Flight reports here record aerial photo coverage of Chiang Rai1 by only the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (21PRS); however no actual photos by the 21PRS have apparently been released. Single instances of other coverage exist, in the form of two actual dated photo sets probably taken by the RAF. See Williams-Hunt Aerial Photomosaics of Chiang Rai. On that page, Photomosaic No. 1 provides an example of aerial photo coverage of the general Chiang Rai area on 05 October 1944. In the absence of hardcopy 21PRS photos, that photomosaic must be assumed to be typical. Location maps for the Chiang Rai Landing Ground are available here (TBC).
15 November 1943
Aerial photos of the Chiang Rai area were taken this date apparently by the RAF. See Photomosaic No. 2.
07 February 1944
Pangiu is today’s Pa Ngiu (N19°18 E99°31), located on current Thai Route 118 (roughly half-way between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai):2
The pass is in the area of the border between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Provinces (N19°04.00 E99°22.50) about 35 km southwest of Pa Ngiu (noted just above) on current Thai Route 118:3
09 February 1944 ((21PRS Report Mission No. 14/9 A, 09 Feb 1944
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0152). ))
24 February 1944 (( 21PRS Report Mission No. 14/23 A, 24 Feb 1944
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0122).))
04 March 1944 ((21PRS Report Mission No. 4 MA 51, 04 Mar 1944
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0108).))
12 March 1944
To clarify: the town’s police station (assumed to be centrally located in the town) was located at ~N19°54.70 E99°49.95 while the airport’s runway intersections were located about 3.4 km south at ~N19°52.90 E99°49.60:4
14 March 1944 ((21PRS Report Mission No. 4 MA 44, 14 Mar 1944
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0093).))
24 April 1944 ((21PRS Report Mission No. 4 MA 62, 24 Apr 1944
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0053).))
29 May 1944 ((21PRS Report Mission No. 4 MA 79, 29 May 1944
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0010). 440529-USAAF-A0878-p-0010))
16 September 1944 ((21PRS Report Mission No. 4 MA 115, 16 Sep 1944
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0441).))
05 October 1944
Aerial photos of the Chiang Rai area were taken this date apparently by the RAF. See Photomosaic No. 1.
26 October 19445
The road connecting Chiang Rai and Phayao is current Thai Route 1 (in WWII known as the Phahonyothin Road), forming part of the land transport connection between the rail station at Lampang to the south and the border town of Mae Sai to the north:6
Tri-met: see definition.
02 November 1944
This and subsequent aerial-photo assignments always specify both the town and the airport at Chiang Rai:7
27 November 1944 ((21PRS Report Mission No. 4 MA 170, 27 Nov 1944
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0621).))
05 January 19458
13 January 1945 ((21PRS Report Mission No. 5 MA 9, 13 Jan 1945
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0807).))
| First published on Internet. | ||
| Several missions added plus text. Respaced. |
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- N19°54
E99°50 Source: Google Earth fix on apparent center of town. [↩] -
Identification and coordinates of modern village per getamap.
Document: 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (hereafter 21PRS) Report Mission No. 14/6 A, 07 Feb 1944 (USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0155). [↩]
- Coordinates per Google Earth. Document: ibid. [↩]
- 21PRS Report Mission No. 15/3 A, 12 Mar 1944
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0095). [↩] - 21PRS Report Mission No. 4 MA 133, 26 Oct 1944
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0552). [↩] - 21PRS Report Mission No. 4 MA 133, 26 Oct 1944 (USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0552). [↩]
- 21PRS Report Mission No. 4 MA 139, 02 Nov 1944 (USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0568). [↩]
- 21PRS Report Mission No. 5 MA 4, 05 Jan 1945
(USAF Archive microfilm reel A0878 p0815).Note that form is incorrectly dated with 1944, not 1945: the first digit of the report number 5 MA 4 confirms. [↩]
