# Hughes Airfield

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**Hughes Airfield** (32 Mile) is an [airfield](/source/Airfield) in the [Northern Territory](/source/Northern_Territory) of [Australia](/source/Australia) located in the locality of [Hughes](/source/Hughes,_Northern_Territory).[1] It was constructed during [World War II](/source/World_War_II) for military use. The airfield now functions as a base for aerial firefighting aircraft to protect the outer rural suburbs of [Darwin](/source/Darwin,_Northern_Territory).

The airfield was built by the U.S. Army engineering unit, the [808th Engineer Aviation Battalion](/source/808th_Engineer_Aviation_Battalion), from 10 March 1942 until 13 April 1942. The runway was 5,000 feet (1,500 m) long and 100 feet (30 m) wide.[2]

## World War II use

### Units based at Hughes Airfield

- [No. 2 Squadron RAAF](/source/No._2_Squadron_RAAF)
- [No. 13 Squadron RAAF](/source/No._13_Squadron_RAAF)
- [No. 34 Squadron RAAF](/source/No._34_Squadron_RAAF) (15 July 1942 – 27 August 1942)
- [No. 82 Squadron RAAF](/source/No._82_Squadron_RAAF)

### Japanese Bombing Raids against Hughes Airfield

- 23 August 1942 (12:12 pm)
- 26 November 1942 (03.20 a.m.)
- 27 November 1942 (03:56 – 04:46 am)

## Present Day

On 5 September 2011, the Hughes Airfield was added to the [Northern Territory Heritage Register](/source/Northern_Territory_Heritage_Register).[3]

On 25 January 2012, the [Northern Territory Government](/source/Northern_Territory_Government) awarded a contract to repair and resurface the airstrip to [Downer EDI Works](/source/Downer_EDI_Works).[4] This will better enable access to the strip for the [Air Tractor AT-802](/source/Air_Tractor_AT-802) water-bombing aircraft, operated from the strip by Bushfires NT since 2009.[5] In addition to the resurfacing works, a water tank has also been installed on site, allowing mobile pumps to be used to load firefighting aircraft.[6]

It has been proposed that construction of the new satellite city of [Weddell](/source/Weddell,_Northern_Territory) to the northwest should include a general aviation airport separate from [Darwin International Airport](/source/Darwin_International_Airport). While no formal commitment to building a new general aviation facility in the Greater Darwin area has yet been made by the Northern Territory Government, the runway alignment of 11/29 at Hughes is the preferred option for such a concept.[7]

## References

1. ["WWII Hughes Airfield"](http://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/heritageregister/f?p=103:302:1135757015240611::NO::P302_SITE_ID:218). *Heritage Register*. Northern Territory Government. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2019.

1. Dunn, Peter. ["HUGHES AIRFIELD, NT (32 MILE) DURING WWII"](https://www.ozatwar.com/airfields/hughesairfield.htm). *ozatwar.com*. Peter Dunn. Retrieved 23 February 2019.

1. Hampton, Karl Rio (5 September 2011). ["Heritage Conservation Act DECLARATION OF HERITAGE PLACE WWII HUGHES AIRFIELD"](https://nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/197358/s47.pdf). *Northern Territory of Australia Government Gazette*. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 23 February 2019.

1. ["502 Bad Gateway"](http://www.onbid.org/bids/Darwin-Hughes-Airstrip-Repair.sq7118229.htm). *onbid.org*. Retrieved 2020-12-20.

1. ["Wartime airfield in another battle role"](http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/06/13/58185_ntnews.html). [Northern Territory News](/source/Northern_Territory_News). 13 June 2009.

1. ["Hughes Airstrip"](https://sites.google.com/site/bfntvolunteers/community-info/aerial-operations/hughes-airstrip). Northern Territory Bushfire Volunteers. Retrieved 9 February 2013.

1. ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120324210916/http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/oar/rapac/minutes/nt120216.pdf). Archived from [the original](http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/oar/rapac/minutes/nt120216.pdf) on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-01.

## External links

- [OzatWar website](http://www.ozatwar.com/airfields/hughesairfield.htm)
- [Lt. Col Bernard L. Robinson Reports on the NT June 1942](http://milepegsnt.com/site/lt-col-bernard-l-robinson-reports-on-the-nt-june-1942/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hughes Airfield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_Airfield) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_Airfield?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.