81ST AIR DEPOT GROUP
5TH AIR FORCE, USAAF
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2

visits since 1 February 2001

81st ADG Badge

81st Air Depot Group Insignia

Lt. Col. Fry, Commanding Officer,
81st Air Depot Group

Final Test flight of a P-38 Lightning
 over Moreton Bay, southern Queensland

The Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron were located in the Ward Motors building at Fortitude Valley.

The Security section was also located on the Ward Motors building at Fortitude Valley.

The Depot Supply Section of the 81st Air Depot Group had many warehouses located around Brisbane.

The 44th Depot Repair Squadron of the 81st Air Depot Group of the 5th Air Force were based at Eagle Farm airfield in Brisbane in 1943. The famous "Pappy Gunn" did a lot of his early work in Brisbane.

The 44th Air Depot Squadron helped to install 75 mm cannons in the B-25 Mitchell bomber. They carried out all sorts of combat modifications.

Photo: Fred Chew

Fred Chew and his tent mates at Eagle Farm from the 44th Depot Repair Squadron

"Neville Court" was used as the residence for Lt. Colonel Fry while they were based in Brisbane.

The 81st Air Depot Group relied on many civilian companies to meet its objectives:-

• The GMH Allison Overhaul Assembly Plant "Igloos" at Sandgate Road, Albion

• The A.N.A. Instrument Shop

• Australian National Airways Engine Overhaul shop

• Motor Supply Company

• De Haviland Propeller Shop

• QANTAS

• Paul and Gray

• Elphinstones

• King & Katts

• Hudson's

From 11 May 1942 until 11 May 1943, the 81st Air Depot Group in Brisbane carried out the following aircraft component overhauls:-

• 35 tails
• 46 fins
• 49 turrets
• 62 cabins
• 74 landing gear
• 102 flaps
• 117 nose sections
• 145 stabilizers
• 152 rudders
• 172 oxygen tanks
• 179 ailerons
• 187 elevators
• 200 wings
• 252 doors
• 349 wheels
• 400 canopys
• 402 engine cowlings
• 489 struts
• 598 fuel tanks
• 1058 brakes
• 1153 tyres and tubes
• 2222 propellers

The 44th Depot Repair Squadron went from "Eagle Farm" at Brisbane to "Finschaffen" New Guinea. There they constructed a Major Combat Overhaul & Modification Base. They even tried to install a 75 mm cannon in a P-38 Lockheed Lightning. From New Guinea they went to "Clark Field" In the Philippines.

The 81st Air Depot Group also assembled thirty one gliders at Eagle Farm airfield.

Crash of an A-20 Havoc from 81st ADG
on North Stradbroke Island in about October 1942

Crash landing of a B-22 at Eagle Farm airfield
on 25 November 1942

Crash of an A-20 Havoc between
Amberley and Eagle Farm on 17 July 1943

Emails from Fred Chew
member of the 44th Depot Repair Squadron

Full size versions of the above photos are available on
my "Australia @ War" CD-Rom

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Fred Chew of the 44th Depot Repair Squadron for his assistance with this home page.

I'd like to thank Lt. Col. Burke Von Wald and his wife Sue for his assistance with this home page.

I'd like to thank Bob Livingstone for his assistance with this home page.

REFERENCE BOOKS

"The 81st A.D.G."

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 1 February 2001

This page last updated 06 January 2004