Wanted: Info On Hunter XE622 Over Hong Kong

Thanks..

Thank you all for your answers… My friend was very happy with the result of his search!

Aerovet

Hello all,
My friend spent a good part of his youth at the former crown colony, and he assured me that the Kai Tak runway was finished in 1958 or about..
Gert Jan Mentink (AKA as Aerovet)

I spent 3 years in HK – starting in October 1957 as a ten-year old son of a British Army sergeant.

The first year was spent near the old Kai Tak – where I used to go and play around the Hong Kong flying club and got my lifelong passion for aviation

I used to go onto the roof of our flat and watch the DC-7s, Constellations, Britannias etc fly right over – only a few hundred feet directly above.

At that time the new runway out to sea was still being constructed – the lorries carrying the rocks to fill in the new runway went past our flat in Lomond Rd 24 hours a day.

In fact I used to play along the breakwaters where the runway was being built.

Our school (St Georges for military kids) used to use RAF Kai Tak swimming pool – and we were bussed in – past rows of Venoms (FB5s???)

We then moved to Sek Kong – and finally in 59/60 to Stanley on the far side of the island.

I remember hearing a story that the new Kai Tak runway was to be opened by a BOAC Comet 4C flown by John Cunningham – the first touch down marking the official opening.

The story went that an RN helicopter actually touched down the day before – therebye claiming a first!!

Whilst at Stanley, I remember looking up and seeing, for the first time ever, a Boeing 707 – probably Pan Am making an inaugural fright into the new HK runway – so the new runway must have opened in late 59 – early 60.

I don’t remember any Hunters being there – they must have come later??

Ah! memories – so vivid after all these years !!

Ken

Here’s 2 of the ‘new’ Hunter FGA9s going to 28 Sqn. XG272 and XG293.They are still wearing 43 Sqn markings and passed through RAF Changi, Singapore on 7th July 1962.

I didn’t see any other Hunters on delivery that year – I would have done as I lived directly above the ‘pan’, so they either were the last ones delivered or the others went through Tengah or even perhaps by sea.
David Taylor.

XE622 was indeed based at RAF Kai Tak with 28 Squadron and was coded ‘A’.

28 Sqn. re-equipped with Hunters in 1962 and this photos therefore shows XE622 after conversion to an FGA.9.

The squadron was disbanded in 1967 but XE622 never made it that far, being written off and destroyed by an engine starter explosion in July 1966.

Prior to all that, ‘622 was delivered (as an F.6) in July 1956 to 263 Sqn. before moving to 66 Sqn. in September 1959, then No. 1 Sqn. in April 1960. The aircraft was returned to Hawkers for upgrade to an FGA.9 in October of the same year.

finished in 1958 or about

That was the new runway finished in 57 – replaced the two Jap built RWs 13/31(old) & 07/25…this reduced (but did not stop entirely)the accident rate ( approach was notorious).