Olga and the Gang’s Borneo Vacation
Balikpapan Operation: “Olga,” a Royal Australian Air Force No 4. Squadron Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Boomerang interceptor, serial A46-121 coded QE-N, is shown parked on Sepinggang Airstrip, Netherlands East Indies. 25 July 1945. Only three weeks prior, the strip had been under Japanese control– and the Australians had already been flying from the site for two of them!
U.S. Air Force Number 63247AC, NARA 342-FH-3A31731-63247AC
A second shot of Olga is in the Australian War Memorial
The Boomerang behind “Olga” appears to have a stylized traditional Aboriginal boomerang piece of nose art painted on the left side of the fuselage. In the background is another CAC Boomerang and a CAC Wirraway aircraft, coded ‘QE-U’, the serial number is obscured. (Donor: Museums and Art Galleries of the N.T., AWM P00630.007)
Located along the Vasay highway about 12 miles northeast of the strategically important Balikpapan Refinery, Sepinggang was originally constructed by the Dutch for the protection of the fields. Occupied by the Japanese in February 1942, by 3 July 1945 the strip was under new management for the third time in as many years after being almost completely destroyed by USAAF B-24s dropping 500 and 1000 lb. bombs over the first half of 1945.
Allied engineers were quick to make improvements, with the easiest fix being building a new strip across the road.
As detailed by the Australian Naval Institute:
The squadrons of No 61 Airfield Construction Wing RAAF were landed on 6 July, two days behind schedule, although they commenced work immediately. They managed to repair the damage at Sepinggang, with its 3,000-foot runway, and it became fully operational on 15 July, eight days later than originally planned.
August 1945. “Construction of Sepinggang fighter strip across the road from Sepinggang strip. Heavy equipment was used in the leveling area and hauling was sent to fill low spots. Note the typical Japanese pillbox in the center of the photo. This pillbox was uncovered and was being removed by blasting.” (U.S. Air Force Number 63290AC)
Besides the Boomerangs, Spitfire Mk.VIIIs of the RAAF’s No. 452 Squadron and P-40N Kittyhawk Mk.VIs of No. 80 Squadron moved into the strip, flying CAP and CAS missions until VJ Day and then transitioning to conducting pacification operations through the end of the year.
Balikpapan, Borneo. 15 July 1945. First RAAF fighter aircraft at Sepinggang airstrip prepare for action. Technicians were at work preparing these spitfire aircraft, code GY-G, GY-E, of No. 452 Squadron RAAF to meet Japanese raiders a few minutes after the aircraft had landed. AWM OG3042
Balikpapan, Borneo Spitfire Mk.VIIIs of No 452 Squadron, Sepinggang, NARA
The last RAAF airman killed in offensive operations in WWII was 22-year-old 80 Squadron Flight Sergeant Eldred “Ted’ Quinn” shot down by Japanese ground fire on 9 August over enemy positions at Sanga Sanga, Borneo.
The Allied, followed by the Dutch, eventually left and in 1960 handed Sepinggang over to the Indonesians. Today the field is the Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan Airport.