Kukum Field

Kukum Field also known as Fighter 2 Airfield is a former World War II airfield on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.

World War II From the beginning of the Guadalcanal Campaign it was planned that the area would be developed into a major air base. In November 1942 the 6th Naval Construction Battalion began work on a fighter strip at Lunga Point. The 6th Battalion was later replaced by the First Marine Aviation Engineers who completed the coral-surfaced runway by 1 January 1943. In June–July 1943 the 46th and 61st Battalions built a second coral-surfaced by runway with shoulders, coral taxiways wide, and 121 hardstands. The 26th Battalion built a tank farm providing storage for of aviation gasoline, of motor gasoline, and of diesel oil.

USAAF units based at Kukum included: 12th Fighter Squadron operating P-39s from 19 December 1943 – 19 February 1944https://www.7thfighter.com/12th/index.htm 68th Fighter Squadron operating P-38s and P-39s from January – December 1943 339th Fighter Squadron operating P-38s from 2 October 1942 (det) – 1 December 1943 and 29 December 1943 – 15 January 1944

USMC units based at Kukum included: VMF-124 operating F4Us from 12 February – September 1943

Royal New Zealand Air Force units based at Kukum included: 1 Squadron operating Lockheed Venturas from October 1944 2 Squadron operating Venturas from August – October 1944 3 Squadron operating Venturas from July – August 1944 14 Squadron operating P-40s from 11 June – 25 July 1943 15 Squadron operating P-40s 26 April – June 1943 and from mid-September – mid-November 1943 16 Squadron operating P-40s from 25 July – September 1943 17 Squadron operating P-40s from mid-September – 20 October 1943

Postwar Kukum Field remained operational after the war as a civilian airfield until 1969 when Henderson Field was modernized and reopened as Honiara International Airport. The airfield is now part of the Honiara Golf Course.

Kukum Field

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