A couple from Kai Tak

Looking the orientation of the RAF runway, I assume take offs and landings were even more were even more challenging back in the day

My memory is playing tricks.

As the airliners came in over the flat we were in at Lomond road, I drew the runway accordingly.

But – there was another runway crossing the one in red – alongside the ‘box’ I drew for RAF Kai Tak going from left to right.

IIRC, the main road circled the old airport and went round the left hand side of RAF Kai Tak – in fact it crossed the left/right runway and there were traffic lights to stop the traffic – at least that’s what my memory is telling me.

In 1958 I remember going aboard a Short Sunderland that had flown up from Singapore and was moored in the bay – just about where the start of the new runway is now located – and seeing a US Navy Martin Marlin landing near where the runway is now.

But it was all 50+ years ago…… 😮

I visited China & HK recently – and photographed the very same married quarter we lived at in Sek Kong Village in the New Territories – it’s still there !!!

Ken

If you use Google maps you will see it has been completely redeveloped. If you don’t know the layout of Kai Tak you’d be hard pushed to work out what was where. In your picture on the top left hand side of the ‘waste ground’ there is a large white building which I believe may be the accommodation block as it was the only building of that size we had. Is it possible to get a closer view?

@Flanker_man – the swimming pool was next to the accommodation block where I lived!

Here’s a view from my room across the airport. The low white buildings in the foreground are the 28 squadron offices/ready room/ground crew rooms

No problem at all with the doctoring. Its fascinating to see how the RAF Kai Tak differed from the final configuration. Sadly, I’ve only experienced landing at the shiny new airport, although my ex (very nervous passenger) landed at Kai Tak back in the 80’s and never realised how demanding a landing it was!

Looking the orientation of the RAF runway, I assume take offs and landings were even more were even more challenging back in the day. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some photos of how the airport is now in a couple of weeks time, but knowing the usual Chinese rate of progress, no doubt its already covered with high rise appartments!

Thanks again, thats fascinating 🙂

Great photo, nigelrob – it brings back lots of memories….

I was a young kid in Hong Kong from 1957 to 1960.

We lived near the old Kai Tak in 1958 – in Lomond Road, right under the flight path of DC-7’s and Constellations.

That’s where I got my abiding love of aviation..

I played at Kai Tak when the new runway was being built – amongst the buldozers and graders.

Our school used to get bussed to RAF Kai Tak to use their swimming pool.

They had Venoms IIRC (I was only 11 at the time! :eek:)

I hope you don’t mind, but I have ‘doctored’ your photo to show the old runway etc…

Ken

I’m off to the east next weekend so I’ll try and get a better shot then. I’ll be interested to see how much development they’ve done on the site in the past few years.

So many memories.Wait a minute, think I need to get a zoom in as there’s a building left standing which looks very familiar 🙂

Kai Tak, from the air, November 2009 (sorry about the image size)

These photos were taken from my room, excellent view whatever the weather. Landings could be a little hairy, I took flying lessons there and we often had to slot in between jumbo and 707 or similar. 😀

I fly to Hong Kong a few times each year and the flight path takes me directly over Kai Tak. The old airport is now a building site, but seeing it there with the runway poking out into the harbour, never ceases to amaze me. It must have been a spectacular place to live near and fly into, some of the videos of landings there on youtube are amazing.

The new airport it spacious, efficient and utterly lacking in character (but could still teach Heathrow lots of things)

I’ll try and dig out some aerial photos of how Kai Tak is now.