RAF Kai Tak is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station situated in Hong Kong, at Kai Tak Airport, Kowloon. It was established in 1927 and originally used for seaplanes; the station later hosted a few land-based aircraft and spare aircraft for naval units.

It was also the location of HMS Nabcatcher, a Royal Navy Mobile Operational Naval Air Base which was there between 1945 and 1947. At the start of April 1947, it was decommissioned and concurrently re-commissioned as HMS Flycatcher. At the end of December, HMS Flycatcher was officially decommissioned at Kai Tak, although the Royal Navy retained lodger rights.

RAF Kai Tak was officially decommissioned on 30 June 1978, after which all RAF units and responsibilities were transferred to RAF Sek Kong.

  • No. 96 Squadron RAF (16 April – 1 June 1946) - Dakota became No. 110 Squadron RAF (1 June 1946 – 15 September 1947) - Dakota
  • Japan Force Communications Flight RAF (28 April – 1 June 1946) - Dakota IV
  • No. 1430 (Flying Boat Transport) Flight RAF (5 August – 1 September 1946) - Sunderland became No. 88 Squadron RAF (1 September 1946 – 24 June 1951)
  • No. 1903 Air Observation Post Flight RAF, No. 656 Squadron RAF (15 July 1948 – 17 August 1949) are Grade I historic buildings: the Headquarters Building, the Officers Mess and an Annex Block.
  • The former Headquarters Building is located at No. 50 Kwun Tong Road. It housed the Kai Tak Vietnamese Refugee Camp (啟德越南難民營) from 1979 to 1981, and was used for detaining Vietnamese refugees until 1997. It has been housing the Caritas Family Crisis Support Centre (明愛向晴軒) since 2002. Other remaining structures in the compound include a former barrack office, a squash court, an air-raid shelter, a dust bin store, a Nissen hut, a mini-range, a latrine block, basketball court and an incinerator.
  • The Gray Block (克拉克樓), located at No. 2 Kwun Tong Road, was built in 1973. It has been converted into the New Horizons Building (新秀大廈), used by Christian Action.
  • Hangar for aircraft at Choi Hung Road used to store Supermarine Spitfires.

See also

  • List of airports in Hong Kong
  • Sha Tin Airfield
  • Shek Kong Airfield
  • List of former Royal Air Force stations
  • Hong Kong International Airport (located at Chek Lap Kok)
  • Kai Tak Airport (the former Hong Kong International Airport, closed since 1998)
  • Kai Tak Development
  • British Forces Overseas Hong Kong

References

Citations

Bibliography

  • Crest Badge and Information of RAF Kai Tak