World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
airfield in
Chenggong County
Chenggong District () is one of seven districts of the prefecture-level city of Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The district was approved to build from the dissolution of the former ''Chenggong County'' () by the State Co ...
,
Yunnan
Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the ...
,
Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northea ...
, at in the suburb of
Kunming
Kunming (; ), also known as Yunnan-Fu, is the capital and largest city of Yunnan province, China. It is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province as well as the seat of the provincial government. The headqua ...
. After its demolished during the PRC era, its current site is Chenggung New District No. 1 Elementary School (呈贡新区第一小学).
History
WWII
Construction of the airfield began in November 1942, with the airfield opening on 27 January 1943. Chengkung was a major terminal for "
the Hump
The Hump was the name given by Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military transport aircraft from India to China to resupply the Chinese war effort of Chiang Kai-shek and ...
" trans-Himalayan transport aircraft between
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
and China for
Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswell ...
and
Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces.
It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained ...
and
C-46 Commando
The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a twin-engine transport aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurised high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company pub ...
aircraft. In addition,
Air Technical Service Command
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
maintained a maintenance and supply facility at the base to support the airlift operations over the Himalayas.
In addition to the transport mission, Chengkung was used by the 374th and 375th Bombardment Squadrons, flying
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models d ...
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
fighters from the field beginning in October 1943. Also the
16th Fighter Squadron
HV-016 is a former military unit of Norway, that was a part of the Home Guard. It was established after 1985 to "stop terror- or sabotage actions that could weaken or paralyze Norway's ability to mobilize its military and its ability to resist".
...
, with
P-40 Warhawk
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time an ...
s arrived in October. Photo-reconnaissance aircraft used Chengkung throughout the war, flying combat intelligence missions over Japanese-held territory until 30 September 1945 when operations ceased and the facility was closed.
Agricultural use
Later, under the PRC era, the airfield has been dismantled, the land being used for agriculture. The only remnants of the base are parts of the main runway, which can be discerned in aerial photography. Taxiways and dispersals are largely removed, although some remain as single-lane roads connecting agricultural fields.
Current site: School
Its current site is Chenggung New District No. 1 Elementary School (呈贡新区第一小学). On 12 June 2017, the school held a ceremony to endorse "Kunming Flying Tigers Elementary School" as its official nickname. The ceremony was attended by
Raymond Greene
Charles Raymond Greene (17 April 1901 – 6 December 1982) was a British doctor and an accomplished mountaineer.
Biography
Greene was born in Berkhamsted.Consulate General of the United States at Chengdu. The nickname is presented by the Yunnan Flying Tigers Research Institute (云南省飞虎队研究会).
See also
*
Kunming Wujiaba International Airport
Kunming Wujiaba International Airport was the main airport serving Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, China. It is located south-east of metropolitan Kunming. Originally built in 1923, the airport had been renovated numerous times in ...
References
* Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983.
Airfields & Seaplane Anchorages China