LOG Taiwan trip day 3 (25-11-2024)

[patrick dirksen]

Hi all,

Another morning, and another beautiful day. Perfect conditions for aircraft photography! So we made another early start.

Tainan AFB

1454/86-8077 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 1 TFG
1460/86-8084 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 9 TFG
1462/86-8087 F-CK-1C 1 TFW
1464/86-8089 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 1 TFG
1465/86-8090 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 3 TFG
1470/87-8096 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 1 TFG
1475/87-8103 F-CK-1C 1 TFW
1483/87-8112 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 9 TFG
1484/87-8113 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 1 TFG
1488/88-8119 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 3 TFG
1489/88-8120 F-CK-1C 1 TFW
1491/88-8123 F-CK-1C 1 TFW
1492/88-8124 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 3 TFG
1496/88-8128 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 9 TFG
1497/88-8129 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 1 TFG
1500/88-8132 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 3 TFG
1501/88-8133 F-CK-1C 1 TFW, 1 TFG
1613/84-8039 F-CK-1D 1 TFW, 3 TFG
1614/84-8041 F-CK-1D 1 TFW, 1 TFG
1618/86-8075 F-CK-1D 1 TFW, 9 TFG
1621/86-8085 F-CK-1D 1 TFW, 1 TFG
1623/87-8098 F-CK-1D 1 TFW, 1 TFG
1627/88-8118 F-CK-1D 1 TFW, 1 TFG
(5002) Fokker 50 (Special Transport Sq)
0822/75-6022 AT-3 AFFTC, FTG
3423/(84023) T-34C AFFTC, BTG
3425/(84025) T-34C AFFTC, BTG

What a great start of the day. When we arrived four Ching Kuo’s were taking off, and it turned out we had missed another pair already. Pair after pair left, and in between the AT-3 made an approach. The Fokker was seen overhead, serial from ADSB, while also a C-130 was seen overhead but as said these don’t plot on ADSB unfortunately. The two T-34s also flew overhead but low enough to read their serials.
When all aircraft we had seen depart had arrived back, apart from the first four, we decided it was time to move on, as we had a full program for the day. However in our haste we forgot to get the gate guards that should be easily visible…

Hua De Vocational High School, Jiading

5326/80877 F-5E pr, 7 TFG mks
2205 S-2T pr, no mks
364 UH-1H GIA, no mks, c/n 18064, 63-2064
NA-507 UH-1H pr, NASC c/s, c/n 18096, ex 396/65-2096

Another Tracker in the books! The guard was very friendly and photographing the aircraft was no problem. He used to work for the Navy and liked the Tracker as well!

Gueiren Army base

AH-1W, AATC: 547, 550, 551
CH-47SD, ATG: 7302, 7305, 7308, 7309
OH-58D, AATC: 626/(31035), 631/80062, 633/80064, 635/80066, 638/80069
TH-67A, AATC: 201, 202, 208, 209, 211, 214, 219, 223, 224, 226, 227, 228, 230

(9306) O-1G pr, mks nn
(8017) U-6A pr, mks nn
(8025) U-6A pr, mks nn
(?) UH-1H pr, mks nn

This is the most open army base of the three, and a lot can be read off from different angles. There were plenty more helicopters inside their hangars that escaped identification, but the score was very good anyway. Note that the gate guard U-6 has moved and can’t be seen from the gate anymore. However it can (just) be seen from the other side of the airfield, looking over the wall. While we were there, a lot of flying with the OH-58s and TH-67s just came to an end (lunch time), while the other side with the AH-1s and CH-47s was still very quiet. Here they just started to pull out some Cobra’s, but as didn’t want to hang around here long so we moved on to Gangshan.

Gangshan AFB

T-34C, AFFTC: 3403/84003, 3411/84011, 3414/84014, 3420/84020, 3422/84022, 3423/84023, 3425/84025, 3429/84029, 3434/84034, 3436/84036, 3439/84039, 3444/84044

We didn’t have to wait long for the start of the first afternoon wave, that held a nice amount of Mentors. However when these started returning, there was still no sign of activity wth the AT-3’s that should fly the next wave. We did wait for a while, but apparently they only had planned flying in the morning (as we had witnessed one at Tainan earlier). At least 19 could be seen on their platform, rather frustrating. We took our loss though and went to visit the museum earlier than expected.

Gangshan museum

[See the upcoming log of the 29th!]

First we went to the old museum site, where still some aircraft are on display. The gate here was locked though, so we decided to go to the new main building first. On our way there we noticed the F-5F at the Air Force Institute of Technology, 5365/70347, that we both had seen before. We also took a quick look at the back of the ROCAF technical school, where in the past amongst others an F-16 (6680) was outside, but that part of the area was totally devoid of aircraft.

R.O.C. Air Force Academy Aviation Education Exhibition Hall, Gangshan

0901/71-7001 XA-3 pr, no mks
(“844”) A-26C pr (N26FK, ex USAF 44-35444)
18351 B.720-051B pr, no mks
(7219)/48806 C-47B pr, no mks
0742/69-3042 A-CH-1 pr, no mks
AT11005 D.18S pr, no mks
1270/97098 F-5A pr, no mks
(5250) F-5E pr, nose, 7 TFG mks
5353/61642 F-5F pr, 7 TFG mks
(5386) F-5F pr, nose, no mks
“054/23003” F-84G pr, Thunder Tigers mks (ex USAF 51-16657)
“353/24884” F-86F pr, 11 BG c/s (ex 6049/51-13283)
0211/31561 F-100A pr, 2 TFW mks
5658/41506 RF-101A pr, no mks
4166/71326 F-104D pr, no mks
4344/47770/FG-770 F-104G pr, no mks
4413/62-12345 F-104G pr, no mks
10004/79-8004 F-CK-1 pr, no mks
1023/11023 HU-16A pr, no mks
“053/44-74837” P-51D pr, no mks (ex Phil AF unknown serial)
5842 PL-1B pr, AFFTC mks
5843 PL-1B pr, AFFTC mks
054 PT-17 pr, no mks
2001 S-2A pr, nose, no mks
2102/133051 S-2A pr, no mks
2206 S-2T pr, no mks
7009 S-70C-1A pr, Air Rescue Sq mks
214 T-6G pr, AFA mks
2823/17757 T-28A pr, unknown mks, see below
3025/52-9972 T-33A pr, AAFTC mks
(3082) T-33A pr, cockpit (flight simulator)
3412/84012 T-34C pr, AFFTC mks
“3842/10804” AT-38B pr, no mks (ex USAF 61-0804)
1104 Titan Tornado pr, no mks
3601/75859 U-3A pr, no mks
304 UH-1H pr, no mks
(350) UH-1H pr, cabin, no mks, c/n 18050, ex 62-2050
906 OH-6A pr, no mks
1101 OH-13H pr, no mks (really 1109??
9301/”53-12135” O-1G pr, no mks (ex 9301/51-12132)
8011 U-6A pr, no mks
2318 MiG-21F-13 pr, ex Hun AF, no mks
0195 Il-28 pr, ex China AF, no mks
1765 MiG-15bis pr, ex China AF, no mks
83065 (MiG-17) J-5 pr, ex China AF, no mks
3171 (MiG-19) JR-6 pr, ex China AF, no mks
40208 (MiG-19) J-6 pr, ex China AF, no mks
40307 (MiG-19) J-6 pr, ex China AF, no mks

What a great museum! When I visitited here in 2015, almost all aircraft were still at the old museum site. But at that time restoration work was being carried out on almost all of them, so we were not allowed in and photography was no good anyway. But now they all look very good again, better than the building itself by the way. And as there were only one or two other visitors, we could freely move around and take our photos. When done we enquired about visiting the outside part at the old site, but were told this is only open for the public in weekends. Today there was nobody present to let us in either, so that was a bit disappointing obviously.
Regarding the T-28, which unit is this badge? https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/9460644

When we left the museum, and were trying to get out of the parking lot (the machine had swallowed our token and the guard didn’t speak a word of English of course), some T-34s came overhead. So when we finally got out we hurried back to the approach, where we were still able to photograph 11 T-34s. Nine of those had also flown earlier, but 3410/84010 and 3424/84024 were new in this wave. Light was great by now, so this was a nice end of the day.

All that was left was the transfer from the Western side to the Eastern side of the island. A beautiful drive, but also a long and tiring one, so there was no time left for any W&R on the way.

That’s all folks!

Patrick Dirksen & Stefan Jongen
Tristar Aviation

[dutchphantom]

As far as I can find that is a badge of the Air Force Flight School.

[patrick dirksen]

Thanks. But the Air Force Academy has a head with wings as logo and I can't find an "Air Force Flight School". What is your source please?
Annoyingly enough the badge DOES look familiar, but I can't trace it.

[frank kramer]

Might it look familiar because it resembles the US Navy Fighter Weapons School badge?

[dutchphantom]

Google translate gives Air Force Flight School. My source is a book about the history of the ROCAF with a lot of drawings and old photos. Unfortunately it is in Chinese. But it is a good reference for badges. Come to visit me and I will show you.

[BennoT6]

good day Patrick, Stefan,

"214" is not a T-6G, but it's a Noorduyn AT-16-ND Harvard IIB

Regards,

Benno

[patrick dirksen]

Google translate gives Air Force Flight School. My source is a book about the history of the ROCAF with a lot of drawings and old photos. Unfortunately it is in Chinese. But it is a good reference for badges. Come to visit me and I will show you.

OK, thanks! I believe you

The book sounds very promising indeed by the way. Where do you live? (Maybe we should take this to the private messages...)

[patrick dirksen]

good day Patrick, Stefan,

"214" is not a T-6G, but it's a Noorduyn AT-16-ND Harvard IIB

Regards,

Benno

Thanks Benno. Out of curiousity, I know you are THE Harvard expert, but where is this info based on? Scramble database has it as AT-6 and Andy Marden gives T-6G as type.

[dutchphantom]

Google translate gives Air Force Flight School. My source is a book about the history of the ROCAF with a lot of drawings and old photos. Unfortunately it is in Chinese. But it is a good reference for badges. Come to visit me and I will show you.

OK, thanks! I believe you

The book sounds very promising indeed by the way. Where do you live? (Maybe we should take this to the private messages...)

I live in San Chung, New Taipei City.

[patrick dirksen]

That's a bit far for me, currently....

But if you ever get the chance to scan some parts of that book, I would be highly interested!