AIR TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT (ATIU), ALLIED AIR FORCES
SECRET OPERATIONS AT EAGLE FARM
Japanese aircraft rebuilt and flight tested at Eagle Farm airfield in Brisbane

visits since 16 August 2003

From early in 1943, the Air Technical Intelligence Unit (ATIU) started operations in a small timber hangar (Hangar No. 7) at Eagle Farm set aside from the other larger hangers. It was built at right angles to the other hangars to minimise visibility of the secret activities going on inside the hangar. ATIU may also have been known as Allied Technical Air Intelligence Unit (ATAIU)

ATIU would recover damaged Japanese aircraft, mostly from New Guinea, and bring them back to Hangar No. 7 at Eagle Farm to rebuild them so that they could be trialled to determine their strengths and weaknesses. They were also pitted against various American aircraft to determine combat strategies for American pilots. They were also used to train some American pilots to add some realism to their training.

Numerous flights of various Japanese aircraft were accomplished, including altitude tests, speed runs, rates of climb, simulated combat against other fighter planes and for photographic purposes. The rebuilt aircraft had their full armament installed to duplicate the original weights in order to give a true test of their performance.

Some of the reports of local Brisbane residents seeing Japanese aircraft flying over Brisbane were scoffed at by the local Police as being untrue, but the Police were not aware of the secret operations going on at Eagle Farm. To ensure that these Japanese aircraft were not shot down by allied fighter pilots, they were usually either escorted by another "friendly" aircraft or painted in "friendly" colours and markings.

Photo: AWM

"Hamp" fighter outside Hangar No. 7, at Eagle Farm airfield

In May 1944, the Air Technical Intelligence Unit had the following key personnel based at Eagle Farm airfield:-

AIR TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT

Administrative & Information Office:
    Lt. Col. McCoy, Jr, F.T.
    S/Ldr Clappison, N.O.
    Capt. Beesly, B.H.
    Capt. Hepford, S.F.
    Capt. Van Aken, W.D.
    Lt. Fournet, D.J.
    Lt. Mahoney, A.
    Mr. Perrier

Engineering Office:
    Capt. Gessel, C.D.
    Lt. Heaton, J.A.

Armament Laboratory:
    Capt. Britton, L.C.

Photo Laboratory:
    P/O Sellwood, E.H.

Radio Laboratory:
    Lt. Finger, C.J.

Fifth Air Force Laboratory: (This unit was located at 76 Eagle Street)
    Mr. Hodgson, O.

On 20 July 1943 Bill Farrior test flew a Japanese Mitsubishi A6M3, "Hamp" fighter for 30 minutes. With the aid of an interpreter and a captured Japanese pilot, they were able to determine a suitable cockpit check list.

Crash landing of a "Hamp"
at Eagle Farm airfield on 21 July 1943

A Japanese "Oscar" painted in American colours at Mareeba's "Hoevet" airfield
Another source has suggested to me that this photo may have been taken at Cairns
Photo by E. Daigle

More Details and Photographs of the "Oscar"
Courtesy of Sam Hepford
His father, Samuel Hepford, helped to rebuild the "Oscar"

Gerry Butler told me that Syd Marshall used to have an Oscar in his large collection at Bankstown many years ago. After Syd died he thinks Col Pay acquired the Oscar with the intention of rebuilding it to airworthy standard. Gerry believes that the Oscar was later sold to the Alpine Collection in New Zealand and that it is now in flying condition.

E-mails from Samuel Hepford
Son of Samuel Hepford who assisted with the rebuild of the "Oscar" at Eagle Farm

A captured Japanese Ki-61-3B "Tony" flying over Brisbane on 4 July 1944

WERE YOU OR A RELATIVE INVOLVED
IN WARTIME ACTIVITIES IN HANGAR NO. 7 AT EAGLE FARM?

PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL IF YOU WERE

WHAT EVENTUALLY HAPPENED TO THE "OSCAR"
AND THE OTHER AIRCRAFT? DOES ANYONE KNOW?

Click here to E-Mail me with

any information or photographs on the above

Inside Hangar No. 7 in July 2003

Inside Hangar No. 7 in July 2003

	Hangar No. 7 - northern end, 20 July 1999
	Hangar No. 7 and the other two hangars taken from the south eastern side, 20 July 1999
	Hangar No. 7 - photo taken looking northwards, 20 July 1999
	Australian Freight Services have their office in Hangar No. 7 which is now a Heritage Listed building, photo taken 20 July 1999
	Hangars at Eagle Farm on 20 July 1999. Note the Gateway Bridge in the distance behind behind the right hand hangar. Hangar No. 7 is at the left hand side of the two large hangars.
	20 July 1999

The Courier Mail reported on 16 April 2005 that there had been preliminary talks between the Brisbane City Council, the Victoria Barracks Historical Society and the Aerospace Heritage Queensland about using Hangar 7. The two organisations would share the hangar with Aerospace Heritage Queensland using it for restoration projects to restore civilian and Warbird aircraft.

Eagle Farm Aviation Society
The Legend of Hangar 7

REFERENCE BOOKS

"Queensland Airfields WW2 - 50 Years On"
By Roger R. Marks

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 25 July 1999

This page last updated 27 January 2009