RAF Ping Shan radar facility [c.1950-c.1957] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

RAF Ping Shan radar facility [c.1950-c.1957]

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Submitted by David on Fri, 2012-06-15 12:16
Current condition: 
Demolished / No longer exists
Date Place completed: 
c.1950-01-01 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)
Date Place demolished: 
c.1957-05-23 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)

The RAF had a radar site here in the 1950s.

I've just put the marker roughly where Ping Shan is - if you know where the radar site was located please leave a comment below and I'll update the marker.

I'm also interested to know the years the site was in use. (Current dates are our best guess based on comments below)

Soon after WW2 there was a plan to build a new airfield here (see http://gwulo.com/node/13265). I'm not sure if the Radar Station was built on part of the old airfield site or not, though it seems likely.

Regards, David

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Photos that show this place

1950
1954
1954
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Comments

Submitted by breskvar on Tue, 2013-02-12 23:17.

Hi David,

While searching through the web I find some information that may give clues on the years the place was opeartive.  That page is at:

http://www.forcesreunited.org.uk/namearchive/units/RAFNames/RAF-Ping-Sha...

It lists five people who were stationed there between 1950 to 1972.

breskvar

Submitted by David on Wed, 2013-02-13 04:04.

Thanks Breskvar, I'll fill in those dates for now. If anyone can give a more accurate start / end date, please let us know.

Regards, David

Submitted by David on Fri, 2016-11-11 14:51.

I've set the date the site closed to mid-1957, based on this message from Derry Martin:

I was looking back my diaries and the last time I did a duty at Ping Shan was on 23rd May 1957 and from then on it appears to have been secured by Chinese watchmen so I think it's fair to assume that the facility was being 'run down' from then on. When I visited Sek Kong in 1987, the C O of 28Sqdn. was greatly enlightened that Ping Shan had been a watching station and could then understand the role of the Vampire / Venom aircraft that patrolled the border with China and I think their role was to check on any activity that the radar unit picked up over the border. It was about that time that all the aircraft of 28 Sqdn was transferred to R A F  Kai Tak and the closure of Sek Kong was implemented. I was moved from Sek Kong on the 1st of October 1957 on my was home for demob.

Thanks to Derry for also sending us a couple of related photos:

Radar at Ping Shan
Radar at Ping Shan, by Derry Martin

 

Ping Shan personnel in 1956
Ping Shan personnel in 1956, by Derry Martin