Return to Taiwan Tour - On the Bus - Day 7

Our second day in Kaohsiung, waking up on a sunny Sunday morning.

After breakfast, we loaded up in our bus and drove north to Kangshan (Gangshan) to visit  the ROC Air Force Academy.

Main Gate to Gangshan

A large area displaying old aircraft is just to the left.  Notice the C-47.

      



















The first aircraft to the front as we entered the display area was this Boeing 720.

Off to the right of the B-720, the circular walkways begin.

The next photo will bring the area into focus.

Here's the area as seen from Google Earth.  The B-720 is the largest aircraft in the photo.

Just toward the top of this photo, the B-720 is pointing to the ROC Air Force Museum. As you walk outside the display area just to your left is a white line, which leads to the museum.

Walking to the left side of the circle from the B-720, these old aircraft.

One of my personal favorites, the C-46.

While stationed at Hurlburt Field, (Eglin Field 9) back in the early 1960s, we had a number of these old aircraft as well as other WW II. aircraft in our base active inventory.

Impressive, and smartly painted.


The museum keeps these aircraft clean and brightly painted.

The museum displays a number of aircraft flown to Taiwan from the PRC by defecting PLA pilots.  Every pilot and defecting crew member that made it to Taiwan was given a gift of gold and a position in the Taiwan Air Force.


Ar least one pilot was awarded 100 kg of gold.  Other crew members a lesser amount.

Just how much is 100 kg of gold worth in today?

100 kg = 220.5 pounds = 3,528 ounces.


Gold price today (11 February 2012) is  US $1,722.00 per ounce X 3,528 ounces 



100 kg of gold today,   is worth:  US $6,075,216.00

Apparently in 1988 the gifting of gold rule was changed.  I can't find the details.

And, from what I have read, the chances of successfully flying a PRC aircraft to Taiwan today,  without being shot down or blow away by chasing PRC aircraft or missiles is virtually nil.


Read about defections HERE

Ted standing beside the T-33.

Take a look again at the beautiful Taiwan palm trees.

Bring back memories?

 























A favorite. Comfortable flying in the old days.


Have you flown in one of these? 

This aircraft was the Taiwan AF One or SAM aircraft prior to the arrival of the B-720.


We left the outdoor display area, walked across the street toward the ROC Air Force Museum.

The museum, a beautiful building....

Just inside, directly ahead, a very large mural on the wall.

The president's beautiful blue Cadillac convertible. 

The Cadillac explained.

Meeting everyone inside the museum doors...


Generalissimo Chiang kai-shek  蔣中正 / 蔣介石  

Impressive painting, I like his uniform....




The museum, two story, divided into different areas, representing the history of the CAF, both in China and Taiwan.

The museum is only open on Sundays and holidays.

We were greeted by the senior military officer of the museum (by chance) not scheduled. 

He was extremely kind to us, offering to personally show us the museum and help explain many displays.  

It was a wonderful tour and we really appreciated him taking time to provide us with a comprehensive tour of the facility. 

There were many historical photographs in the museum.


You might want to read a previous post concerning F-84 aircraft delivered to Taiwan .


 This photo says 42. 2. 18  (add 11 years) 1953 February 18.

It is my understanding, the F-84 aircraft did not arrive until early July 1953.

A number of ROC Pilots standing in this photo, along with US officers, including Chief MAAG Taiwan, Major General William C. Chase.  

 You can almost feel the heat rising from the tarmac.

Inside the museum, a bust of General Claire L. Chennault.

General Chennault was probably the most respected US officer in China and Taiwan.

General Chennault, often lovingly referred to as "the old man."

Here is just one of many General Chennault pages you might enjoy.

When you travel Taiwan, a MUST stop to visit,  the ROC Air Force Museum.

I feel remiss, we have not began to present any of the beautiful displays found here.

 

As we ended our escorted tour of the museum, each of us was presented a baseball cap, seen here, as a token of our visit to the museum.  It was a kind gesture by the museum staff.  Thank you.....

 Click on the cap to see the emblem more clearly.

It was getting toward lunch time, we had reservations at a restaurant in Kaohsiung and had to be on our way.  We loaded up in our bus and had a chance to relax for a few minutes.

Lunch today was at a restaurant that is a small museum in itself.

The building holds many store fronts that were picked up and moved into the restaurant.

There are booths all along the walls with the old store fronts in the middle floor area.

You might recognize some of these shops, they resembled others that existed all over the island back-in-the-day!

Japanese style bicycle, and old red motor bike parked along the wall.

Looks like a noodle stand, displaying cold drinks available.

One of the early Taiwan record player/radio consoles.

The restaurant is 2 stories, we walked through the street level area to the rear, then walked upstairs to the main dining room for lunch.  Our table was reserved.

It was crowded, being Sunday probably added to the lunch rush.

The walls were plastered with old movie advertisements, old films were being projected on two screens, you can see one screen to the upper left and one screen was on the wall to the right.

We had a large lunch, I was hungry and neglected to take a photo of our table before most of the food was gone.  The tea was special, really tasty.  I don't know how many times we asked our waitress to refill the tea pitcher.  

Lunch over, we are heading for the famous pagodas of Tsoying.

Back into our bus, and a time to lay back in the seat and let the meal settle down.

Wait, look out the window.

I've had enough fish and pork lately, it's time for a change.  

Tonight I'm having something from McDonald's.

That's as far as we're going today.

Our next post will finish up our visit to Kaohsiung.

See in day or two.