Lampang Airport

Lampang Airport
1. Lampang Airport
2. Lampang Airport: 1943
3. Lampang Airport: 1944
4. Lampang Airport: 1945
5. Lampang Airport: Casualties
6. Lampang Airport: Appendices

Lampang Airport: Summary

Lampang1 became the defense center for northwest Thailand probably because it had rail, road, and air transport facilities:

1. The Royal Thai Railway had connections south to Bangkok and its commercial port, Khlong Toei.

2. The Phahonyothin Road, the main north-south road in Thailand (now Route 1) provided a comparatively good land connection to Burma: north and then northwest to Kengtung, then westward to Meiktila and Mandalay on the Irrawady River, with rail, road, and air transport connections there.

3. The Lampang “military landing ground” accessed the country’s network of airfields.

The alternate choice would have been Chiang Mai, which was the northern railhead for the railroad and which had its own airfield, but lacked that critical existing quality road connection north into Burma. It was also rather more off-center geographically to the other military concentrations in northwest Thailand than was Lampang.

Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF) units, early based at Lampang Airfield, flew support for Japan’s successful 1942 invasion of Burma. Thereafter Lampang’s importance declined as Japan’s limited manufacturing base, confounded by Allied bombing, was unable to keep up with IJAAF losses and new aircraft were released direct to Japan’s combat fronts in ever-decreasing numbers, and bypassing Lampang.

March 1940

Before the war, a US War Department report listed Lampang as a “military landing ground”:2

 

When it was constructed has not been determined. It was located south of the City of Lampang at the same site as the current airport (with its runway marked in yellow below):3

An earlier runway’s orientation was approximately perpendicular to the current runway and was referred to in Allied Intelligence reports as the “original” runway4 The general location of that ENE-WSW runway can be ascertained from sketches in the various Allied intelligence reports which appear in the following chronological history. That orientation is evidenced on-the-ground today primarily by a building similarly aligned to one in a 1944 aerial photo from the Williams-Hunt Collection, plus scattered details barely visible in the latter.

In a Google Earth map of the Lampang airport today is the oddly sited building circled in red:5

A closeup of the building reveals that it is actually two:6

On the ground, it looks like this:7

The architectural style appears to be post-war. Curiously, different buildings appear at the same location with the same alignment with approximately the same exterior dimensions in a 1944 aerial photo of the airfield. The distinguishing difference appears mainly in the middle detail, between the two “sides”:8

. . . as extracted from this photo:6

Details common to both images are tagged. The purple line on the left traces current Thai Highway No 1037. The current runway center line is shown in dotted red (that it does not match perfectly between the two images may be due to distortions in the photo or perhaps the runway was later slightly realigned). The red‑circled buildings also appear similar in the two images.

The earlier runway is shown as a yellow center line. Its alignment parallels the building(s). It also parallels some obscure details on the left circled in blue. The yellow circled area denotes a long section of slightly different ground texture which is assumed to be a vestige of the old runway.

The heading of that earlier runway scales as 070°-250° (07-25). Such an orientation is unusual since runways are usually aligned to take advantage of prevailing winds in the region, which have been out of the north in recent history. In fact, those winds justify the approximate north-south orientation of the current runway. When the old runway was abandoned is unclear. While that earlier runway is referred to as the “original”, the Lampang airstrip was once merely a large grassy area on which aircraft could land into whatever direction the wind was blowing.9

1941
Lampang was not included in airmail routes in northwest Thailand in 1941:10

That Lampang had not been included in the airmail system might have been the result of its proximity to the Chiang Mai railhead, 109 km northwest by rail.11 Chiang Mai was also nearer to the western border towns of Mae Hong Son and Mae Sariang, which were of particular concern to the Thai government because they were among the most remote areas of the country and comparatively lawless (even into the 1970s).12

26-27 October 1941

Japanese aircraft, Ki-15s, were observed flying over the RAF airfield at Toungoo, Burma, at high altitude, obviously doing reconnaissance. Based in Hanoi, the flight path of the planes might have rendered them visible in various parts of Northern Thailand, including Lampang. Indeed, such aircraft might also have been observing various points throughout Thailand, including Lampang.13

07 December 1941: A US Army Air Corps report, Airports in the Far East, probably conveniently redated to 07 December 1941, provided this information about the Lampang air facility:14

TRANSCRIPT:

 

Item
Description
NAME
 LAMPANG / Lampang (P9-18)
POSITION ° ‘ 18 19 N / 99 29 E15
ALT feet No information
LOCATION 3 mi from town
DIMENSIONS
feet		 4920 x 810016
SURFACE Grass
FACILITIES 2 hangars; wind cone

12 December 1941: Darrell Berrigan, an adventurous and prolific United Press reporter, fleeing north from Bangkok through Lampang and Mae Sai into British Burma, recorded on this date of having learned that the ‘Lampang Airdrome’ had just been occupied by IJA troops.17

Date uncertain, but about the same time, Christian missionaries from Chiang Mai, Nan, and Phrae traveled to Lampang from where they were bussed north to Mae Sai and crossed into Burma.18

22 December 1941: Local Chiang Mai photographer / historian Boonserm Satrabhaya recalled in his popular history of air activities around Chiang Mai:

When Field Marshal Phibun stationed army troops in the north at the beginning of the Great South East Asia War with Major General Jaroon Seri-reng-rit as northern commander-in-chief, the Royal Thai Air Force established a large air base at Lampang with Air Vice-Marshal Feun Ritakani as division commander coordinating with the army [which was also present].19

Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) history records:

Wing (Kong Bin Noi Phasom) 80 relocated [from Ko Kha] to Lampang, with foong bins (squadrons) gathered from other units:20

22 (observation) from Chantaburi: 9 US-sourced Vought Corsair
RTAF Attack Aircraft Type 1, acquired in 1934
32 (attack) from Nakhon Ratchasima: 9 US-sourced Curtiss
Hawk II RTAF Fighter Aircraft Type 9, acquired in 1934
41 (fighter) from Chantaburi: 10 US-sourced Curtiss Hawk III
RTAF Fighter Aircraft Type 10, acquired in 1935

27 December 1941: Five days later, the 22nd and the 41st moved farther north to Chiang Rai leaving the 32nd at Lampang.21

29 December 1941: IJAAF 77th Sentai (77th FR (Flying Regiment), a fighter group)22 composed of 30 Ki-27 fighter aircraft (Allied nickname “Nate”) under Lt Col Yoshioka23 relocated from Rahaeng (Tak) to Lampang.

IJAAF 10th Hikodan (area air force) under General Hirota Utaka was reassigned from Bangkok to Lampang.24

1942

Local Chiang Mai photographer / historian Boonserm Satrabhaya further recalled:

. . . the Royal Thai Air Force sent [Curtiss] Hawk IIIs to serve in every airport near the northern border, including Lampang . . . .25

With regard to Curtiss Hawk IIIs:

RTAF history agreed that the 41st Fighter Squadron with ten Curtiss Hawk IIIs was relocated to Lampang on 22 December 1941, but five days later the unit with its Hawk IIIs moved on to Chiang Rai.

However, the 32nd Attack Squadron with nine US-sourced Curtiss Hawk IIs, also assigned there on 22 December continued at that location until 18 February 1942 when it moved to Chiang Mai.26

Both Hawk IIs and IIIs were vintage biplanes.

Boonserm further recalled:

The Japanese brought . . . more than fifty [Ki-21, Type 97 heavy twin-engine bombers, codenamed “Sally”] to their base in Lampang.27

In early 1942, Lampang airfield was also heavily populated with Japanese-manufactured, light and heavy bombers. Young recorded that the 31st Sentai with 25 Ki-30 “Anne” Type 97 light single-engine bombers and RTAF Squadrons 11 and 12 with 11 Ki-30s light bombers each relocated to Lampang in late January-early February 1942. Thus IJAAF and RTAF Ki‑30s gathered at Lampang totalled 47. Nine Japanese Ki-21 “Sally” or “Gwen” Type 97 heavy bombers from RTAF Squadron 62 were located at Lampang during the same period.28

03 January 1942: IJAAF 77th Sentai in its first operation from Lampang dispatched nine Ki-27s which took on fuel at Rahaeng (from where the unit had relocated), and then strafed the RAF Moulmein Airfield, destroying four aircraft of the Indian Air Force’s 4 Coast Defence Flight. Many more flights originated from Lampang during the month.29

10 January 1942: In the two week period, 28 December 1941 – 10 January 1942, the Lampang-based IJAAF 77th Sentai lost ten Ki‑27s, almost one-third of its aircraft complement.30

20 January 1942: IJAAF 77th Sentai participated in the IJA’s invasion of Burma from Mae Sot towards Moulmein, providing escort for light bombers which were, in turn, supporting ground troops, and strafed the RAF airstrip at Moulmein.31

22 January 1942: By this date, the IJAAF 10th Hikodan (area air force) in Lampang had added the 70th Independent Chutai (squadron), composed of four Ki-15 “Bab” Type 97 command reconnaissance aircraft.32

The 77th Sentai was recorded as having 25 Ki-27s (11 short of its complement).((Shores, Bloody Shambles 1, p 260. ))

Late January – early February 1942

RTAF’s Kong Bin Yai Phasom Phak Phayap (Northwestern Combined Group) moved north from Don Muang near Bangkok. One of its combined wings, Kong Bin Noi Phasom 85, went to Lampang with Squadrons 11 and 12, each with 11 Japanese-made Ki-30 “Ann” Type 97 light bombers.

RTAF Squadron 16, with nine US-manufactured Curtiss Hawk 75Ns,33 was reassigned from Don Muang to Wing 85 to provide escort for those RTAF Ki-30s; late in the month, Squadron 16 received twelve new Japanese Ki-27 “Nate” Type 97 fighters.

RTAF Squadron 62, with nine Japanese Ki-21 “Sally” Type 97 heavy bombers moved from Lopburi to Lampang.34

06 February 1942: RTAF light bomber Squadrons 11 and 12 (Ki-30s), escorted by Squadron 16 (Hawk 75Ns) attacked Chinese Nationalist positions near Loi Mwe. All three units were based at Lampang.35

06-17 February 1942: RTAF’s Kong Bin Yai Phasom Phak Phayap (Northwestern Combined Group), at Lampang, in support of the advance of Thai Army ground troops, bombed a Nationalist Chinese 93th Division installation at Doi Moei where 11,000 troops were based.36

10-20 February 1942: IJAAF 31st Sentai with 25 Ki-30 “Anne” Type 97 light bombers moved from Phitsunalok to Lampang.37

19 February-15 March 1942: RTAF Squadron 16, flying out of Lampang, patrolled daily over Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.38


23 February 1942: By this date, IJAAF 77th Sentai had lost 15 Ki-27s. Two days later, the 77th was reported as having 23 aircraft (13 short).31 A few days later, the number available had risen to 25 (11 short).39

26 February 1942: Some (most?) Ki-27s of IJAAF 77th Sentai were relocated from Lampang to Mudon, Burma. The sentai had arrived in Lampang from Rahaeng on 29 December 194139

28 February 1942: IJAAF 10th Hikodan headquarters, which had been assigned to Lampang from Bangkok on 29 December 1941, moved from Lampang to Mudon, Burma.39

The 77th Sentai reported 14 Ki-27 fighter aircraft available (ie, 16 short). The number just in Lampang was not published.40

March 1942: Thailand’s airmail service had begun in 1922, provided by the RTAF.41 Thailand’s commercial air service, The Aerial Transport Company, had taken over responsibility for scheduled mail and transport service in 1931.42 Coverage had expanded by the end of 1941 as shown on this map43. By March 1942, however, that service had been sufficiently compromised by shortages that the RTAF began its own mail service with Fairchild 24Js and Rearwin 8500 Sportsters aircraft. The commercial service had never included Lampang in its airmail network, possibly because it had been classified as a “military landing ground”; hence airmail service for that location would have always been a responsibility of the RTAF.44

07-08 March 1942: IJAAF 77th Sentai Ki-27 fighter aircraft still located at Lampang were grounded due to fog and unable to provide support in the final IJA attacks on Rangoon.45

18 March 1942: Four Ki-15s IJAAF from 70th Independent Squadron had arrived in Lampang on 22 January 1942; two Ki-15s were lost before the unit’s relocation to Moulmein on this date: one more was subsequently destroyed on the ground. The last aircraft eventually moved to Bangkok.46

20 March 1942: The IJAAF Order of Battle, Burma Theater of Operations, for this date located only two units in Lampang:

12th Sentai:
31 Ki-21-II “Sally” Type 97 heavy bombers

51st Independent Chutai with two different command reconnaissance designated aircraft:
5 Ki-46 “Dinah” Type 100
5 Ki-15  “Babs” Type 97.47

22 March 1942: British intelligence reported that Lampang was being improved for use as a military airbase.48 The comment suggests a lack of sharing of information among the Allies at this early date in the South East Asian Theatre: the US had classified the Lampang airstrip as a “military landing ground” in a US War Department publication dated 15 March 1941.

24 March 1942: On 24 March 1942, Flying Tiger Squadron Leader Jack Newkirk on a flight to attack enemy facilities in Lampang, apparently confused Lampang with Lamphun and never reached Lampang. He fatally crashed near Lamphun.49

13-26 April 1942: RTAF light bomber Squadrons 11 and 12, based at Lampang, bombed Nationalist Chinese 93rd Division elements at Doi Moei and Mong Hpayak.50

05-09 May 1942: RTAF Squadron 62, with nine Japanese Ki-21 “Sally” Type 97 heavy bombers hit Kengtung and Mongyawng in support of Thai ground forces.51: N21°17.5 E100°36.5 Mongyawng (easterly-most township of Burma): N21°30 E100°55. Young named Mongyawng, not the phonetically similar and nearby Mongyang (Young, ibid, p 190).))

17-27 May 1942: RTAF Squadrons 11 and 12 and six Ki-21 “Sally” heavy bombers from Squadron 62, based at Lampang, again bombed Nationalist Chinese 93rd Division elements at Doi Moei. This effort finally allowed the Thai Army to occupy Kengtung.52

31 May 1942: The Royal Thai Army (RTA) headquarters relocated from Lampang to a tobacco factory along the Kok River in Chiang Rai.53

June 1942

Those portions of IJAAF 77th Sentai still at Lampang returned to Lungchen, Manchuria, from which the unit had arrived on 29 December 1941.54

22 June 1942: RTAF light bomber Squadrons 11 and 12 bombed Chieng Bung, a supply point in China.55

24-28 June 1942: RTAF light bomber Squadrons 11 and 12 flew out of Lampang to bomb Mong Ma.56

July-December 1942

RTAF light bomber Squadrons 11 and 12 made reconnaissance flights along the border and into China’s Yunnan Province. Border patrol work was shared with heavy bomber (Ki-21) Squadron 62.57

October-November 1942

RTAF heavy bomber Squadron 61 with nine Ki-21 bombers transported food from the north of Thailand and dropped it over Don Muang Airport which, along with Bangkok and Tonburi, were reeling under flooding up to one meter deep.58

December 1942

Mail routes included, connecting to the south, Bangkok-Phitsanulok-Phrae-Lampang, and to the north, Lampang-Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai-Kengtung.

The RTAF specified an airmail route which (finally) formally connected Lampang with points south: it ran from Bangkok through Phitsanulok and Phrae and was serviced by Fairchild 24Js.59

In addition, Lampang was the southern terminus for air service linking Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Kengtung (Burma), which was flown by Vought Corsairs.60

Revision List
Rev
Date
Description
0 2012 Sep 25 First published on Internet
1 2013 Nov 15 Minor changes; maps realigned to north up; transcriptions added.
2 2014 Jan 05 Typos, bad refs, misspellings, etc, hopefully all corrected. Summary added.
– – Future changes, if small, will be identified and dated only in Notes column.

 

 

 

Last Updated on 29 February 2024

  1. Lampang: the spelling of this transliteration is standard throughout all references found. The name of the town has evolved over time from Lakhon (not to be confused with Lakon, aka Nakhon Sri Tammarat, south of the Isthmus of Kra), per Graham, WA, Siam: A Handbook of Practical, Commercial, and Political Information (London: Moring, 1913). To confuse matters, Wikipedia‘s article, Lampang, lists previous names as Wiang Lakon and Khelang Nakhon. Further confusing is the name of the next major town to the northwest and connected by rail, Lamphun. To Western eyes and ears, the similarity of the two names, both starting with L, can be frustrating. In the case of Jack Newkirk, ace Flying Tiger pilot, it may have contributed to his early death: with orders to attack Lampang in late March 1942, he instead attacked Lamphun where he fatally crashed. [↩]
  2. A Survey of Thailand (Siam), (Washington: US War Department, March 15, 1941), Appendix I – Airdromes, Landing Grounds, and Seaplane facilities of Thailand, v. Additional Airdromes, Landing Grounds and Seaplane Facilities of Thailand, “correct up to April 1940”, p 89 (USAF Archive Microfilm Reel B1750 p1811). [↩]

  3. Terrain” map from  Nations Online Project: Searchable Map and Satellite View of Thailand using Google Earth Data.

    The yellow line marks approximately 1700 m, which Allied intelligence later reported as the length of the N-S runway at Lampang.

    Annotation by author using Microsoft Publisher.

    [↩]

  4. Airfield Report No. 21, Apr 1944, unnumbered page (USAF archive microfilm reel A8055, p 0669) refers to the “original ENE-WSW runway”. [↩]
  5. Google Earth Imagery date: 22 Apr 2010 Image ©2013 Digital Group N18°16.629′ E99°30.341 Eye alt 1.11 km. Annotations by author using Microsoft Publisher. [↩]
  6. ibid, extract [↩] [↩]
  7. Extracts of DSCFs 2211, 2213, & 2215 of 01 May 2014 stitched into a panorama with Microsoft Ice. Photo added to webpage 05 May 2014. [↩]
  8. Extracts from: 02541.jpg+02548.jpg • Williams-Hunt Aerial Photos Collection • Original from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London • Digital Data from Center for Southeast Asia Studies (CSEAS), Kyoto University • Digital Archive from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA), Thailand [↩]
  9. Earlier runway bearing was previously incorrectly stated as “170°-250° (17-25)”; corrected 05 May 2014. Original airfield configuration per Wikipedia: Aerodromes (reference needed for Lampang). [↩]
  10. A composite of information from Young, Edward, Aerial Nationalism (Washington: Smithsonian Institute, 1995), p ix, and A Survey of Thailand (Siam), (Washington: US War Department, March 15, 1941), p 101, “Civil Air Routes (Jan 1940)”, (USAF Archive Reel A2874, p 1467), superimposed on a “Terrain” map from Nations Online Project: Searchable Map and Satellite View of Thailand using Google Earth Data. Annotations by author include solid white lines per Young and dotted lines only per US War Department. See description of air mail service, Aerial Transport Co, on next page. [↩]
  11. Whyte, BR, The Railway Atlas of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia (Bangkok: White Lotus, 2010), pp 28-29. [↩]
  12. 戦没者遺骨収集の記録 ピルマ・インド・タイ [Journal on Collection of War Dead: Burma, India, Thailand] (Tokyo: All Burma Comrades Organization, 1980), p 452. [↩]
  13. Ford, Daniel, Flying Tigers (Washington: Smithsonian Books, 2007) p 77. [↩]
  14. US Army Air Corps, Airports in the Far East (Washington: Intelligence Division, Office of he Chief of the Air Corps, 07 Dec 1941), p 69 (USAF Archive microfilm roll A1285 p 0073). Significance of “(P9-18)” under column heading, Name, is not known. [↩]
  15. Difference with data in masthead reflects lesser accuracy available in 1941, plus use of the Indian-Thailand Datum (current datum is WGS84). [↩]
  16.  These dimensions apparently refer to a period when air facilities were simply open ground allowing aircraft to take off and land in any direction. See Wikipedia’s History of Aerodromes. [↩]
  17. From the Sheboygan (Wis) Press, Thu 18 Dec 1941, p 12: “We left on the morning of Dec 11 [from Lampang]. The sealing of the frontier cut off escape for more than 60 Americans and 200 Britons left in Thailand. The next morning [12 Dec] Japanese troops were reported to have occupied the Lamping [sic] airdrome, blocking the northern route to Burma.” [↩]
  18. Kneedler, William Harding, MD, Refugeeing from Thailand in World War II, unpublished manuscript dated 1943 and located in Prince Royal’s College Archives, Chiang Mai. See complete text on page 7: Refugeeing of document to be added [↩]
  19. Translation from บุญเสิม สาตราภัย เชียงใหม่กับภัยทางอากาศ (กรุงเทพฯ: วิญฌูชน, 2003) Boonserm Satrabhaya Chiang Mai and the Air War (Bangkok: Winyuchon, 2003) [hereafter Boonserm], p 53 (translated by Wiyada Kantarod). Boonserm was concerned more in trying to encourage an interest by a Chiang Mai citizenry generally indifferent about local history than in getting every detail perfect. [↩]

  20. Translation from บระวัติกองทัพอากาศไทย พ.ศ.๒๔๕๖ ๒๕๒๖กองทัพอากาศ พุทธศักราช ๒๕๒๖, Royal Thai Air Force Official History 1913-1983 (Bangkok: Royal Thai Air Force, 1983) [hereafter, RTAF 1913-1983], p 277.

    Functions and aircraft ids are from Young, ibid, pp 184‑185 with “types” defined on pp 261-262.

    Young records a far more complex process involving a comprehensive reorganization of the RTAF with reassignment of units to different commands and relocation of several commands to the far north of Thailand (pp 184-185). He also gives origins other than Ko Kha for the units:

    22: Chantaburi
    32: Isan
    41: Lopburi

    J-aircraft listings differ on two out of three units from the other sources. The units it lists were all originally located at Lopburi (per Young):

    21: 9 Corsairs
    41: 10 Hawk IIIs
    62: 9 Ki-21

    [↩]

  21. RTAF 1913-1983, ibid. [↩]

  22. The source for most of the details in the following is
    Dan Ford’s extraordinary recounting in The January Air Battle for Rangoon.

    And for an excellent review of 77th Sentai action during this period, see: Richard Dunn’s The Campaigns of the 77th Hiko Sentai.

    Thai military activities are presented in rather greater detail here because there are so few in-depth sources published in English. [↩]

  23. Dan Ford’s Order of Battle 23 Dec 1941: 3rd Hikoshidan, 10th Hikodan. apparently quotes the 30 count from an order of battle dated 23 Dec 1941 presented in Japan’s official military history, Senshi Sosho. However, on 04 Jan 1942, Ford records that the 77th sent out 31 Ki-27s to attack Rangoon. The 31 count, rather than the 30, is consistent with Ford’s tally of losses between 23 – 27 Dec 1941: 1 loss on the 23rd and 4 on the 25th total 5. Subtracted from the original 36 leaves 31.

    Richard Dunn in Double Lucky? (part 2) records “about 30 [IJAAF] operational fighters” in all of Thailand at first, all from the 77th Sentai. [↩]

  24. Dan Ford, The January Air Battle for Rangoon. [↩]
  25. Boonserm, ibid, p 56. [↩]
  26. RTAF 1913-1983, pp 279, 309. [↩]
  27. Boonserm, ibid p 69. [↩]
  28. Young, ibid, pp 183 [↩]
  29. Dan Ford’s The January Air Battle for Rangoon. See this reference plus Richard Dunn for fairly detailed descriptions of air activities during this period. [↩]
  30. Dan Ford’s The January Air Battle for Rangoon and following webpages; also Bloody Shambles I, p 253 ff. [↩]
  31. Dan Ford’s ‘Numbers are not important’. [↩] [↩]
  32. Alford, Bob, Lampang Thailand, WWII, unpublished manuscript. [added 15 Sep 2014] [↩]
  33. Curtiss Hawk 75N: Simplified version for Siam (Thailand) with non-retractable landing gear and wheel pants (per Wikipedia Curtiss Hawk 75). Young also describes their acquisition in detail: ibid, pp 130-131. [↩]
  34. Young, Edward M, Aerial Nationalism (Washington: Smithsonian, 1995), pp 184‑187. Clarification: in Jan 1942, the RTAF had a Squadron (Foong Bin) 62 with nine Ki-21 heavy bombers in Lampang (ibid); and the IJAAF had a Wing (Sentai) 62 with fifteen Ki-21 heavy bombers in Bangkok. (Ford, ibid). The potential for confusion went further: the RTAF designation for the Ki-21 was Type 61. RTAF Squadron 62 had a sister squadron, 61, but it flew Martin bombers out of Phrae in this period. [↩]
  35. Young, p 185. [↩]
  36. RTAF 1913-1983, p 308. Doi Moei, ดอยเหมย: a few km southeast of Kengtung on Burma Route 4 per map p 302 (exact location not determined). [↩]
  37. Shores, Bloody Shambles II, p 268. [↩]
  38. Young, p 188. [↩]
  39. Dan Ford’s Putting the squeeze on Rangoon. [↩] [↩] [↩]
  40. “A new base at Magwe”, Ford, ibid. [↩]
  41. Young, ibid, p 32. [↩]
  42. “commercial”: nominally so: it was 51% government-owned. ibid, p 76. Formal title: The Aerial Transport Co of Siam, Ltd, ibid, p 76. 1931: ibid, p 82. [↩]
  43. [↩]
  44. ibid, pp 215-216. Aircraft identification: ibid, pp 134, 262. [↩]
  45. “A new base at Magwe”, Ford, ibid. [↩]
  46. Dan Ford’s Burma falls to the Japanese.

    Alford, ibid, p 2: one aircraft and crew lost near Chaing Mai 21 Jan 1942; another lost near Sittang River 23 Feb 1942. [added 15 Sep 2014] [↩]

  47. Bloody Shambles II, p 347. Neither dates of arrival at Lampang (and origin) nor dates for departure (and destination) for these units are available. [↩]
  48. Dan Ford, Flying Tigers ((Washington: Smithsonian, 2007), p 241. [↩]
  49. See discussion and references at Wat Phra Yuen. [↩]
  50. RTAF 1913-1983, p 316. Mong Hpayak: N20°42.4 E100°05.8. Young lists only 13 Apr for this action, but includes Squadron 16 as escort, p 189. [↩]
  51. Kengtung (principal town for Shan State (East [↩]
  52. RTAF 1913-1983, p 322. [↩]
  53. Across the Lwoi River in Klykoom’s Thailand and the Second World War (website discontinued when Geocities disbanded, but archived as linked). Where it had been located in Lampang is not clear. Info needs verification. [↩]
  54. Richard Dunn: Double Lucky? (part 5). [↩]
  55. Young, p 193. [↩]
  56. ibid, p 194. [↩]
  57. ibid. Young identified activities in this period as 11-12 Jan 1943, targeting only Mong Yang and Mong Hai; and 12 Jan 1943, targeting only Chieng Bung, p 194. These four locations in Burma need coordinates. [↩]
  58. Young, ibid,p 195; RTAF 1913-1983, p 325, recorded only Squadron 62 stationed at Phrae as having participated in the emergency airlift. [↩]
  59. Young, ibid, p 216. [↩]
  60. ibid. See photo of RTAF Vought Corsair V-93S here, and description here. [↩]

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