Funafuti International Airport
Funafuti International Airport
Funafuti International Airport is an airport located in Funafuti, capital of the island nation of Tuvalu.
serviced by Air Pacific
Funafuti Airport was built by United States Navy Seabee construction battalions in 1943 during World War II. The military airfield included an airstrip, control tower, facilities and radio station located at Tepuka, connected by cable to the airfield. The base Headquarters buildings were located at the present day Teagai Apelu's residence, and a bunker is still located there to this day. Naval air forces were based at the field, consisting of SBD Dauntless dive bombers.
in memory of US service person
The airfield became the headquarters of the United States Army Air Forces VII Bomber Command in November 1943, directing operations against Japanese forces on Tarawa and other bases in the Gilbert Islands. The USAAF stationed two B-24 Liberator heavy bomber groups, the 11th and 30th Bombardment Groups on Funafuti and the first offensive operation was launched on 20 November with a twenty-two B-24 raid from Funafuti to Nauru.
By the middle of 1944, as the fighting moved further north towards Japan, the
Americans began to withdraw and by the time the war ended in 1945 nearly all of
them, together with their equipment departed. After the war, the military
airfield was developed into a commercial airport.
Text from Wikipedia
as seen from the second floor of the National Bank of Tuvalu
along the runway
electric power station
pile of the dredged coral from which the airfield was created
horticultural project
from the construction time
Tuvalu Family Health Association
Air Pacific check in counter
departure lounge
next door handicraft shop
checking in
waiting
setting up to sell shell lays as gifts to coming or going air passengers
from the back of the truck
waiting for buyers
fire truck sounding the alert to clear the runway
the control tower
red flag means the plane is coming
arrival of the twice weekly airplane from Fiji
