Chengdu Fenghuangshan Airport

Chengdu Fenghuangshan Airport (Chinese: 成都凤凰山机场) is military air base in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China. During World War II it was a United States Army Air Forces airfield. It is located approximately 10 miles south of Chengdu.

Chengdu Fenghuangshan Airport
Part of Fourteenth Air Force
Sichuan Province, China
Chengdu Fenghuangshan Airport
Coordinates30°42′19″N 103°57′01″E
TypeMilitary
Site history
Battles/warsChina Defensive Campaign 1942-1945

History

Fenghuangshan Airport, also known as Chungsing Chang, Fenghwangshan and Makiashipen was built under the directives of Sichuan warlord Liu Xiang in 1931 for his fledgling air force operations, and was integrated into the centralized operations of the Chinese Nationalist Air Force as the War of Resistance-World War II was starting with the invasion and occupation by the Empire of Japan; Fenghuangshan served as an operations base for Chinese fighter squadrons during the terror bombings of Chengdu and Chongqing, and was regularly under bombing attack by Japanese. Fenghuangshan was also the base where Captain Xu Huansheng and his B-10 bomber crews initially trained for the planned transoceanic strategic bombing mission against the Empire of Japan in 1938.[1][2] Years later, after the United States became involved in World War II, it was a major command and control base for Tenth Air Force, being the home of the 312th Fighter Wing from July 1944 until August 1945. The wing commanded three fighter groups (33rd, 81st and 311th) in central China as well as provided support to Twentieth Air Force B-29 Superfortress groups which staged strategic bombardment missions over Japan though bases in the Chengdu area from their home bases in India (see: Operation Matterhorn).

Also, the 426th Night Fighter Squadron operated P-61 Black Widow night interceptor aircraft from the airfield, providing a night defense against Japanese fighter and bomber raids at night in the area, along with the B-29 bases before their move to the Marianas.

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo left their Sichuan residence on 10 December 1949 and boarded his airplane named May-ling and flew out from Fenghuangshan for Taiwan via Guangdong, never to return to the mainland.[3]

During the 2013 Lushan earthquake in Sichuan, the airport was used as a major air hub for the relief effort and medical evacuation.[4]

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

  1. Chai, George. "成都空战". www.flyingtiger-cacw.com. Retrieved 2020-11-16. From early-mid 1939 to late-1941, the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy Air Forces conducted massive terror-bombing campaigns, and tested many new military technologies, the including the A6M "Reisen" (Type Zero) fighter over the skies of Chengdu and Chongqing... all those units departing China for the Pacific War in late 1941.
  2. Chai, George. "第八大隊大隊長 徐煥升". www.flyingtiger-cacw.com. Retrieved 2020-11-16. Xu Huansheng of the Special Bombing Squadron conducted in-depth and detailed inspections of various bombers of the Chinese Air Force at that time, and finally selected Martin-139WC (B-10) bombers, and began combat training at the Phoenix Mountain (Fenghuangshan) Base in Chengdu; exploring and adapting the performance of the Martin aircraft for the transoceanic...
  3. "蒋介石逃往台湾时我军为何未打其座机?_卫视_凤凰网". phtv.ifeng.com. Retrieved 2020-11-16. 解放军15兵团接管了广州飞机场，但飞机场仍留有国民党人员。蒋介石从成都凤凰山机场起飞前，成都机场人员与广州机场联系，了解广州方向的天气情况。由于他们过去在一个系统，都非常熟悉，广州的机场问:“是谁的飞机呀？”成都方面说:“是蒋介石的，下午2时从成都起飞，大约3时左右到广州上空，直接飞往台湾。”
  4. "记者直击成都凤凰山机场首批转运芦山地震震中伤员". People's Daily. 2013-04-21. Retrieved 2014-02-12.

Further reading
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