Tien Ho

  Unknown dates

  China

CITY: Guangzhou, Guangdong

IATA/ICAO CODES: --- / ----

COORDINATES: 23°08'N / 113°19'E

OTHER NAMES: Tianhe, Amanogawa, Amanokawa, Saukauling

Right: CAT's 25 reserve Commandos cannibalized to support the operating fleet, ca 1948 at Tien Ho.
Photo credit: CAT Bulletin, vol. I, no.10, p.13 / CAT operations by Dr. Joe F. Leeker

Tien Ho was a military airfield probably built during the Sino-Japanese War by the Japanese Imperial Army. It was located just East of the major city of Canton, and also used during World War II. The Japanese garrison at Tien Ho surrendered to the Americans only upon the surrender of Japan, on 2 September 1945. After the war, the field was used as a maintenance base by CAT (Civil Air Transport) for to support UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) operations. CAT also stationned in Tien Ho its "reserve fleet", a group of airplanes that would later be used either for fleet expansion or stripped for parts. CAT's reserve fleet in Tien Ho included 25 Commandos purchased by UNRRA from USAAF surplus in the Philippines in May 1947.

Today, Tien Ho airfield has been covered by urban expansion, and is part of Guangzhou's Tianhe district.

CAT (Civil Air Transport)

• Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando: 42-101080, 42-101083, 42-101128, 42-101141, 42-101142, 42-101163, 44-77350, 44-77359, 44-77365, 44-77372, 44-77379, 44-77385
• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: 44-77482, 44-77483, 44-77732, 44-77736, 44-77756, 44-77757, 44-77777, 44-77778, 44-77789, 44-77793
• Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando: 44-77926, 44-77928, 44-78519