Chinese Military Aviation 1912-1937 Volume 2: The Guangdong Air Force 1927–1936 (Asia@War)

The Chinese Nationalist Government under Chiang Kai-shek moved from Guangzhou (Canton) in Guangdong Province to Nanjing in 1927, but the government in Guangdong was soon resurrected and remained semi-independent from Nanjing. It would later gain more independence and during periods it came close to war with Nanjing. It kept its own army, air force and navy until 1936, when Guangdong and Nanjing were about to start fighting each other and the Guangdong Air Force suddenly defected with men and aircraft to the enemy.The first aircraft operated were R-1s (Soviet-built copies of the de Havilland DH9A), U-1 (copies of the Avro 504K) and Curtiss Jennies. A number of French Breguets and other types were imported in 1928. Ryan Broughams and Waco two-seaters were then acquired and were operated as bombers in countless campaigns against ‘bandits’ (the Chinese Red Army) over the years. In 1929–1930 the Guangdong Air Force fought a war with neighbouring Guangxi Province, in 1932 against the Japanese in Shanghai and on two occasions it was used to quell a revolt by the Guangdong Navy.Zhang Huichang and Huang Guangrui were the most important Air Force commanders. Many types of aircraft were operated. The most numerous were the Avro Avian, Armstrong Whitworth AW 16 and Atlas, de Havilland Moth and Tiger Moth, Focke-Wulf Stieglitz, Boeing 281, Curtiss Hawk, Douglas O-2MC, Fleet trainer, Vought Corsair and the indigenous Yangcheng.Chinese Military Aviation 1912–1937 Volume 2: Guangdong Air Force 1927–1936 is extensively illustrated throughout with original photographs and includes an extended section of the @War series’ signature specially commissioned colour aircraft profiles. Read more