# Things To Do, Vietnam Travel Stories

Luscombe Airfield (Nui Dat) – Now and then

The Luscombe Airfield (or Nui Dat Airfield) was a runway built for 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) in Vietnam War. Nowadays, there have been many changes to the site after many years. However, visitors will still see some similarities between the past and the present days of this runway.

Luscombe Airfield' location

Luscombe Airfield (or Nui Dat Airfield) is nowadays located in Long Phuoc, Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, Vietnam. On Google Maps, you may find it in Da Bac, Chau Duc District but it’s actually the line between the two districts.

Luscombe Airfield was the main runway at the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) base at Nui Dat, Phuoc Tuy Province (former name of Ba Ria – Vung Tau nowadays). After the Australian army left Vietnam, the airfield was gradually changed into a road

Origin of the name

Luscombe Airfield is named after Captain Bryan Taylor Luscombe in the Royal Australian Artillery (RAA), an early post-WWII Army pilot who died in action in Korea on June 5, 1952, during an air observation mission.

The airfield stands for much more than Captain Luscombe. It symbolizes the role of the Australian Force in Vietnam, serving as a crucial link between the Task Force and its supporting units and headquarters. It was the main entry point for thousands of soldiers going to and coming from the war.

Luscombe Airfield building process

Initial setup

In June 1966, before the Battle of Long Tan, the First Australian Task Force (1ATF) moved into Nui Dat. They had to balance setting up a compact defensive area and developing infrastructure, including roads and an airfield.

Planning

With the wet monsoon season approaching, top priority was building essential accommodation and roads to avoid getting stuck in mud. Since there wasn’t an airfield at Nui Dat, 161 (Indep) Recce Flt had to stay at Vung Tau with the logistic support group.

The master plan included a Caribou standard airfield and a large helipad. Sites were chosen based on tactical and logistical needs.

Three low areas were earmarked for the airfield and heliport, needing significant drainage and excavation. A natural cleared area, known as Kangaroo Pad, was initially used as the main helipad.

Therefore, there were 2 options:

West of Nui Dat: This site used Route 2 as a centerline but had drawbacks like poor wind alignment and exposure to enemy observation.
North of Nui Dat: This site was chosen despite challenges like tall rubber trees and a cross-slope.

Development delays

Initially, little work was done on the airfield as priority was given to other tasks. Drainage and access roads were built to fit future plans.

Airfield construction

In mid-October 1966, construction of Luscombe Airfield began. The site had natural hollows and bumps, but it was decided to adapt procedures to the terrain’s fall, aiming to eventually meet C130 aircraft standards.

Engineers worked from dawn to dusk, using improvised water tanks to compact the soil. APC squadron and infantry provided security during night operations.

The runway was covered with high-quality laterite. Proof landings by a Cessna 180 occurred on 31 October. USAF required the removal of 400 rubber trees for certification.

Official Opening & development

On 5 December 1966, Brigadier Oliver David Jackson unveiled a plaque naming the airfield ‘Luscombe Airfield’. A Caribou aircraft landed on the newly sealed runway.

Workshops, parking areas, and accommodations were built. In December 1968, the US 34 Engineer Group extended Luscombe Field to 4,100 feet and permanently sealed the runway. The runway proved durable, and further reconstruction was deemed unnecessary.

Luscombe Airfield - Now and then

In 1971, when the Australian forces withdrew from the Nui Dat area, they handed over the airfield to the Americans. However, the Americans did not manage it, so the local residents dismantled the iron and concrete from the runway to build pigsties and houses.

Today, the runway no longer has concrete but has been asphalted and turned into a public road. One end of the former runway borders a rubber forest in Long Phước (Bà Rịa City), while the other end is now the site of a school, which is called the Abandoned Long Phuoc Kindergarten.

Here are some photos of Luscombe Airfield Nui Dat in the past and in the present days: