RAF Kai Tak


RAF Kai Tak was a Royal Air Force station in Hong Kong. It was opened in 1927 and used for seaplanes. The RAF flight operated a few land based aircraft as well as having spare aircraft for naval units.

History

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. The RAF left Kai Tak and moved most other operations to Sek Kong Airfield.
From 1993 onwards the civilian Government Flying Service replaced the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force at Kai Tak, thus ending the RAF presence at the airport.
The apron and the old NCO Mess areas were used by the Royal Hong Kong Police Force as the Police Driving School premises for a number of years until re-sited.

Non-military users

It was the main airfield in Hong Kong housing other non-military users:
During the Japanese occupation from 1941-1945, Japanese A6M Zero fighters were based at Kai Tak.
A list of British aircraft stationed there:
AircraftTypeNumberDatesNotes
Gloster Meteorfighter– 1962
de Havilland Vampirefighter– 1962
de Havilland Venomfighter– 1962
Fairey Flycatcherfighter1927–?
Hawker Horsleybomber31935–1937
de Havilland Tiger Mothtrainer21935–1937
Chance-Vought Corsair fighter1950s
Bristol Beaufighterfighter-bomber1950s
de Havilland Hornetfighter1950s
Hawker Hunterfighter1962–1967
Gloster Javelin Mk 9FWInterceptor1966-1967

Squadrons

The Japanese were stationed at Kai Tak during World War II and extended the runway at the base.
A list of RAF units at Kai Tak:
Kai Tak's first runway was a grass strip and the first tarmac, an east-west runway, was 457 metres long in 1939. A series of extensions were added over the years:
Several buildings of the former station remain. Three of them, built in 1934, are Grade I historic buildings: the Headquarters Building, the Officers Mess and an Annex Block.