Mullinix in the war times but now Bonriki on South Tarawa, Soon to be home to a couple of aircraft built by a company started by an ex Brazilian military ATC. The first aircraft is currently at an airfield very close to another old wartme strip to which 16ALA moved in 1973,
Max has declared OH.
Dook chased around the atoll with Hawkins (now Betio, but no more an airport) and then Bairiki where there has never been a runway - I carefully considered if he'd made a typo but decided not - pity he did not continue 22kn further north in his ramble. .
Bonriki Airfield (Mullinix Field, Bonriki Airport)
Tarawa AtollRepublic of Kiribati
Location
Lat 1° 22' 54N Long 173° 8' 49E Bonriki Airfield is located on Bonriki Island at the eastern edge of Tarawa Atoll (Betio) in the Republic of Kiribati (Gilbert Islands). Also known as Mullinnix Field. Today, known as Bonriki International Airport or Bonriki Airport.
Construction
After Betio (Tarawa) was occupied by American forces Tarawa Airfield (Hawkins) repaired and expanded, Americans began construction of Bonriki Airfield with a single runway oriented east to west. A second runway was oriented northeast to southwest. This airfield was longer than Tarawa Airfield (Hawkins) it was better suited for bomber operations.
Wartime History
Bonriki Airfield was used by 7th Air Force B-25 Mitchells and B-24 Liberators before moving to Makin Airfield (Butaritari).
Naming Honors
Bonriki Airfield was renamed "Mullinnix Field" after Rear Admiral Henry M. Mullinnix KIA November 24, 1943 on the escort carrier CVE-56 USS Liscome Bay sunk off (Makin) Butaritari during the US Army invasion taking place at the same time as the Tarawa battle.
Today
Still in use today as Bonriki International Airport or Bonriki Airport. This airport is a port of entry and is classified as a small airport as one of the two international airports in the Republic of Kiribati. The single runway oriented 27/09 measures 6,598' x 135' surfaced with asphalt. Airport codes: ICAO: NGTA / IATA: TRW. There are two terminals, one for passengers and one for cargo. Serviced by Air Kiribati, Air Nauru, Solomon airlines and Fiji Airways.
Stan Gajda reports:
"At Bonriki, many large revetments for B-24's were built. Even to this day there is still a lot of debris of operations there, like bomb transport rings, bomb tail fin cases etc. In the revetments it is easy to find fired .50 and .30 cal mg cases thrown out of planes when they were cleaned during operations."