Longtan Airfield

Longtan Airfield (龍潭飛行場) was a concealed (秘匿用) military airfield constructed by the Imperial Japanese Army in the second half of 1944, located in the Longtan area of Taoyuan Prefecture in northern Taiwan (Formosa). The airfield was part of Japan's extensive network of dispersal and camouflage airfields built across Taiwan during the final stages of the Pacific War, as the island served as a critical link in Japan's southern defense perimeter.

Taiwan was regarded by Japanese military planners as an 'unsinkable aircraft carrier' (不沈空母), and dozens of airfields — both permanent and improvised — were constructed across the island to support air operations against Allied advances in the Philippines and Okinawa. The Taoyuan area in northern Taiwan hosted multiple airfields, including Longtan and a secondary facility known as Longtan West (龍潭西), approximately 7 kilometers away. Longtan South (龍潭南) was identified as a dummy airfield and subsequently struck from operational maps.

By the end of the war in August 1945, American intelligence records documented the following units and aircraft at Longtan Airfield:

• 飛行第20戰隊 (20th Fighter Squadron): An Imperial Japanese Army fighter unit.
• 誠第16飛行隊 (Makoto 16th Squadron): A special attack (tokubetsu kōgeki) unit organized for kamikaze operations.
• Aircraft inventory: 26 Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (一式戰鬥機「隼」, Allied code name 'Oscar') and 14 Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (四式戰鬥機「疾風」, Allied code name 'Frank') fighters.

During Operation Ten (天號作戰), the coordinated special attack campaign launched from Taiwan between late March and early June 1945, at least one confirmed special attack mission departed from Longtan Airfield. In total, 33 special attack sorties were launched from various airfields across Taiwan during this period, targeting American naval forces near Okinawa.

The Ki-43 Hayabusa was the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force's primary fighter throughout much of the war, renowned for its exceptional maneuverability. The Ki-84 Hayate, introduced in 1944, was considered one of Japan's finest fighters, capable of competing with late-war Allied aircraft such as the P-51 Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt in speed and climb rate.

After Japan's surrender in August 1945, all aircraft at Longtan were scrapped and none were preserved. The airfield was decommissioned and subsequently taken over by the Republic of China military. The site was redeveloped as a military base, and in the 1970s it became the home of the Army Aviation 1st Group (陸軍航空第一大隊), later reorganized as the Army Aviation 601st Brigade (陸軍航空第601旅) under the Army Aviation and Special Operations Command (陸軍航空特戰指揮部). The base, known by the code name Longcheng (龍城, 'Dragon City'), now operates AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters alongside OH-58D scout and UH-60 utility helicopters. The facility occasionally opens to the public for National Defense Knowledge Tour events but is otherwise restricted to military personnel.