The Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (RHKAAF) was a Hong Kong Government department based in Hong Kong. It was formed as an air force 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.
History The history of the unit goes way back to the early days of Hong Kong as a British colony. On 30 May 1854, with the departure from Hong Kong of the British men-of-war on anti-piracy duties in the north, following the Shanghai precedent, an appeal was made by the Lieutenant-Governor, Sir William Caine, for willing citizens to assemble for the purpose of forming an auxiliary police force to protect the lives and property of Hong Kong's inhabitants. Ninety-nine worthy men turned up and the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps was formed. Following numerous incarnations, the Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) and the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force were spawned from this original corps of volunteers.
The HKAAF came into existence as an air force in 1949 as part of the Hong Kong Defence Force. From 1949 to 1970, it was known as the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (HKAAF). Its royal title was approved by King George VI on 1 May 1951, as was that of what became the Royal Hong Kong Defence Force (RHKDF). This was the first time that a volunteer force had been so honoured.
When the Royal Hong Kong Defence Force was disbanded in 1970, the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (RHKAAF) and Royal Hong Kong Regiment (RHKR) were formed under new ordinances as separate units. The RHKAAF was finally disbanded on 31 March 1993, and succeeded the following day by the Hong Kong Government Flying Service (GFS), a newly created civilian unit using the original service staff of the RHKAAF.
Although technically an armed military unit, run on the lines of an RAF squadron, latterly the unit's responsibilities were mostly involved in providing non-military aviation services such as police support, search and rescue, flying doctor, air ambulance and firefighting in the colony.
The RHKAAF was based at Kai Tak Airport from 1949 to 1993.
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 Hong Kong 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
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 the same as those of the Royal Air Force, up to Air Commodore. Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force Air commodore Group captain Wing commander Squadron leader Flight lieutenant Flying officer Pilot officer/acting pilot officer
Commanding officers Start date Name 1 May 1949 Sqn Ldr M.N. Oxford1 October 1950 Wg Cdr A.W. Wood DFC BEM1 January 1955 Wg Cdr J.E.L. Larsen, AFC15 October 1955 Wg Cdr P.O. Scales, AE12 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 & clasp1 April 1983 Wg Cdr A.P. Asprey, OBE, AE, JP 1 January 1988 Wg Cdr R.W. Brooks, MBE, AE & clasp1 January 1991 Wg Cdr P.D. Yip, MBE, AE & clasp, JP, QCVSA
Fleet On 31 March 1993, the RHKAAF fleet comprised:
Aircraft
AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes Transport Cessna 404 United Statestransport / utility 1 Super King Air United States patrol 200C 2 Britten-Norman BN-2 United Kingdomdrug interdiction / utility 1 HelicoptersSikorsky S-76 United States SAR / utility A+/C6 / 2equipped with a FLIR Sikorsky S-70 United States utility S-70A-27 2 transferred to the GFS in 1993Aérospatiale SA 360 FranceSAR / utility 365C 2 TrainerT67 Firefly United Kingdombasic trainerM2004
Historical aircraft
AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes Combat Aircraft Supermarine Spitfire United Kingdom fighter Mk 24 / XVIII / XIX 16 2 Mk 19 variants were used for reconnaissance Transport Taylorcraft Auster United Kingdom utilityV / T7 / AOP6 1 / 5 / 4 in service from 1949 to 1971 Beechcraft Musketeer United States utility 2 in service from 1971 to 1979 Helicopters Westland Widgeon United Kingdom utility 2 in service from 1958 to 1965 Aerospatiale Alouette III France utility 3 in service from 1965 to 1980 Trainers BAe Bulldog United Kingdom training / patrol Model 128 2 in service from 1977 to 1988 North American T-6 United States trainer 11 transferred from Far East Air Force
References
Further reading Penlington VA: Winged Dragon - The History of the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (Odyssey Productions Ltd, 1996)
External links
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