Former Ngoro Airfield Site

 Upload a photo

Built prewar by the Dutch in a sugar cane field, this airfield had two crossing runways, completed by August 4, 1937. Later, additional land was purchased as of February 8, 1938 expanding approaches to the runways. No. 1 runway was 990 yards, with cleared approaches at each end running roughly NNE-SSW. No. 2 runway was 1155 yards, with cleared approaches running roughly east to west. Three revetments for bombers were located at the cross of the two runways. Twelve fighter revetments were located south of the No. 2 runway and a barracks area hidden in native village.
This was a hidden airfield, with bushes used as camouflage that folded down when an airplane landed, then snapped up afterwards. Javanese laborers also dug small trenches crisis crossed the runways to hide them from the air.
On January 16, 1942 P-40E Warhawk piloted by Walt Coss followed a Dutch Tigermoth from Perak Airfield to Ngoro Airfield, to survey it for use by American pursuit fighters.
Used by the USAAF during the Java campaign in early 1942. Officers were billeted in Blimbing village nearby.
On February 16, 1942, sixteen P-40s took off from Ngoro on a mission to escort bombers attacking the Japanese invasion force off Bali.

Very little is known about its activity after the Japanese occupation and Indonesian independence. The site is now a ricefield.