Dictionary Definition
Tindal n : English translator and Protestant
martyr; his translation of the Bible into English (which later
formed the basis for the King James Version) aroused ecclesiastical
opposition; he left England in 1524 and was burned at the stake in
Antwerp as a heretic (1494-1536) [syn: Tyndale, William
Tyndale, Tindale,
William
Tindale, William
Tindal]
Extensive Definition
- Tindal redirects here. For the English and Australian Tindal family, see Tyndall.
RAAF Base Tindal (RAAF Tindal) is a
Royal Australian Air Force air base located near the town of
Katherine in the Northern
Territory. The base is currently home to No.
75 Squadron and a number of non-flying units.
History
RAAF Tindal was initially built for the RAAF as Carson's Airfield, also known as Kit Carson's Field, in 1942. The airfield was constructed by the 43rd Engineer General Services Regiment (US Army) and the Civil Construction Corps. Further works were undertaken by No. 1 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF and No. 3 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF.The airfield was renamed in honour of Wing
Commander Archibald
R. Tindal, the first RAAF Officer killied in action on the
Australian
mainland during the
bombing of Darwin on 19 February
1942. Tindal
is buried at the
Adelaide River war cemetery.
The airfield was later occupied by
No. 5 Replenishing Centre RAAF. The RAAF ceased basing
operational units at the airfield following the end of World War
II.
Between 1963 and 1970
No. 5 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF rebuilt the runway,
taxiways and hard stand to handle larger, more modern aircraft and
enable the base to operate as a 'bare
base'. In 1968 it was opened as
Katherine's domestic airport, being used by Ansett-ANA, TAA and
Conellen. The base was occasionally used by units based at RAAF Base
Darwin and other bases.
In 1984 the Australian government decided to move
the RAAF's fast jet base in the Northern Territory from RAAF Darwin
to Tindal. This move was intended to provide the RAAF with a base
which was outside the cyclone zone and easier to defend against
external attack. After a major upgrade RAAF Tindal officially
opened on 1
October 1988.
Since its establishment RAAF Tindal has served as
the RAAF's main operational base in the Northern Territory. The
base regularly hosts other units for exercises and was used to
support the Australian lead intervention into East Timor in
1999.
In keeping with Tindal's role as a front-line
operational air base, it is one of the few Australian defence
establishments to be manned exclusively by uniformed personnel. In
addition, the base has more defensive installations than is common
in Australian air bases and can host hundreds of ground
troops.
Units
A detachment of two Boeing Wedgetail AWACS aircraft from No. 2 Squadron will be based at Tindal after these aircraft are delivered in 2009.In addition, the Army's NORFORCE
Regional Force Surveillance Unit has a detachment located at
Tindal.
Airlines and destinations
- Aboriginal Air Services (Darwin, Victoria River Downs)