbane: at Loganlea and Waterford, plus the Kingston airstrips A-10, A-11 and A-12.

The area containing the three airstrips west of Kingston was examined by the RAAF during September 1940, as the possible site of an Operational Base (OB), but nothing eventuated. However, after Japan entered the war the US reviewed the sites the RAAF had examined, as it urgently needed airfields for pilot training and the dispersal of fighter aircraft arriving in Queensland.

The US was working on Loganlea and Waterford airfields in July 1942, and by 19 August that year US Engineers were also undertaking construction at the A-10 airstrip in today’s suburb of Marsden. The work was conducted at short notice, without the approval of the Australian Department of Air, and it led to complaints from local landowners whose properties were affected.

The siting of the A-10 airstrip, plus other strips at today’s Logan Central (A-11) and Park Ridge (A-12) was poor, due to sloping ground. By January 1943 the RAAF assessed the A-11 as fit for emergency landings only, and the A-10 and A-12 as useless. By February 1943 all three airstrips were listed “to be abandoned". It was recommended that they be maintained as “dummy” airfields, to confuse the enemy.

All three strips were graded and grassed. The A-10 was aligned to 122 degrees, and was 5200′ (1.58km) long; the A-11 was 53 degrees, and 4800 ft (1.46km); and the A-12 was 29 degrees, and 4500 ft (1.37km). The sites have since been redeveloped and little remains, although part of the southern end of A-12 is visible as a cleared area on the south side of Park Ridge Road, west of Chambers Flat Road.

Source/comments

Marks, RR. 1994. Queensland Airfields WW2—50 Years On, R and J Marks, Brisbane.

Buchanan, Robyn, c.1999-2000. Logan&$8212;rich in history, young in spirit. Logan City Council

National Archives of Australia, 7/1/781. RAAF - Operational Base Kingston Queensland - acquisition of site, 1940–1942.

National Archives of Australia 764. RAAF Directorate of Works and Buildings - Engineer Intelligence Section - Loganlea, Queensland, 1943.

Dunn, P. Kingston Airfield during WW2.

Howells, M. “World War II emergency landing fields", unpublished document.

National Library of Australia RAAF Official aerials.