World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe Taichu West Airfield was built in Taichu (now Taichung) in central Taiwan by the Japanese Army in 1944 in order to expand the air defense capabilities of central Taiwan. US military intelligence referred to this airfield as an auxiliary runway for "Toyohara Airfield", which, in fact, was an incorrect name for the nearby Taichu Airfield.

ww2dbaseThe facilities were used by both military and civilian traffic, and the civilian portions of the facilities were also known as Kokan Airport, named after the district nearby.

ww2dbaseAfter the war, in 1950, Taichu West Airfield was turned over to the provincial government of Taiwan Province of the Republic of China, which renamed it Cingcyuankang (Pinyin: Qingquangang). During the Cold War, Cingcyuankang housed a number of US Air Force units, including 83rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron (12 F-104 fighters), various squadrons of 479th Tactical Fighter Wing (2 F-104C fighters), various squadrons of 314th Troop Carrier Wing (C-123 and C-130 transports), various squadrons of 374th Tactical Airlift Wing, various squadrons of 18th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-4C fighters), among others. The Americans romanized the airfield as Ching-Chuan-Kang Air Base. US forces departed Cingcyuankang in 1979 after the United States switched its friendship from the Republic of China located in Taiwan to Communist China. In 2004, Taichung Cingcyuankang Airport became the main civilian airport for the city of Taichung, replacing the older Shuinan Airport, which also had its roots as a Japanese military airfield.

Taichu West Airfield Interactive Map

Photographs

Taichu West Airfield Timeline