old kallang Airport 1937/ 80 years

Kallang Airport, also known as Kallang Aerodrome, Kallang Airfield and RAF Kallang, opened in 1937 as Singapore's first purpose-built civil airport and was built together with an anchorage area for seaplanes along the airport's perimeter on the waterfront (on the Kallang River). Large tracts of land were reclaimed in the Kallang Basin to turn the vast swampy area into a circular-shaped airfield and to build a slipway for seaplanes. The airport was closed down in 1955 when the new Singapore International Airport at Paya Lebar (also known as Paya Lebar Airport and now operated as Paya Lebar Air Base by the RSAF) was built and opened in that same year. Although most of Kallang Airport was demolished soon after it was shut down and the cleared areas of the former airport were redeveloped (such as the old seaplane anchorage area and the runway), the distinctive airport terminal building, some nearby airport structures (major ones include a few of the original aircraft hangars and former airport administration blocks, some of which have been quite recently demolished) and the iconic control tower were retained and served as the headquarters of the People's Association (a major government-run community organisation in Singapore) until April 2009. Just a year before, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) of Singapore gazetted what remained of Kallang Airport for conservation as a historic monument/landmark in the country. It is currently unoccupied.When the Japanese launched their invasion of Malaya and Singapore on 8 December 1941, Kallang was the principal fighter airfield. By January 1942, it was the only operational fighter airfield in Singapore, as the other airfields (Tengah, Seletar and Sembawang) were within range of Japanese artillery at Johore Bahru.

Brewster Buffalo fighters of 243 Squadron RAF, 488 Squadron RNZAF and a detachment of 2-VLG-V of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force operated from the airfield, defending Singapore from repeated Japanese air raids. They were joined later by Hawker Hurricanes of 232 Squadron RAF, but attrition took a steady toll on men and machines, and by the last days of January 1942, the airfield had been badly damaged by the bombing and only a small number of aircraft were serviceable. The last of the fighters left in early February, escaping to carry on the fight just before Singapore was surrendered to the advancing Japanese.

The war years and after
The growth in aviation traffic was stunted during the war years, a period which saw the landing circle being converted into a single runway to allow use by warplanes. Operator British colonial government in Singapore (from 1937 until 1955, when the airport was shut down)
Serves Singapore
Location Kallang
Opened in 1937
Closed in 1955
Hub for Malayan Airways music own by Legendary Walk 4 by Johannes Bornlöf - [Build Music] Legendary Walk 5 by Johannes Bornlöf - [Build Music]