The Veterans' Stories

Albert
How did air travellers get to and from Kai Tak Airport in the 40s and early 50s?
Cheng Tin Gai
Well, there were several entrances in the old Kai Tak…
The entrance of Kai Tak airport in the 40s and 50s
The Kai Tak civilian airport had two entry routes, and one of them went from San Po Kong to the hangar field. The former PAMAS and JAMCO hangars were called “Hangar No.1” and “Hangar No.2” respectively. One had to get a permit to use the San Po Kong entryway. To reach the airport, passengers had to take the motorway at Luk To Bridge in Kowloon City, and normal vehicles could go directly to the drop-off area. At that time there were no buildings in Wong Tai Sin but only acreages and cottages. Each farmer occupied a cottage, but sometimes they built one more to rent it out. Many airport staffs lived in Wong Tai Sin, and they were the tenants of these farmers.
Kai Tak Airport in 1949. At the bottom are the PAMAS (Pacific Air Maintenance Services) and JAMCO (Jardine Air Maintenance Company) hangars, then unmerged. Runway 13/31 is in the middle, above which we can find the RAF (Royal Air Force) headquarters. Encircling the airport is Clear Water Bay Road (i.e.Choi Hung Road today), and the Kai Tak nullah is right along it.
The entrance of Kai Tak airport in the 40s and 50s
The terminal building was located at the coast, so vehicles had to run from the Far East Flying Training School to the Ngau Chi Wan seaside, all along the coast and past the nullah. Aircrafts invariably parked there, whether they landed at Argyle Street, Wong Tai Sin or Ngau Chi Wan.
The road in photo is the access route to and from the old Kai Tak terminal apron.
Chan Kam Cheung
There was another airport entrance gate at Ngau Chi Wan, leading right to the RAF headquarters.