Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force
![]() Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force badge | |
Agency overview | |
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Formed | 1949 |
Jurisdiction | Hong Kong |
Headquarters | Hong Kong International Airport |
The Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (RHKAAF) was an auxiliary unit of the United Kingdom Royal Air Force, based in Hong Kong. It was formed in 1949 as part of the Hong Kong Defence Force. In preparation for the transfer of sovereignty from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, the unit was disbanded on 31 March 1993.[1]
Although technically an armed military unit, run on the lines of an RAF squadron, latterly its responsibilities were mostly involved in providing non-military aviation services such as police support, search and rescue, air ambulance and firefighting in the colony.
History
The HKAAF came into existence in 1949 as part of the Hong Kong Defence Force. From 1949 to 1970, it was known as the HKAAF. Royal title was approved by King George VI in 1951 to the Royal Hong Kong Defence Force. When the Royal Hong Kong Defence Force was disbanded in 1970, the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force and Royal Hong Kong Regiment were formed under a new ordinance as separate units. The RHKAAF was finally disbanded on 1 April 1993. All non-military operations were taken over by the Government Flying Service (GFS), a newly created civilian unit with the original service staff of the RHKAAF. The remaining military duties were transferred to other RAF units based in the colony, and passed to the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison (Shek Kong Airfield, Shigang Air Base, Guangdong and Guangzhou Shadi Air Base) on the actual transfer of sovereignty in 1997.
The RHKAAF was based at Kai Tak Airport from 1979 to 1993, with a sub-station at Sek Kong Airfield.
Fleet
Over the years, the RHKAAF fleet comprised:
Aircraft
Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transport | ||||||
BAe Bulldog | United Kingdom | training / patrol | Model 128 | 2[2] | ||
Cessna 404 | United States | transport / utility | 1[2] | |||
Super King Air | United States | patrol | 200C | 2[2] | ||
Britten-Norman BN-2 | United Kingdom | drug interdiction / utility[3] | 1[2] | |||
Helicopters | ||||||
Sikorsky S-76 | United States | SAR / utility | A+/C | 6 / 2[4] | ||
Aérospatiale SA 360 | France | SAR / utility | 365C | 2[2] | ||
Trainer Aircraft | ||||||
T67 Firefly | United Kingdom | basic trainer | M200 | 4[4] |
Personnel
RHKAAF personnel were a mixture of full-time and part-time staff. Most were locally recruited, in the latter years mostly local Hong Kongers. The ranks used were similar to those of the Royal Air Force.
- Honorary Air Commodore
- Commanding Officer
- Chief Pilot
- Chief Aircraft Engineer
- Senior Pilot
- Senior Aircraft Engineer
- Senior Aircrewman Officer
- Pilot I
- Aircraft Engineer
- Aircrewman Officer I
- Pilot II – added in the 1990s to less experienced pilots and a step above Cadet Pilot
- Aircrewman Officer II
- Chief Aircraft Technician
- Senior Aircraft Technician
- Aircrewman Officer III
- Cadet Pilot – added in the 1990s are part of the localization effort by the Government of Hong Kong to transfer roles prior to handover in 1997
- Aircraft Technician
Commanding Officers
Start Date | Name |
---|---|
1 May 1949 | Sqn Ldr M.N. Oxford |
1 October 1950 | Wg Cdr A.W. Wood DFC BEM |
1 January 1955 | Wg Cdr J.E.L. Larsen, AFC |
15 October 1955 | Wg Cdr P.O. Scales, AE |
12 October 1962 | Wg Cdr G.J. Bell, OBE, AE & clasp |
19 September 1966 | Wg Cdr R.P. Smith, OBE, AE & clasp, JP, QCVSA |
1 October 1971 | Wg Cdr S.P.J. Ellis, AE |
1 June 1975 | Wg Cdr R.G. Penlington, OBE, AE & clasp |
1 April 1983 | Wg Cdr A.P. Asprey, OBE, AE, JP |
1 January 1988 | Wg Cdr R.W. Brooks, MBE, AE & clasp |
1 January 1991 | Wg Cdr P.D. Yip, MBE, AE & clasp, JP, QCVSA |
Badge
The last Badge of the force was used until 1993, after which time, the Hong Kong Coat of Arms was used on GFS aircraft, until the handover in 1997:
- St Edward's Crown
- Octagon-shaped badge with a Chinese dragon, propeller
- Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force is contained on the band of the badge
- Motto contain the wording Semper Paratus (Latin, "Always Ready")
- Oak Laurel wreath
References
- RHKAAF - dedicated to the people who served in the RHKAAF
- World Air Forces – Historical Listings – Hong Kong (HKG)
- GFS
- Hong Kong Defense Forces – 1991
- RHKAAF
- Aerospace History in HK
- ^ http://www.gfs.gov.hk/eng/aboutgfs.htm 1st April 1993 immediately after the disbandment of its predecessor, the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force. It is one of the disciplined services of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
- ^ a b c d e "World Air Forces 1987 pg. 60". Flightglobal Insight. 1987. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- ^ "World Air Forces 1981". Flightglobal Insight. 1981. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- ^ a b "World Air Forces 1991 pg. 60". Flightglobal Insight. 1987. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
Further reading
- Penlington VA: Winged Dragon - The History of the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (Odyssey Productions Ltd, 1996) ISBN 9622174663
External links
Media related to Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force at Wikimedia Commons
- 1949 establishments in Hong Kong
- 1993 disestablishments in Hong Kong
- Aviation in Hong Kong
- Military of Hong Kong under British rule
- Military units and formations disestablished in 1993
- Military units and formations established in 1949
- Rescue agencies
- Organisations based in Hong Kong with royal patronage
- 20th-century history of the Royal Air Force