Thailand: Warplanes of the Second World War preserved

Warplanes of the Second World War preserved in Thailand

The aim of this website is to locate, identify and document Warplanes from the Second World War preserved in Thailand. Many contributors have assisted in the hunt for these aircraft to provide and update the data on this website. Photos are as credited. Any errors found here are by the author, and any additions, corrections or amendments to this list of Warplane Survivors of the Second World War in Thailand would be most welcome and may be e-mailed to the author at hskaarup@rogers.com.

Thailand

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles.

In early 1935, Thailand placed an order for 24 Curtiss Hawk IIIs at a cost of 63,900 Baht each, and a manufacturing license was also bought. The first 12 Hawk IIIs were shipped to Thailand in August and the remaining 12 arrived in late 1935, which were named Fighter Type 10. A total of 50 Hawk IIIs were locally built during 1937 and 1939. The type was used against the French in the Franco-Thai War and the Japanese invaders in December 1941, and then relegated for use as trainers. Some of these aircraft were still active in 1949 and one airframe (KH-10) survives in the Royal Thai Air Force Museum.

During the French-Thai War, the Thai Air Force flew the Vought V-93S (American export version of the O3U-6) Corsair biplane scout and observation aircraft and scored several air-to-air-victories against the Vichy France Armée de l’Air.

The Vought O2U Corsair was a 1920s biplane scout and observation aircraft. Made by Vought Corporation, the O2U was ordered by the United States Navy (USN) in 1927. Powered by a 400 hp (298 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp engine, it incorporated a steel-tube fuselage structure and a wood wing structure with fabric covering. Many were seaplanes or amphibians. A single AXV1 (O2U) was supplied to the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service for evaluation in 1923.

During the Second World War the Thai Air Force supported the Royal Thai Army in its occupation of the Burmese Shan States as allies of the Japanese in 1942 and defended Bangkok from allied air raids during the latter part of the war. Some RTAF personnel also assisted the anti-Japanese resistance. During the war five Ki-27s fought in a dogfight with eight North American P-51 Mustangs and 9 Lockheed P-38 Lightnings over Lampang Province in Thailand. The RTAF lost all Ki-27s, but claimed they shot down one P-38 and badly damaged two P-51s. An RTAF Nakajima Ki-43 shot down one USAAF Boeing B-29.

Aviation Museums in Thailand

Royal Thai Air Force Museum, Thanon Phahon Yothin, Don Muang Airport, Bangkok.

Royal Thai Army Aviation Museum, Lop Buri/Sa Pran Nak, Khao Phra Ngam.

Jesada Technik Museum, 100 Moo 2 Ngew-rai, Nakhon Chaisri, Nakhon Pathorn 73120.

Chiang Mai Air Museum, Chiang Mae, Thailand. Curtiss Tomahawk Mk. IIb (Serial No. AK500), AVG P-8115, 3rd Flight "69".

Royal Thai Air Force Museum, Don Mueang District, Bangkok, Thailand, on on the Phahonyothin road just to the south of Wing 6 of the domestic terminal of the Don Mueang Airport.

Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor.