Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force - part of RAF?
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Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force - part of RAF?
Had the modern equivalent of a bar room conversation (Zoom!) with an old chum about whether or not the RHKAAF was considered ‘part ‘ of the RAF or not. He says it was, I’m not so sure but then I’m a bit younger than him!
what is the opinion of the pprune experts?
what is the opinion of the pprune experts?
As far as I remember, it was always an "auxiliary" organisation to the Royal Air Force. Two (at least) of its officers, the Chief Pilot and the Chief Engineering Officer, were RAF squadron leaders on exchange. Former members (it was disbanded in 1993) would be able to give a more accurate answer.
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It looks like it was RAF and Army.
In Robbie Shaw's book on Kai Tak, The Final Decade, there are a number of images of helos with RAF numbering and in one case a Royal Air Force Wessex.
He says they were operated by 660 Squadron. On the opposite page to the Wessex is an Army Scout .Later there is an image of an S76 in VR Rego when they became the GFS.
Wunwing
In Robbie Shaw's book on Kai Tak, The Final Decade, there are a number of images of helos with RAF numbering and in one case a Royal Air Force Wessex.
He says they were operated by 660 Squadron. On the opposite page to the Wessex is an Army Scout .Later there is an image of an S76 in VR Rego when they became the GFS.
Wunwing
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A couple of thoughts:
The RAF’s last Spitfires(Mk24) were operated by the the RHKAAF.
The RAF’s 28 Sqn did operate from HKGFS’s Kai Tak base for its last few months before being disbanded.
The RAF’s last Spitfires(Mk24) were operated by the the RHKAAF.
The RAF’s 28 Sqn did operate from HKGFS’s Kai Tak base for its last few months before being disbanded.
I spent two longish detachments in Hong Kong flying to Katmandu with the Britannia in the early seventies. We spent quite a lot of time in the bar of the RAF Officer's mess at Kai Tak and I can't remember meeting anyone from the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force. I think they only had helicopters at thet time.
There's a very nice video of the final flypast of the HKAAF Spitfires on http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/it...ect/1060042560. Might be of interest?
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There's a very nice video of the final flypast of the HKAAF Spitfires on http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/it...ect/1060042560. Might be of interest?
It was, I believe, the last ever official formation flight by any Spitfires in RAF service. Hence the title.
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Background to the Auxiliaries page 19, Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force page 173. Part of the RAF, yes.
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documen...ary-Forces.pdf
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documen...ary-Forces.pdf
I spent two longish detachments in Hong Kong flying to Katmandu with the Britannia in the early seventies. We spent quite a lot of time in the bar of the RAF Officer's mess at Kai Tak and I can't remember meeting anyone from the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force. I think they only had helicopters at thet time.
According to Wiki RHKAAF was based at Kai Tak from 1949 to 1993 when it was disbanded and the non military operations moved to the newly formed Government Flying Services. They did make use the runway at Sek Kong when it was not operating as a camp for the boat people.
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They did make use the runway at Sek Kong when it was not operating as a camp for the boat people.
According to Wiki RHKAAF was based at Kai Tak from 1949 to 1993 when it was disbanded and the non military operations moved to the newly formed Government Flying Services. They did make use the runway at Sek Kong when it was not operating as a camp for the boat people.
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Yes, my mistake, I meant GFS. The RHKAAF staff went home in RAF uniforms and the next day wore their new “local government issue”. The aircraft were retained, albeit on civilian plates. The unit crest was along the same lines as all other RAF ones, with the Royal Crown and "Semper Paratus" as it's motto.
Last edited by ShyTorque; 12th Mar 2021 at 17:41.
was an 'auxiliary unit of the Royal Air Force' formed in 1949 and disbanded on 1 Apr 1993
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I think they were part of the RAF. There were always some supervisory RAF staff posted there, i.e. QFIs /QHIs. Would the RAF "give" away a squadron of Mk24 Spitfires to a non RAF organisation? I doubt it and after all the "R" in RHKAAF stood for "Royal". The unit had a royal crown on its badge.
One of the Mk 24 Spits in the film (VN485) is the one on display at Duxford.