1900 independent air observation post flight royal air force
An Air Observation Post Flight is a Royal Air Force unit in which the pilots are all officers of the Royal Artillery.
Whilst serving in the Hong Kong Flotilla (ML Gunboat Squadron) we took our Armed Motor Launch ML 3510 up to Tolo where we were treated to a 'jolly' trip in Auster artillery spotter planes. It was a great adventure for this National Serviceman Sailor.We flew over the border with Red China, and the purpose of the aircraft were to direct artillery fire from the ground, should any invasion from Red China take place. This was a never-ending threat in our Flotilla time in HK (1948-1957) . This unit often worked with us when we were on patrol amongst the islands. Two launches were always on patrol. I wonder if anyone can recall this Army Auster unit. I cannot remember the airfield from whence we took our adventurous flights as guests of the Army Pilots. It might have been Sek Kong ( Interested recent piece regarding Douglas Bader/Sek Kong) . Does anyone have memories of that Army Flght of Austers up in the NT. I would be so interested. Peter Yeates. Hong Kong Flotilla Association. HMS Tamar. I remind everyone that I have still not discovered where a favourite safe harbour for us out west of HK was a place called Waterboard Jetty just adjacent to the Castle Peak Road, have yet to discover exactly where this was.
AOP Flights
There are numerous posts on gwulo about RAF Shatin where the AOP flights were based. The base was next to the sea.
There are other pictures not on gwulo showing them operating up to the border using flat ground as flying strips.
According to other postings on gwulo the AOP squadrons had used a temporary airstrip in the golf club grounds at Fanling and even within the racecourse at Happy Valley at different times
For starters see--- http://gwulo.com/raf-sha-tin
A search for auster also
A search for auster also turns up several of the related pages that IDJ mentions:
http://gwulo.com/search/node/auster
Queen's Hill
I've added some comments to the pictures mentioned and believe that they are taken in the area around Queen's Hill barracks nr Fanling. There's a big flat area between Sha Tau Kok Road and Lung Shan (is this the Chinese name for Queen's Hill?) where these pictures could have been taken. These days the whole area is filled with small industrial units and the odd village house as well as what looks like a playing field, but the hillsides surrounding the area haven't changed at all.