Snake Bay Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Snake Bay Airport
nativename =


IATA = SNB
ICAO = YSNB
type = Public
owner =
operator = Government
city-served = Melville Island, Australia
location = Milikapiti, Northern Territory
elevation-f = 173
elevation-m = 53
coordinates = coord|11|25|22|S|130|39|13|E|type:airport_region:AU
website =
metric-rwy = y
r1-number = 13/31
r1-length-f = 4,734
r1-length-m = 1,443
r1-surface = Asphalt
footnotes = Source: DAFIFWAD|YSNB|source=DAFIF] GCM|SNB|source=DAFIF]

Snake Bay Airport airport codes|SNB|YSNB is located at Milikapiti, Northern Territory on the northern coast of Melville Island, Australia.

History

World War II

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) built the airfield as a forward fighter aerodrome, during World War II as part of the proposed strategic amphibious operations by Allied forces against the Tanimbar Islands and Kai Islands. It was proposed to accommodate a RAAF Fighter Wing and a United States Army Air Force Fighter Group.

Construction was started on 7 July 1944, by No. 9 Mobile Works Unit RAAF with the help of 40 Aborigines. The airfield was operational on 30 August 1944. Two side by side runways m to ft|1829 long were constructed. [ [http://www.ozatwar.com/airfields/snakebay.htm OzatWar website] ]

The airfield was never fully utilized as the proposed amphibious operations were canceled and replaced with Papua Campaign. The airfield was known as "Austin Strip" and "RAAF Melville Island".

Units based at Austin Strip

*No. 6 Communications Unit RAAF
*No. 9 Mobile Works Unit RAAF

Airlines and destinations

*Air Ngukurr - Darwin

References

External links

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