Raf kai tak history books

The raf museum has developed the hidden heroes project to raise awareness about the untold story of jewish personnel in the raf during the second world war and the vital role they played. The squadron reformed at peterhead in scotland on 7 july 1941 as a spitfire fighter squadron. The classic account of wwii aerial combat by pierre clostermann, bomber co. It soon became a small airport for the royal air force, flying clubs and pilot. In 1966 the station was transferred to the royal artillery and renamed rapier barracks, closing on 31 mar 2004, after which it reverted to raf control. Hong kong, cross harbour tunnel, hong kong entrance gwulo. Dr hokai and mr au tak started an illfated building scheme. Raf sek kong, the engineering club kai tak sek kong. Half a century later, the 27story mandarin oriental, hong kong can no longer claim those titles, but its still. I was surprised at how far the old raf kai tak hangar was from what i thought of as the airport area. The adjacent land was given to the hk government which built and named the airport after them. The history channel program most extreme airports ranked it as the 6th most dangerous airport in the world. Welcome to forces reunited the place where you can find information and friends from raf kai tak we are the largest and fastest growing community of uk forces veterans on the web with over 500,000 members. Note current raf stations are listed under the currently recognised counties of the united kingdom, or overseas countries.

Popular raf squadron books showing 2 of 33 the greatest squadron of them all. Many regionalhistory and anecdote books tell that kai tak airport was so named to commemorate ho kai and au tak, the alleged founders of the airport. Formed in 1918, the royal air force is the oldest independent air force in the world. From the everyday to the extraordinary, raf stories celebrates all experiences of the raf. The raf left kai tak and moved most other operations to sek kong airfield. Prior to the closure of raf kai tak in the 1970s, kai tak airport and the airfield prior to it was divided into civilian and military use. This long history has seen operations conducted across a variety of terrains in vastly different aircraft, from biplanes to bombers, from jet to delta wing, through to the fighter, surveillance, and air mobility aircraft of today. I was surprised at how far the old raf kai tak hangar was from what i. A brief visual history of hong kongs old airport, kai tak. This collection highlights the wide scope of the project, with stories of friendship, courage, tragedy and triumph. Kai tak airport world cities view map airplane view hong kong street view history city pictures 1950s raf kai tak,kowloon,hong kong. Aviation raf books tagged aviation raf librarything.

These form a very useful resource for those researching the history of a particular unit, station or. Hong kong museum of history hong kong hong kong museum of coastal defence hong kong point of interest air raid shelter kai tak raf air base hong kong location argyle street camp hong kong japanese bunker hong kong monument memorial canadian prisoners of war hong kong hong kong city hall memorial garden hong kong. Bleak house books, blue lotus gallery, bookazine, hong kong book centre. Like a lot of people, i have been sorting out the house during lockdown, and came across this pic of the raf sealand angling club in the mid 80s. If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the first or second world war, please do not destroy them. The year 1924 was a critical point of aviation history of hong kong, when the story. Subsequently, the airfield was demolished in the early 1970s to make way for developing the sha tin new town. An updated short history of the raf regiment from 1942 to 1982 with a brief account of the approach to the problems of airfield defence in the royal air force from 1918 until the formation of its own defence corps in 1942. For many years the rafs deltawing jet bomber was the cornerstone of britains nuclear deterrent. From 1968 to 1978 it was used by various raf helicopter units, as well as the royal hong kong auxiliary air force and hong kong volunteer defence corps air unit.

Books about the royal air force raf from world war 2 to the. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our po box as packages are not accepted. The raf hangar at tai hom can be seen at lower left near the access road. Dr ho kai and mr au tak started an illfated building scheme. So here is a sequence of maps and aerial photographs over the last 100 years or so, showing how the area has changed. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. On 1 september 1946 no 1430 flight at raf kai tak, hong kong was renumbered no 88 squadron for maritime transport duties. Faced with the fact that future promotion within the raf would move him from cockpit to desk, brian elected to join then then fledgling airline, cathay pacific. We currently have 7 books in this category in stock.

The raf had always occupied the eastern end of kai tak next to todays richland and telford gardens whilst the civilian side was located at the western end. Courier services between bases in the far east were operated until it was redesignated a general reconnaissance unit. Aircrew logbooks we have an extensive collection of aircrew logbooks, covering all aircrew trades, periods and theatres, although the majority are from the two world wars. Ju 52 aircraft in flight during an air show at duxford, england, united kingdom, 8 jul 2007. Wings over hong kong an aviation history, 18911988 a tribute to kai tak. The raf flight operated a few land based aircraft as well as having spare aircraft for naval units. Sulphur channel from the new volume 3 of gwulos books. The airport was also home to the former raf kai tak.

Gwulo has over 30000 pages about hong kongs history including over 15000 photos. It opened as raf kai tak in 1927 and a concrete slipway was added in 1928. In 1962, typhoon wanda severely damaged much of the site and moved to kai tak airport to relocate with the raf around 1963. For many years the raf s deltawing jet bomber was the cornerstone of britains nuclear deterrent. Many regionalhistory and anecdote books tell that kai tak airport was so. Whirlwind in royal air force helicopter history site. The books in this section are all written by former raf personnel who have, for a variety of reasons, decided toturn their reallife experiences into entertaining novels. For more information about this place, please click the view button above. His story continues with many exciting incidents flying from the companys home base at kai tak in hong kong. Ki27 fighter and the wreck of an eurasia aviation corporation ju 52 passenger aircraft at raf kai tak, kowloon, hong kong, late 1945. I was supposed to be in the photo, but was on duty at the time it was taken, prob gate guard with a pickaxe handle. The world war ii database is founded and managed by c. In 1925, kai tak was a simple grassstrip airfield which served the british raf and enthusiasts from the hong kong aviation club.

On 1 march 1968 the squadron reformed at raf kai tak, hong kong was a helicopter transport unit. Royal hong kong auxiliary air force project gutenberg self. A history of aviation in hong kong peter pigott on. Raf kai tak was a royal air force station in hong kong. The books all featurelife in the raf to some extent, often with an amusing twist, and therefore will appeal in, particular, toraf veterans. Welcome to, and over 30,000 pages about old hong kong. A topical reference list on archival materials relating to kai tak airport kept in the pro has been compiled in conjunction with this exhibition. Reopened xxx 2004, under administrative control of raf scampton, but operational control of the asacs force command at raf boulmer. Read about the vulcans operational history and take a closeup look at its construction. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Raf regiment books raf regiment association official. So here is a sequence of maps and aerial photographs over the.

The wartime memories project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. The officers quarters compound, raf officers mess of the exroyal air force station kai tak now houses the kai tak campus of hong kong baptist university. Hms hermes, the royal air force raf aircraft carrier, visited hong kong in 1925. It was the first to be equipped with the merlin helicopter. This list of raf stations is a list of all current stations, airfields, and administrative headquarters of the royal air force. Not long moved from kai tak where i helped run the eng. The definitive history of 603 city of edinburgh squadron, rauxaf volume ii. First, it is aiming to offer interesting and useful information about ww2. Arising from the committees deliberations came a recommendation to establish a royal air force museum.

Seaplanes began using victoria harbour in mar 1911. Raf kai tak project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. A selection of books about the raf featuring many aspects of life in the royal air force during war and peacetime raf memoirs, raf history, raf squadrons, raf bases around the world, raf aircrew, raf groundcrew, raf humour, raf training, raf police, the waaf and more. If you are looking for a specific book which we do not have in stock, then please get in touch and well let you know just as soon as it comes in. History of royal air force kai tak imperial war museums. In 1962 the air force board formed a committee, under the chairmanship of marshal of the royal air force sir dermot boyle, to advise the board on historical and museum matters. The remaining reclamation was accomplished and an airport, known as the aerodrome at kai tak, was built. In october 1944 the squadron moved to france and for the rest of the war was involved in tactical bombing missions in support of the allied land forces. For too long the rafs jewish personnel have been hidden heroes, their exploits unknown. The titles of the archival materials appear in english or chinese according to the language of the reference materials.