World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
30 Jun 2015 09:23:21 PM

COME FLY WITH ME, LET'S FLY, LET'S FLY AWAY:

CNAC DC-2 check out the traffic control on the field. Are some of the locals ready to board the next flight out. Chinese characters under wings spell out China National Aviation Corp.
In large letters top of fuselage spell out CNAC

2.  Bil says:
16 Aug 2015 10:11:02 AM

FAR FROM THE COMFORTS OF HOME:

SANHUPA AIRSTRIP

1930s China was still lacking many of the airport
facilities found in the western world. Did you know that an airport was built in the middle of a river, on a sandbar island in the Yangtze tens of thousands of Chinese workers put thousands of sand stone slabs to build a 2,150 foot runway were able to survive the Yangtze floods during the summer.
The airstrip surrounding gave one the feeling of a frontier town. Buildings and huts that could be taken down and moved to higher ground as the rains came. Airline operations were moved to a military field during the rainy season.

NIGHT FLYING:

No ILS approach here landings were accomplished
under a bright full moon. Other landing were made by seeing oil pots burning, fog and cloud cover would ground many flights. Some flights would have enough time to land, refuel, take on new passengers and fly out again.

CNAC had to fly in oil, fuel, spare parts, support equipment by air or shipped by sea or land. It wasn't unusual for travelers to wait days or sometimes weeks to continue on their trips.
Traveling in 1930s China was still very dangerous
with run in's by bandit, Japanese, Communist and Nationalist Chinese forces. Flying with CNAC
was an adventure...

3.  Bill says:
14 May 2016 05:56:13 PM

RESERVATIONS: A HOP OVER THE HIMALAYAS

Honorable Mention in the 1937 film Lost Horizons
the film featured a Douglas DC-2 footage showed
taxing, landing, takeoff and in flight...a mockup was used for the crash scene.
Based on the 1933 novel by James Hilton and later made into a film, along with the fictional place called of Shangri-La.

Suggested Reading & Film

"Lost Horizons" By James Hilton
And the 1937 movie of the same name filmed in Glorious Black & White and available on DVD

I thank the editor/ww2db for allowing this comment. It always has been my intention to broaden every ones horizons...

4.  Bill says:
16 May 2016 04:42:10 PM

SOLDIER OF FORTUNE:

Did you know Japanese built DC-2's were also
operated by Manchurian Air Lines under the Japanese controlled puppet state of Manchoukuo.
Aircraft also doubled as transports and operated with the Imperial Japanese Army in China and were also based in Saigon, Indochina. No aircraft survived WWII. All records and other operating documents have been lost.

NOWHERE TO RUN:

As Soviet forces advanced into Manchoukuo in 1945 many tried to escape by air. When was the last flight out or how many were able to flee is unknown. The airline ended operations on August 15, 1945 what aircraft were abandoned both civilian and military were captured by Soviet forces and later turned over to Chinese Communist forces

JAPAN:

Dai Nippon Air Lines operated within the sphere of Japanese influence. Aircraft were built by the Nakajima Aircraft Co. Operated with the Imperial Army and Navy as transports.

CHINA:

DC-2's were operated by Canton Air Lines and
China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC) both airline operated (2) two aircraft each.

I thank the editor/ww2db for his continued support