BANKSTOWN AIRFIELD
NEAR SYDNEY, NSW
DURING WWII

Bankstown Airfield was an all over grass airfield. Maximum runs were as follows:-

NE/SW    5,200 ft
NW/SE    5,000 ft
N/S          5,000 ft
E/W         5,350 ft

On 15 October 1943 there were 36 camouflaged hideouts for medium sized bombers with gravel taxiways. Sleeping accommodation available was as follows:-

RAAF                  WAAAF
40       Officers     6
112     Sgts           -
390     O.R.          36

There were eleven hangars, 5 store buildings, 3 bomb stores and 20,000 gallons underground petrol storage for aircraft.

On April 6th, 1942 the 41st Fighter Squadron of the 35th Fighter Group traveled by train from RAAF Mt Gambier Airfield to their next station at the RAAF Bankstown Airfield, arriving there on 7 April 1942.

Photo:- via Keith Balog

Bankstown Airfield with a B-17 Flying Fortress in the foreground,
plus a P-39 Airacobra and several P-40 Warhawks.

Photo:- via Keith Balog

A B-17C Flying Fortress at Bankstown Airfield

Photo:- via Keith Balog

Control Tower at Bankstown Airfield during WWII

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Keith Balog for his assistance with this web page. Keith's father, Alexander Balogh, was a Master Sergeant mechanic with the 41st Fighter Squadron. Keith's father met his Australian mother while he was based at Bankstown. They met on the train from Sydney to Bankstown the day after Alexander arrived in Bankstown from Mount Gambier.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 29 March 2017

This page last updated 13 January 2020