PETRIE-STRATHPINE AIRFIELDS
BRISBANE, QLD
DURING WWII

There were three dispersed runways in the Petrie-Strathpine areas. They were the main fighter fields for the Brisbane area defence.

A1 - Petrie

A2 - Strathpine

A3 - Strathpine

Photo: via Lee Deighton

A2 Strathpine Airfield now Spitfire Avenue

Photo: via Lee Deighton

A2 Strathpine Airfield after WW2

Photo: via Lee Deighton

1948 photograph of Spitfire Avenue area. Kitchen slab and oven show in the photo.
The oven was relocated in Feb 2003. In Mar 2003 it lay in a park in Ira Buckby Road.

Igloo Hangar reportedly from Strathpine A2 Airfield was still
located at 211 Gympie Road, Strathpine in September 2019

An igloo hangar reportedly from the WWII Strathpine A2 Airfield was still located at 211 Gympie Road in September 2019. However the site had recently been purchased and it was planned to build a new McDonalds on the site. Locals were hoping that the historic igloo could be saved and relocated to a suitable airfield. I did a check of the 1946 aerial photos of this area and I could not see the igloo located there by then. I also checked the Strathpine A2 Airfield for 1946 and could not see a hangar anywhere near the Strathpine A2 Airfield. It may have been hidden in some of the trees. Does anyone know if there was a small igloo located at the A2 Airfield?

This small igloo has since been dismantled and relocated to a council site. It was a condition of the development approval that it not be destroyed.

Igloo Hangar from Strathpine A2 Airfield at 211 Gympie Road, Strathpine in September 2019

Spitfire Avenue was part of a race track back in the 1950's.

Units based at Petrie airfield were:-

548 AND 549 SQUADRON
They arrived in December 1943 and left by July 1944.  These two RAF Spitfire Squadrons were initially formed at Lawnton and Strathpine airfields.

Collision of two Spitfires
near Petrie on 19 April 1944

80TH FIGHTER SQUADRON USAAF
The 80th Fighter Squadron of the USAAF 8th Fighter Group moved to Petrie airfield just north of Brisbane on 10 May 1942.

They trained for combat for 2 months at Petrie. On 20 July 1942 twelve P-400's of the 80th flew to 7 Mile airfield outside Port Moresby, New Guinea.

Crash of a P-400 at Petrie on 26 May 1942

Collision of two P-400's at Redcliffe on 2 July 1942

Crash of a P-400 into Moreton Bay on 15 July 1942

Crash of another P-400 into Moreton Bay on 15 July 1942

83 SQUADRON RAAF
The prime role of the Boomerangs of 83 Squadron was to intercept enemy fighters. Despite the Boomerang's reported excellent maneuverability, high rate of climb and lethal fire power, they were never given a real chance to prove themselves against the Japanese fighter aircraft.

Crash of a Boomerang at Strathpine on 11 June 1943

Crash of a Boomerang (A46-105) at Strathpine in about August 1943
(Can anyone help me with details on this crash?)

OTHER CRASHES

Crash of a Beaufighter at Strathpine on 13 Apr 45

Crash of a Beaufighter at Strathpine on 16 Apr 45

OTHER ASSOCIATED SITES

Reminisces of Victor and Don Miscampbell
Memories of the airfields at Petrie & Strathpine
and an eyewitness account of the collision
of two P-400's at Redcliffe on 2 July 1942

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Ian Willoughby and Lee Deighton for their assistance with this web page.

REFERENCE BOOK

Aircraft & Markings of the RAAF 1939-45
By Geoffrey Pentland

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 21 February 1999

This page last updated 20 April 2024