Notes

Kai Tak Remembered
More than the usual decade has previously passed since typically the former Hk World Airport at Kai Tak closed for people who do buiness on July six 1998 to become replaced by the superb new service built on gotten back land at Chek Lap Kok about Lantau Island. Typically the two airports are like chalk and parmesan cheese; one futuristic, another was long past their sell by day; but you can still find good deal of who mourn typically the demise of the old place. Lots of people are aviators who readily remember the adrenalin dash as they well guided their aircraft across the instrument guidance method (IGS) just a new few hundred toes above densely populated Kowloon tenements to the infamous orange colored and white decorated checkerboard. When this was in view in addition to the aircraft appropriately aligned at the elevation of just 675 feet (206 metres), a sharp forty seven degree turn seemed to be required to consider the aircraft by way of a sweeping contour before levelling out 150 feet (46 metres) from the runway threshold.

In night, a special illumination system set exactly at 400-foot time periods on rooftops in addition to specially built gantries guided pilots to the runway centre line. As final approach was imminent the spacing between your lights decreased to 200 feet. The necessity to use lights to steer pilots in this particular way, enforced a ban on blinking neon signs during Hong Kong to avoid distracting incoming pilots. The weather was often bad; typhoons, microbursts and severe crosswinds put into the work of pilots and even in many areas Kai Tak seemed to be a major crash waiting to occur. Some errant airplane did end inside the shallow seas of Kowloon Clean and it was indeed fortuitous that will no commercial airliners ever came upon the crammed dwellings of Kowloon or perhaps missed the use end up ploughing into Lion Rock. It was due generally to extremely good aviation skills, superb air traffic control and, specifically in the early times, a wonderful element of luck. The airport terminal certainly had their share of incidents and many flying enthusiasts will possess seen the movie on 'You Tube' that shows just how close a Korean language Air Boeing 747 came to devastation during an intense weather landing.

Mr Kai and Mister Add
The tale of the air-port dates back in order to the 1920s whenever two businessmen, Sir Ho Kai (a trained medical doctor) and Mr Au Tack* (owner associated with a photographic business) formed the Kai Tack Land Expense Company Ltd to be able to reclaim land they will intended to use to build brand new homes. The task failed mainly because few people desired to live on land of which was still infested by mosquitoes. The reclaimed area has been left vacant till it was taken over by the federal government. In November 1924 the Royal Navy ship HMS Pegasus found its way to Victoria Harbour carrying four Fairey IIID seaplanes that will were utilized to carry out aerial photography. These types of were flown in aerial reconnaissance flights over Mires and even Hias Bays, the known haunts regarding notorious pirates that plundered shipping around the South China Sea. Sir Reginald Stubbs flew in 1 of those aircraft and in so carrying out became the initial Chief excutive of Hk in order to survey his territory from a seaplane.

There was clearly the need for a military facility within Hong Kong but below the 1021 Washington Agreement the Uk were not permitted to ascertain a bottom east of Singapore. The British Govt candidly found the solution by developing an airfield for civil use in the site that could also be used by visiting Car Air Arm aeroplanes. In January 1925 American dare devil Harry W Abbott, was granted authorization to start the flying school on the website that he called Kowloon City Discipline. On Lunar Brand new Year Day this individual announced the inauguration of his school by taking away from in a Curtiss Jenny with flame crackers attached to be able to his rudder. But the fireworks did not ignite and this was considered negative fung shui by simply the watching spectators. His colleague, the particular Chinese-American pilot Henry Yee Young, carried out a series regarding aerobatics before Abbott returned to the particular air with Richard Earnshaw aboard who made a parachute decent. But points went badly opposite and Earnshaw landed in the harbor, got tangled inside his parachute plus drowned. A series of situations continued to the courtroom Abbott and by September he was out of cash and forced to sell his aircraft.

The Royal Air flow Force took over the airfield in March 10 1927 and apart by the Japanese job during the Conflict remained in several form until 93. The posting seemed to be not popular at first because of the pungent odours giving out from the regional nullah (open drain) that competed with the smell of lard from a stock situated close by. The pungent nullah continued to meet passengers aboard being released on the aircraft right up in order to the final days of the airport.

Upon November 18 1928 a flight associated with Shorts Southampton traveling boats touched along in the harbour and were attached to special moorings in Kowloon Gulf. This was typically the famous China air travel of Group Captain Cave-Brown-Cave which was being flown from Singapore to Australia that will later evolved while 205 Squadron. Within order to take the aircraft through the water a new concrete slipway had to be built plus a steam crane utilized to lifter the planes on to topsoil. Things had did start to develop and even the Legislative Council set money as well as for improvements and maintenance at the particular facility. By 1930 the runway acquired been levelled and re-turfed plus a steel hanger was completed to replace the matting structures that were prone to capture fire. In Sept. 2010 Mr A M R Moss arrived from London to take up typically the position of Aerodrome Superintendent then their assistant Erik Nelson five years afterwards to influence the development of typically the airfield.

The Imperial Hyperlink
In 1932 the flying team members became embroiled in a disagreement that forced its closure. Vaughan Fowler, the particular prominent manager of the Asia Flying Company, suggested reforming the club in addition to it became the particular Far Eastern Flying School with a fleet of aircraft consisting of a single Avro Avian in addition to three Avro Soldiers. The organization employed a new staff of 10 Chinese, ten English language and had 44 engineering students; the of how interest in aviation acquired progressed. 2 yrs later on the airfield had been further developed together with the addition of a sea wall structure, a surrounding fencing and a ramp for sea aircraft. Work was likewise completed on holiday accommodation for the RAF on the eastern side of the old runway in which buildings were constructed on a dust track that generated the fishing small town of Lei Yut Mun. These a new commanding view more than a sandy beach plus stood 30 metres above the airfield on land wherever blocks of high rise flats might later dominate typically the backdrop on typically the eastern side associated with the airport. Presently there were also ideas to tarmac typically the runway.

In 1928 the British and even Hong Kong governments promised to invest �200, 000 in order to convert Kai Ngakl into a current facility. In Greater london the Colony has been still given only secondary consideration plus it took until 1935 for a civilian control tower plus offices to always be built and for typically the first fire engine to be acquired. On March twenty five 1929 the lengthy awaited first commercial flight arrived whenever the de Havilland DH 86 G-ACWD Diana Class 'Dorado' of Imperial Air passages touched down. This kind of had operated the particular inaugural feeder service from Penang and Saigon that got connected with the delayed UK to Australia (Empire Route) flight that acquired departed from London, uk on March 14. The knowledgeable Imperial Breathing passages pilot, Capt J Lock was throughout command when he noted seeing three sharks basking inside the waters of the South China Sea listed below his aircraft when he neared the Colony. Sweeping through an area known just as Magazine Gap from around 11. 30am the magnificent landscape of Victoria Harbour opened before your pet and he was initially escorted on his approach by the squadron of airplane from HMS Hermes. Awaiting the trip was the Texas chief of Hong Kong, Sir Andrew Caldecott and 200 VIPs who expected in order to greet only the double when the aircraft came to the halt. There was basically an element of surprise when the particular first commercial voyager ever to land at Kai Ngakl emerged from the plane. Ong Ee-Lim, some sort of keen amateur preliminary, had squeezed between 16 bags involving Her Majesty's snail mail after flying their own aircraft from Kuala Lumpur to Penang specifically to always be on the trip.

The Imperial Airways DH 86 had visited the Colony before when Copt Armstrong had flown the aircraft throughout a series involving proving flights the previous year. The people of Hong Kong had followed the progress of these flights for a few considerable time and when poor weather insecure the first involving these, Armstrong not really wishing to sadden the people or even risk losing the precious mail contract flew 1852 miles (2980 kms) through Penang in some sort of single day (September 16). When the route opened in order to regular traffic it cut the 34 day sea trip between England in addition to Hk to 10 days by air. Later, when contract was reached using Siam (now Thailand) the shorter course via Bangkok reduce an additional day in addition to a half through the journey. By typically the time Imperial Air passages had started functioning C Class soaring boats to Singapore, the 15, 500 mile (24, 140 kms) route acquired been reduced in order to 5� days together with the DH 86 offering the final url between Singapore and even Kai Tak. Today, due to the progress manufactured in establishing over-flying rights, shorter ways over Russia, Siberia and China experience substantially reduced the distance between Birmingham and Hong Kong to 6, 1000 miles (9, 856 kms) that modern jets can include non-stop in less than twelve several hours.

Between the Conflicts many famous lengthy distance and round the world record breaking pioneers landed with Kai Tak although regular commercial companies were slow in order to commence. During 1932 the Compagnie Fran�ais Air Orient intended to connect Hong Kong with the Marseilles-Saigon support but plans were dropped. Two yrs earlier the Sino-Deutsche Luft Hansa owned Eurasian Aviation Organization had also suggested a mail way between Kai Gak and Europe but this idea chop down by the wayside, but later expanded its Peiping (Beijing)-Canton in order to Hong Kong on June twenty nine 1937 using the flexible Junkers JU-52. After that, on August 12 1938 Air England arrived from London in their Dewoitine 338 tri-motor F-AQBF 'City of Vientiane' in six days before setting a brand new record between Hanoi and Hong Kong in 3 hours 20 minutes.

In February 1930 Juan Trippe's Pan United states Airways staked some sort of 45 % share to form typically the Chinese National Flying Corporation (CNAC) found in collaborated with the Chinese Ministry regarding Communication. On August 8 they opened up a flying boat service linking Shanghai in china, Wenchow, Foochow, Amoy, Swatow and Quarter with Hong Kong using Sikorsky S-38s. Two years after they flew the route twice-weekly using Douglas Dolphin amphibians, afterwards introducing the Douglas DC-3 as traveler traffic increased.

Griddle Am had already been keen to put Hong Kong for their trans-Pacific operations and April 28 1937 this was achieved with the arrival involving the Sikorsky S042B flying boat (NC16734) 'Hong Kong Clipper' on the extended service from San Francisco and Manila. At that time the Japanese had been already overrunning parts of China and even by July Peking had fallen. Consequently, commercial flights above China became innately dangerous and on a regular basis came under flames through the Japanese. CNAC courageously continued in order to fly and inside 1938 a Douglas DC-2 with the business was shot down near Macau killing all 14 upon board. The aeroplanes was returned in order to Kai Tak simply by barge, repaired and set back into assistance. In October 1940 and may even 1941 a couple of more DC 2s were shot decrease with fatalities when flying the Chunking-Kunming-Hong Kong service. The particular airline's final pre-war flight departed through Kai Tak on December 12 1941 in the same way the Japanese prepared to bomb the airport. The particular British military had already declared Hong Kong indefensible and if the enemy attack commenced on Wednesday December 8 1941 the RAF experienced only three Vickers Wildebeests based from Kai Tak and even two Supermarine Walrus amphibians tethered just offshore. The airport carried on to be strafed destroying six parked airliners and Griddle Am's 'Hong Kong Clipper' that was at anchor. 4 more airliners astonishingly survived an an explosive device that went via the roof of the hanger but failed to explode. Over typically the next two days and nights CNAC aircraft non-stop evacuated airport employees to China although the RAF detachment moved to Hong Kong Island ahead of the British surrendered the territory at christmas. The Japanese took Kai Tak regarding military use nevertheless flights operated by simply Greater Japan Weather Lines that experienced served the air-port in peace moment continued. Two tarmac runways of about 4, 266 ft (1, 300 metres) long were constructed simply by prisoners of war. Kai Tak has been bombed many times from 1942 tom 1945 by Us forces with substantial success but that was deemed not practical to mount any prolonged effort to be able to remove the living in forces.

Japan surrendered on August fifteen 1945 and typically the British re-established their presence. Although Fleet Air Arm Grumman Hellcats and Avengers flew into the airport on September 29 the runways were still littered with bomb craters and the dirt of wrecked enemy aircraft. By mid-September the RAF had began to re-establish a new presence with a squadron of Supermarine Spitfires through Xmas four squadrons had become operational. Short Sunderland flying vessels and Douglas DC-3 Dakotas were added to the mix associated with aircraft using Hong Kong. British Offshore Airways Corporation (BOAC) had expressed their very own intention to determine their very own flying boat solutions from Hythe to be able to the Colony that were postponed at the outbreak of war. These services, making use of the Hythe Course Short Sunderland started on August twenty-four 1946. Throughout the same year a serious storm hit the area wrecking several parked aircraft. This was implemented in quick sequence by a Douglas Dakota military aircraft crashing onto Kowloon Tong after consider off.

RAF squadrons came and proceeded to go throughout most of the post war period bringing with them a variety of aircraft including de Havilland Venoms, Hawker Hunters and numerous helicopter types that have been used for the range of duties including search plus rescue. The British military also deterred a threat through Chinese Communist pushes in the Gem River Delta throughout the late nineteen forties and played a task in helping in order to quell the Hong Kong riots associated with 1967. From 93 onwards the international airport was home to be able to the Royal Hk Auxiliary Air Power, the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps Air unit and even later the Government Flying Service. The Hong Kong Aviation Team also had their particular facility at some sort of corner in the airport close to the threshold of catwalk 13 that in later years supplied an interesting standpoint for enthusiasts.

Cathay Pacific and Article War Developments
In October 1945 a former CNAC start, Roy Farrell, that had flown the infamous eastern Himalayas 'Hump' between Cina, Burma and Of india during the War bought an ageing Douglas C-47 of which he had transformed for civilian use as a DC-3. He flew typically the aircraft from typically the USA via some sort of roundabout route to Shanghai w here he attained his old pal, former Australian war ace, Syd sobre Kantzow. The pals formed an flight that in Feb . 1946 started functioning cargo flights out and about of Shanghai. The particular aircraft was registered VR-HAD and named 'Betsy' and the label they adopted typically the company, Cathay Ocean Airways, became the legend. A next DC-3 (VR-HDB) named 'Nikki' was additional plus the enterprise rapidly became extremely lucrative causing trepidation between their Chinese equals. The situation had become 'unhealthy' in typically the old Chinese town and Farrell and even de Kantzow noticed the wisdom associated with moving their functioning to British managed Hk. After marketing for air hostesses Cathay Pacific began making trial traveler flights to Manila, Bangkok and Singapore. A year later five more DC-3s and two Consolidated Catalina PBY 5a amphibians had been acquired second-hand since more destinations have been added. Catalina, VR-HDT 'Miss Macao' made history because it was subjected to the first behave of air piracy. On July 19 1948 four China attempted to take control of the aircraft involving Macau and Hk in the opinion that gold bullion and coins was being transferred. One of the particular hijackers was mentioned to have experienced a basic knowledge involving flying the airplane type but issues went wrong when a struggle ensued and Captain Dale Cramer was shot in the brain. The aircraft proceeded to go out of manage and crashed in to the Pearl Water Delta with a new crew of three and 23 individuals aboard. One associated with the hijackers was your only survivor. In June 15 72 a further incident occurred when some sort of bomb aboard one particular of the company's Convair 880s ruined the aircraft over Vietnam.

In 1948 one of many 'noble' Uk trading companies, David Swire and Sons invested in Cathay Ocean. Farrell sold the stake in the airline and returned to Texas inside 1948 and de Kantzow resigned found in 1951. The airline grew substantially and is now one of many world's foremost providers. Swire's main rivals, Jardine Matheson held Hong Kong Breathing passages that also run from Kai Tidak. BOAC had spent in this air travel to link Chinese cities to their international routes, but in 1959 Hong Kong Airways merged with Cathay Pacific. Typically the airline also established a highly trustworthy maintenance facility, typically the Hk Aviation Anatomist Company (HAECO) in Kai Tak and in more modern decades it became a serious shareholder in the particular two other Hong Kong based flight companies; Dragonair and Air flow Hong Kong.

Because the War the design of Kai Tak continued to change to satisfy the quick requirements of the ever changing aircarrier industry. During the particular 1950s the airport terminal witnessed a huge increase in regional and international functions. Many international companies including BOAC, Skillet American Airways, Qantas, Air India, Northwest and Canadian Ocean added Hong Kong for their schedules. Douglas DC-4s and DC-6s, Boeing B-377 Stratocruisers, Bristol Britannias plus Lockheed Constellations have been regular visitors and even with the turbo-props came the want for a longer runway. In 1958 a new 8, 340 feet (2, 542 metres) x two hundred feet (60. 96 metres) runway was opened on gotten back land at the elevation of of sixteen feet (4. 87 metres) above Kowloon Bay with overrun parts of 750 feet (228. 60 metres) with the northwest ending and 300 ft (91. 44 metres) on the water dealing with end. Over three or more, 000 workmen toiled for the project that will commenced in The month of january 1956 but accomplished promptly for typically the arrival with the initial flight on July 31 1958. The parallel taxi-way in addition to a new voyager terminal building were added. At the official opening involving the runway about September 12th a Comet 4 associated with BOAC specifically flown to Hong Kong from the de Havilland airfield at Hatfield became the initial jet airliner at any time to land in the airport. By the end involving 1958 4, 773 aircraft had arrived and 19 airlines operated 184 flights per week to plus from Kai Ngakl. On July 18 1959 a Cathay Pacific DC-3 formally opened night functions into the airport after additional lighting was installed.

Throughout 1960 Pan Was flew the primary B-707 into Kai Tak followed inside the same season by the initial DC-8 operated by simply Japan Air Lines. A milestone arrived if the first B-747, Pan Am 'Clipper One' touched straight down on April 11 1970 witnessed by simply a vast group. The arrival with the wide bodied period brought additional strain to further enhance the runway length. By 1974 an extension had expanded this to eleven, 130 feet (3, 390 metres) and additional taxiways, turn-off plus parking areas along with a new fire station had been included. Traffic had elevated to such a great extent that by simply 1995-96 61 air carriers using Kai Gak were contributing a couple of, 850 passenger and cargo flights and 230 non-scheduled flights weekly. 78 for each cent of these flights were wide bodied aircraft in addition to this had elevated the number regarding passengers passing via the terminal to be able to 28 million. Typically the facility had furthermore become the world's second busiest shipment airport handling a single. 48 million soucis. With 31 timetabled movements per hours Kai Tak experienced reached maximum potential and countless extra requests for getting slots needed to be refused. It was apparent that the fresh airport was vital so when it opened up for people who do buiness at 6. 20am with typically the arrival of Cathay Pacific CX889 primary from Nyc that was not ahead of time.

*For some reason the 'c' was dropped in the airport name though it did appear while Kai Tack around the original gates.

By simply Bob Bluffield

Robert 'Bob' Bluffield can be a full time writer/photographer and it is the author of 'Imperial Air passages - The Beginning of the United kingdom Airline Industry 1914-1940' published by Ian Allan October this year.
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