Terrain of Morokrembangan Naval Air Base

Morokrembangan Naval Air Base (Dutch: Marinevliegkamp Morokrembangan[lower-alpha 1]) was a former naval air base of the Royal Netherlands Navy in the Dutch East Indies.[2] The air base was located in Soerabaja and used by the Netherlands Naval Aviation Service.[3] At the start of the Pacific War Morokrembangan Naval Air Base was the largest and best equipped naval air base in Southeast Asia and considered to be one of the most modern naval air bases in the world.[1][2]

History

In 1925 it was decided to move the main naval air base from Tandjong Priok to Soerabaja, where an air base was already being constructed.[4] In the same year, on 30 June 1925, Morokrembangan Naval Air Base was put into service.[2][lower-alpha 2] While the air base had been put into service on 30 June 1925 it was still being equipped during the remainder of the year.[5] The main task of Morokrembangan Naval Air Base was to provide maintenance for the material and equipment of the Netherlands Naval Aviation Service.[3] To this end the base was equipped with several workstations, factories and hangars that were continuously expanded and modernized over the years.[3][2][6][7] In addition, it also had a port for seaplanes.[8] Besides maintenance the base also provided pilot training.[9]

Second World War

Morokrembangan Naval Air Base was one of the targets during the first Japanese air raid on Soerabaja on 3 February 1942.[10] During this attack three Dornier Do 24 K, two PBY Catalina, two Fokker T.IV W, three Dornier Do J Wal and two Ryan trainer aircraft were destroyed.[10]

Notes

  1. ↑ In Dutch sometimes also written as Marine-vliegkamp Morokrembangan[1] or Dutch: marine vliegkamp Morokrembangan.[2]
  2. ↑ Walaardt Sacré, van den Abeelen and Spittel claim that Morokrembangan Naval Air Base was put into service on 30 July 1925.[5]

Citations

  1. 1 2 De Java-Bode: Wat zij is en brengt (1936), p. 73.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Woudstra (1982), p. 116.
  3. 1 2 3 Bosscher (1986), p. 37.
  4. ↑ Walaardt Sacré, van den Abeelen and Spittel (1932), p. 133.
  5. 1 2 Walaardt Sacré, van den Abeelen and Spittel (1932), p. 134.
  6. ↑ von Faber (1934), p. 15.
  7. ↑ "Over den Marine-luchtvaartdienst: Snelle groei van den M.L.D. en ontwikkeling van Moro-Krembangan". De Indische Courant (in Dutch). 20 August 1936.
  8. ↑ Swanenburg (1940), p. 540.
  9. ↑ "20 Jaar Maritieme Luchtvaart: Ballonvaarders baanden den Weg". Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 21 August 1937.
  10. 1 2 Bosscher (1986), p. 252.

References

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