Colonial era

In 1918, the Dutch East Indies government constructed two airstrips in Cipagalo and Sukamiskin. At the time, the runways were simple compacted earth surfaces. The airfields were officially opened in 1920, when aviation activity consisted of a single aircraft making a brief demonstration flight at an altitude of around 50 meters. However, due to persistent issues with muddy ground conditions caused by insufficient surface reinforcement, the colonial authorities developed a new airstrip in the Cicukang area of Cibeureum village, which later became known as Andir Airfield. This airfield was used by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force (ML-KNIL). Construction began around 1921 on a 45-hectare site. The land was acquired from local Bandung residents by the colonial government. Among the first aircraft to operate at Andir Airfield were models such as Avro, Glenn Martin, and Koolhoven. The facilities were still very basic, consisting of compacted ground without asphalt surfacing. Equipment from the Sukamiskin airfield was gradually relocated to Andir, and supporting infrastructure was developed over time. Of the original supporting buildings, only a few remnants remain today, one of which has been repurposed as a hangar for the Indonesian Air Force.

Commercial operations began on 1 November 1928, marking the inauguration of the Dutch East Indies’ national carrier, KNILM. On that date, the airline launched its first route between Bandung and Surabaya using the Fokker F.VII. The ceremony was attended by Andries Cornelis Dirk de Graeff, the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. At the time, however, flights did not yet operate all the way to Surabaya, but only as far as Semarang due to poor ground conditions at Morokrembangan Airfield in Surabaya. As a result, passengers continued their journey to Surabaya by train from Semarang. Direct flights between Bandung and Surabaya were only introduced a year later by KNILM. At the same time, in addition to services to Semarang and Surabaya, the airline also introduced daily scheduled flights to Tjililitan Airfield (now Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport) in Batavia. By the early 1930s, Andir Airfield had developed into a technical maintenance hub for both KNILM and KLM, the national carrier of the Netherlands, and was already capable of accommodating modern aircraft such as the Douglas DC-3.

World War II and the Indonesian National Revolution

When the Pacific War, part of World War II, broke out in 1941, Andir Airfield served as the home base of the Ie Vliegtuiggroep (1st Air Group, VIG-I) of the ML-KNIL. The unit comprised two afdelingen (divisions), each operating nine Martin B-10 bombers along with two reserve aircraft. At the time, Andir Airfield also hosted one of the ML-KNIL’s technical training schools. The airfield’s air defenses were very weak, consisting of only about half a dozen anti-aircraft guns.

The Japanese recognized the airfield’s strategic importance and therefore subjected it to repeated air raids during the invasion. When the invasion began, Andir Airfield was defended by units of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) and the British Army, which operated the airfield’s anti-aircraft defenses. Aircraft of the ML-KNIL based at Andir Airfield, including Martin B-10s and Brewster F2A Buffalos, were used to attack Japanese positions and slow their advance. Nevertheless, the Japanese landed at Eretan Wetan, Indramayu, on 28 February 1942 and captured Kalijati Airfield in Subang on 2 March. This left Andir Airfield as the last airfield in western Java still under Allied control. The remaining aircraft at Kalijati were evacuated to Andir Airfield. Following the fall of Kalijati, the Japanese launched a major air raid on Andir, which destroyed several aircraft at the airfield, including some that had been evacuated from Kalijati. In response, the Allies decided to evacuate the remaining aircraft and personnel to Australia, while destroying those that could not be removed, including two Hawker Hurricanes. Soon afterwards, following the Allied defeat at the Battle of Tjiater Pass, Bandung was declared an open city, and Allied forces in the Dutch East Indies surrendered on 9 March. The Japanese subsequently took control of the airfield, where they found several abandoned Allied aircraft, including Curtiss P-40 Warhawks.

After its capture, the airfield was progressively improved and expanded by the Japanese throughout the occupation to support their military operations, including the addition of well-equipped facilities such as hangars, workshops, telephone and wireless telegraph systems, and fuel storage. The runway was also repaired and upgraded using captured Allied prisoners of war, who were subjected to harsh treatment by their Japanese captors.

Following Japan’s surrender, the airfield was overrun by an Indonesian mob on 8 October 1945, leading to the capitulation of the Japanese forces there with little to no resistance.