Sha Tin Airfield

Former airport in New Territories, Hong Kong

Shatin Airfield

RAF Shatin

Runway of Sha Tin Airfield (highlighted in yellow)

* IATA: N/A
* ICAO: VHST

Summary
Airport type| Military, Defunct
Owner| British Hong Kong
Operator| Royal Air Force, Army Air Corps
Serves| Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
Location| Sha Tin
Elevation AMSL| 26 ft / 8 m
Coordinates| 22°22′49″N 114°11′23″E﻿ / ﻿22.38024°N 114.18983°E﻿ / 22.38024; 114.18983
Runways
| Direction | Length  | Surface

|
|

ft  | m
05/23  | 1,969  | 600  | Paved concrete

Sha Tin Airfield was a small military airfield in Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong, which had a single concrete runway. The airfield was located along the Shing Mun River and looked out to Tide Cove. The airfield served as a Flight (military unit) location for most of the location's existence.[1]

The airfield was destroyed by storm surge from Typhoon Wanda in 1962, and subsequently abandoned.[2] It was demolished in the early 1970s as the RAF consolidated their operations at RAF Shek Kong and later re-developed as part of the New Town project for Shatin.

## Location

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Sha Tin Airfield was located near the Sha Tin station of the Kowloon-Canton Railway British Section, next to the shallow shores of Tide Cove.[3]

The runway is now the site of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, New Town Plaza Phase 3 and Royal Park Hotel, while the base is currently occupied by Sha Tin Park.[4]

## History

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Before Sha Tin Airfield was built, Belgian pilot Charles van den Born flew his Farman Mk II bi-plane "Wanda" from an airfield in the area on 18 March 1911.[5][6] In 1997 a 1:1 replica of the plane named Spirit of Shatin (沙田精神號), was made and displayed at the Hong Kong International Airport.

In 1949, Sha Tin Airfield was built for use by the Royal Air Force (as RAF Shatin). The designation as an RAF airfield was brief and was transferred to the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC).[7] In the 1950s and 1960, the AAC rotated in various air observation post Flight units from United Kingdom to Hong Kong:

* No. 20 Independent Reconnaissance Flight[8]
* No. 1900 Independent Air Observation Post Flight RAF between 21 April 1953 and 1 September 1957[9]
* No. 1903 Air Observation Post Flight RAF between 11 April 1949 and 10 July 1951[9]
* No. 7 Flight AAC
* No. 8 Flight AAC
* No. 12 Flight AAC
* No. 16 Flight AAC
* No. 25 Flight AAC
* No. 29 Flight AAC

The air observation post were under the command of the 40th Infantry Division. The airfield operated the Auster AOP.6, an aircraft also used by the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force.[3]

During the late 1950s a private club used the airfield to fly RC model airplanes.[10] The club remained at the airfield until 1970.

In 1962, Typhoon Wanda severely damaged much of the site and moved to Kai Tak airport to relocate with the RAF around 1963. Subsequently, the airfield was demolished in the early 1970s to make way for developing the Sha Tin New Town.[2]

## Facilities

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The airfield consisted of a single 600-metre runway, direction 05/23. Facilities at the airfield consisted of a small control tower, building and hangars made of corrugated steel sections. The mansion of Ho Tung Lau located at the edge of the Tide Cove adjacent to the KCR railway, was used as the air observation post headquarters building.[1]

## See also

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* Military of Hong Kong
* British Forces Overseas Hong Kong
* Sek Kong Airfield
* RAF Kai Tak
* Aviation history of Hong Kong

## References

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1. ^ a b "Shatin Airfield – 1954 article about British Army/RAF use". The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group. 19 May 2023.
2. ^ a b "Shatin Airfield 1949-1962". The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group. 11 November 2023.
3. ^ a b “ARMY-R.A.F. TEAMWORK”, Flight, 28 May 1954, pp. 694-695. Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
4. ^ "【交通史】為什麼沙田機場消失得無影無蹤？" (in Chinese). 27 November 2017.
5. ^ "The Aviation Meeting - Flight At Shatin". Hong Kong Daily Press. 20 March 1911. p. 2.
6. ^ "Shatin – first powered flight in Hong Kong 1911". The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group. 13 February 2023.
7. ^ "Beside The Bamboo Curtain - No. 28 Squadron at the End o/ the Far East Pipeline", Flight, 4 October 1957, p. 539. Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
8. ^ "SERVICE AVIATION - Air Force, Naval and Army Flying News", Flight, 6 July 1961, p.22. Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
9. ^ a b Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 130.
10. ^ Hong Kong Model Engineering Club Limited

* Sturtivant, Ray; Hamlin, John (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.

## Further reading

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* 宋軒麟 (2004), 《香港航空百年》, Hong Kong: Joint Us Press (ISBN 962-04-2188-4)

## External links

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* Hong Kong Historical Aircraft Postcard Set 3