This view is familiar as we lived at 155 Argyle Street in late 1953 to mid 1954. Argyle Street was in line with one of the runways at Kai Tak and as an 11-year old I used to enjoy standing at the garden doorwatching the spitfires of No. 80 Squadron coming in to land passing us at about 100ft; also the De Havilland Hornets (which I thought were DH Mosquitoes). From the flat roof we could look across the camp opposite, to the Chung Nam Weaving Factory, which spectacularly caught fire one night, to the great interest of all the neighbours.
I also remember on about 20th December 1953 a US Navy Neptune maritime reconnaissance plane passing over the house only to crash-land and burn on the far runway, injuring the crew. Anyone remember that incident?
Yes, Eric, I remember that. Rumours were that the propellers were put into reverse pitch too soon causing the 'plane to flip.
In those days barriers closed the road (Cheung Sha Wan Road ? ) when 'planes were about to land. A tricky approach at the best of times - moreso then, before some of the hills were removed.
Btw - I notice the picture includes the Prince Hotel where there were quite a few 'white' Russian refugees, St. Teresa's hospital where a couple of my children were born, and Kowloon Junior and KGV where they later went to school.
There were two road crossing points with barrriers and bells to halt road traffic. One was located on Clearwater Bay Rd (today's Choi Hung Rd) near the present day Kai Tak Nullah in San Po Kong and the other on Ma Tau Wai Rd near the present day Kowloon City roundabout.
Comments
Argyle Street photo
This view is familiar as we lived at 155 Argyle Street in late 1953 to mid 1954. Argyle Street was in line with one of the runways at Kai Tak and as an 11-year old I used to enjoy standing at the garden doorwatching the spitfires of No. 80 Squadron coming in to land passing us at about 100ft; also the De Havilland Hornets (which I thought were DH Mosquitoes). From the flat roof we could look across the camp opposite, to the Chung Nam Weaving Factory, which spectacularly caught fire one night, to the great interest of all the neighbours.
I also remember on about 20th December 1953 a US Navy Neptune maritime reconnaissance plane passing over the house only to crash-land and burn on the far runway, injuring the crew. Anyone remember that incident?
Yes, Eric, I remember that.
Yes, Eric, I remember that. Rumours were that the propellers were put into reverse pitch too soon causing the 'plane to flip.
In those days barriers closed the road (Cheung Sha Wan Road ? ) when 'planes were about to land. A tricky approach at the best of times - moreso then, before some of the hills were removed.
Btw - I notice the picture includes the Prince Hotel where there were quite a few 'white' Russian refugees, St. Teresa's hospital where a couple of my children were born, and Kowloon Junior and KGV where they later went to school.
A very interesting pic.
H.
Re: Kai Tak Road Barriers
There were two road crossing points with barrriers and bells to halt road traffic. One was located on Clearwater Bay Rd (today's Choi Hung Rd) near the present day Kai Tak Nullah in San Po Kong and the other on Ma Tau Wai Rd near the present day Kowloon City roundabout.