Yunnanyi Airport

Yunnanyi Airport
云南驿机场
Summary
Airport typeUndetermined
ServesXiangyun, China
Coordinates25°25′08″N 100°42′03″E / 25.418811°N 100.700697°E / 25.418811; 100.700697
Map
 
Location of Xiangyun Airport
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
01/19 7,500 2,272 Unknown

Yunnanyi Airport, formerly known as Xiangyun Airport and during WWII as Beitun Airport, is a military airport in western Xiangyun County, Yunnan province, China.

Throughout the Second World War, there were two airports in Xiangyun County: Yunnanyi Airport (after the nearby town, Yunnanyi) and Beitun Airport (北屯机场). The original Yunnanyi Airport was abandoned after 1949. Beitun Airport stayed in use, and was renamed Xiangyun Airport. Xiangyun Airport was later renamed again to become the current Yunnanyi Airport.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

History

After Japan cut off the vital Allied Burma Road logistics line in 1942 during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the airfield was primarily used by transport squadrons operating C-46 Commando and C-47 Skytrain flying from India over "the Hump" until the opening of the Ledo Road in 1945. The transport aircraft unloaded supplies and equipment for the Chinese forces, mainly being food and ammunition. The original Yunnanyi Airport (also known as Yunnani or Siangyun Airfield) was used by the United States Army Air Forces Fourteenth Air Force as part of the China Defensive Campaign beginning in September 1944. In addition, USAAF F-4 (P-38 Lightning) aircraft flew combat reconnaissance missions over Japanese-held areas from the airport in late 1944 and early 1945. The Americans closed their facilities at the airport in July 1945.

References

  1. ^ "The feasibility study of Xiangyun Airport interchange project of Chuda Expressway passed provincial review". Xiangyun County People's Government. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ Xiangyun County Chronicles Compilation Committee of Yunnan Province (1996). Xiangyun County Chronicles. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company. ISBN 7-101-01548-4.
  3. ^ Yang, Meili (2013). Collection of Pictures and Texts of Sino-US Joint Anti-Japanese Archives. Beijing: China Bookstore. p. 200. ISBN 978-7-5149-0786-5.
  4. ^ "It is prohibited to release birds (pigeons) in these clear protection areas in Xiangyun!". Xiangyun News. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  5. ^ Office of the Local Chronicles Compilation Committee of Xiangyun County (2022). Xiangyun Yearbook 2021. Kunming: Yunnan People's Publishing House. p. 237. ISBN 978-7-222-20762-2.
  6. ^ Office of the Local Chronicles Compilation Committee of Xiangyun County (2018). Xiangyun Yearbook 2017. Kunming: Yunnan People's Publishing House. p. 407. ISBN 978-7-222-17795-6.