Background of Kai Tak Airport

Location

Kai Tak airport is situated at the head of Kowloon harbour, 3 miles NE of Kowloon city, opposite Hong Kong. Island.

The airfield had two concrete runways07/25, 1585 x 75yds & 12.30, 1525 x 110yds. 4 hardstandings (2 for RN use) and one permanent hanger. The airfield is 10 feet above mean sea level.
 

Beginnings

The airfield at Kai Tak was established in 1924 on reclaimed land in Kowloon bay, the site was intended as a housing development that did not materialise. The name Kai Tak did not exist before 1924, the site is named after the two local businessman Sir Ho Kai and Mr Au Tak, who where the backers of the abandoned housing project.

The grass airfield saw its first flight at the beginning of 1925; the Royal Air Force established a military presence at Kai Tak in 1927. A crane and slipway were added in 1928 to enable flying boat operations. A tarmac runway, running east-west and 457 metres long, was completed in 1939.

December 25th 1941 Hong Kong Surrendered to the Japanese army.

The Japanese planned to develop Kai Tak airfield and work began in 1942 to construct hard standings and two paved runways; a new second runway running North-south and an extension of the existing East-west one, both 1.500yards in length. Tenement buildings which stood on part of the site were demolished to make way for the runways; these also provided a ready source of hard core.

When the Japanese Surrender was announced on August 15th 1945 the airfield had been sabotaged, buildings blown up and communication lines were cut, any remaining Japanese aircraft were also spiked.

Cdr. D. H. S. Craven, who had been Staff Officer (Operations) in Hong Kong pre-war, acting as the representative of the former Colonial Secretary for Hong Kong Mr Gimson, flew out to H.M.S. Indomitable, Admiral Harcourt’s flag ship, to discuss the state of affairs that existed and to finalise instruction for the surrender of the Japanese garrison. They had discharged themselves from Stanley Prison Camp on August 19th and set up a provisional government on the island.

The Japanese commander in Hong Kong had agreed to the signing of a surrender document on board HMS Indomitable off Hong Kong, an Avenger with an escort of Hellcats was despatched to the airfield on August 29th to collect the Japanese representative. Ironically, the Avenger got lost in bad weather on the return trip to Kai Tak and was forced to land in China; the Japanese officer was only saved from almost certain execution by the aircrew protesting that he was already their prisoner!

The Royal Navy formally reoccupied Kai Tak airfield on September 3rd 1945 when aircraft of H.M.S Indomitable arrived to occupy the station. Indomitable was soon tasked with sending out working parties ashore to put the airfield back into limited operational condition, re-establishing essential facilities, communications links and securing the airfield perimeter.

Also arriving in Hong Kong on September 3rd was the liner Empress of Australia with 3,000 RAF personnel of ‘Force SHIELD’ on board. They had been diverted to Hong Kong en route to build airfields on Okinawa, and were now to repair airfields and air facilities in Hong Kong. The R.A.F. claimed Kai Tak for themselves and proclaimed it R.A.F. Station Kai Tak – a point of contention as the Royal Navy also had plans for the station. It was decided that the station would be jointly occupied, with two camp areas and two sets of maintenance areas. However, after many, sometimes nearly disastrous experiments at dual air traffic control, it was decided that the R.A.F. should have sole control over ATC.

On September 6th R.A.F. flying operations began with the Catalinas of 240 Sqdn began flying in personnel, they were soon joined by 132 Sqdn flying Spitfire XIVs, and a second Spitfire unit, 681 Sqdn with Spitfire PR 19s which also arrived later in the month. Sunderland flying boats from 209 Sqdn and 1430 Flight also arrived to operate from the harbour.

RN Control

H.M.S. Nabcatcher commissioned at Kai Tak in late September where it was to share the airfield with the R.A.F.
 

Post War
The civilian airport reopened after the cessation of hostilities, the military presence was to remain for many years. H.M.S. Nabcatcher was redesignated as an RN Air Section August 27th 1946, and ceased to be an independent command, its accounts being administered by H.M.S. Tamar.

On April 1st 1947 'Nabcatcher' was paid off.; the RN Air Section was renamed HMS Flycatcher the same day.

HMS Flycatcher paid off on December 31st 1947; the RN Air Section facilities at Kai Tak Airport were reduced to a ‘care & Maintenance’ basis at 18 months notice to reopen. This option was never taken up.