02 Feb 1943: RTAF Corsairs, 7 parked at Kengtung, destroyed (T06)

02 Feb 1943: While the Thai conflict with the Chinese Army was starting to wind down, Allied fighter aircraft attacked the Kengtung Airfield area, located below in the map, also showing Chiang Rai, the RTAF 23rd Squadron’s subsequent retreat destination, and Kunming, the source of the Allied attackers:1

The attack destroyed seven Vought Corsair fighters2 (left) and damaged three Curtiss Hawk III fighters3 (right):

Notably all were biplanes. The strafing also set alight a warehouse storing explosives. The 23rd Squadron which had lost the seven Corsairs was forced to withdraw to Chaing Rai; their retreating convoy was further strafed by Allied fighters.

References:

  • ประวัติกองทัพอากาศไทย ในสงครามมหาเอชียบูรพา พ.ศ. ๒๔๗๔ ๑๔๗๗ (กองทัพอากาศ: กองทัพอากาศไทย, พ.ศ. ๒๕๒๕) [Royal Thai Air Force History in World War II 1941-1945 (Bangkok: Royal Thai Air Force, 1982)], pp 273-274:4

Wg Cdr Jamras Muangprasert: . . . Before Japanese troops invaded Thailand, I worked at Sattahip, where I patrolled the bay and islands, checked warships, and practiced fighting with warships. In Chiangrai I patrolled the Chiangrai-Meung Yu-Meung Yong road and the Kengtung-Meung Len-Meung Payak route, and delivered medical supplies to soldiers in Kengtung and Meung Yong. From Kengtung I delivered sick soldiers to Chiangrai and to Don Meung. While I operated in Kengtung, four enemy P-40s attacked, destroying seven Corsairs and three or four Curtiss Hawk IIIs. An explosives material warehouse caught fire. [02 Feb 1943] Pilots and mechanics had to take what was left to Chiangrai by land. Next day P-40s came again and attacked our convoy. We had to dodge bullets from time to time on that journey.5

  • ประว้ติกองท้พอากาส ในสงครามมหาเอเชียบูรพา ระหว่าง พ.ศ.-๒๔๘๔-๒๔๘๘ (นครราชสีมา: สมบูรณ์การพิมพ์, พ.ศ.๒๕๖๔) [History of the Royal Thai Air Force during the Great East Asia War, 1941-1945 (Nakhon Ratchasima: Somboon Printing, 2021)], p 141:

02 February 1943

Time 1300 hrs. Five P-40s from the USAAF 76th Squadron attacked Kengtung Airfield and destroyed seven Vought Corsair fighters of the 23rd Squadron (six burned, one was hit by gunfire several times but did not ignite), and three Curtiss Hawk III fighters of the 43rd Squadron were damaged. All were biplanes. An explosives warehouse also caught fire. This forced the 23rd Squadron to withdraw to Chiang Rai by land. The USAAF recorded that 4,000 rounds of ammunition had been expended in the attack; and that, in addition, one single-wing aircraft had been destroyed, but that last aircraft was not recorded in Thai documents.

  • E Bruce Reynolds, Thailand and Japan’s Southern Advance (New York: St Martin’s Press, 1994), pp144-145:

. . . on 20 January, . . . the Thai government, in accordance with a unilateral decision by Phibun, had abruptly declared the six northernmost provinces . . . off-limits to noncitizens, primarily ethnic Chinese. . . . Phuibun’s motives in ordering this evacuation are less than clear. The Japanese concluded that he had acted because of suspected Chinese espionage in the area, a concern that seemed validated subsequently by a guerrilla attack and an air raid that destroyed 20 planes at Kengtung on 02 February 1943.6

  • Steve Dark/Ozel, Thai Air Accidents (offsite link), p 79:
      • Date: 02Feb43
      • Type: 7 x Vought Corsair
      • Operator: Thai AF
      • Serial: —
      • Location & details: Destroyed on ground at Kengtung by USAAF P-40s

TUESDAY, 2 FEBRUARY 1943
CBI – INDIA-BURMA THEATER (10AF): In Burma, P-40s strafe aircraft, AA positions and targets of opportunity at Kentung.

  • Hammel, Eric. Air War Pacific Chronology (Pacifica Military History. Kindle Edition):

CHINA: In their first mission since mid-January, 23d Fighter Group P-40s attack antiaircraft emplacements and other targets at Kengtung.

 

Major Revisions List
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2026 Jul 30
 First published on Internet

 

Last Updated on 1 September 2026

  1. Google Maps extract, annotated by author using Microsoft Publisher[↩]
  2. Photo: Vought V-93S & V-93SA Corsair
    Aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force (offsite link) [↩]
  3. Photo: Royal Thai Curtiss Hawk III (offsite link) [↩]
  4. Sakpinit Promthep brought this to my attention by email of 26 Sep 2020 08:36; my ref: \02500 Tango\_Crash sites N TH for Tango\DETAIL SHEETS\T430202 Kengtung [T04]\_20200926bb emal.txt[↩]
  5. My ref: 02500 Tango\_Crash sites N TH for Tango\DETAIL SHEETS\T430202 Kengtung [T04]\RTAF 1982 History extract.docx[↩]
  6. My ref: \02500 Tango\_Crash sites N TH for Tango\DETAIL SHEETS\T430202 Kengtung [T04]\Reynolds.txt[↩]
  7. my ref: \03400 USFE USAAF Chrono WW2\USAAF Chrono 1943.txt[↩]
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