Relic of
GALLERY: SPY PLANES, SATELLITES AND CHINA'S TOP GUN
Relic of ANOTHER
U-2 Incident
COLIN SIMPSON
Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution, Beijing, China
3/5
IN 1960, at the height of the Cold War, an American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union.
This caused a serious ratcheting up of the already strained relationship between the superpowers. It’s the thing that’s remembered most about the U-2, so much so that it would be easy to assume this was a unique event.
In fact, five other U-2s were shot down in the 1960s, not over the Soviet Union, but in Chinese airspace, with the loss of three pilots. The planes were operated by the Black Cat Squadron, a Taiwan-based unit, and were supplied by the CIA.
The Taiwanese pilots received training in the US, and their main task was to gather intelligence about China’s nuclear programme. The reconnaissance programme was shrouded in secrecy.
For years, the wreckage of one of the U-2s (above) lay in the forecourt of this museum in Beijing. It was an arresting sight as it slowly mouldered away, with little effort being made to conserve it.
COLIN SIMPSON
Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution, Beijing, China
3/5
IN 1960, at the height of the Cold War, an American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union.
This caused a serious ratcheting up of the already strained relationship between the superpowers. It’s the thing that’s remembered most about the U-2, so much so that it would be easy to assume this was a unique event.
In fact, five other U-2s were shot down in the 1960s, not over the Soviet Union, but in Chinese airspace, with the loss of three pilots. The planes were operated by the Black Cat Squadron, a Taiwan-based unit, and were supplied by the CIA.
The Taiwanese pilots received training in the US, and their main task was to gather intelligence about China’s nuclear programme. The reconnaissance programme was shrouded in secrecy.
For years, the wreckage of one of the U-2s (above) lay in the forecourt of this museum in Beijing. It was an arresting sight as it slowly mouldered away, with little effort being made to conserve it.
The museum in the west of the city reopened in May after a seven-year renovation and expansion project. This was still underway when I visited, so the building – with its lofty, star-topped, spire – was closed, and many of the exhibits were displayed outdoors.
The museum is one of Ten Great Buildings built in Beijing for the tenth anniversary of the foundation in 1949 of the People’s Republic of China. Later this year there will be events to mark the 70th anniversary.
My first impression was that this was not a museum likely to win any awards for curatorship. Many of the exhibits – such as this captured US Sherman tank – were coated with dust and could have done with a good hosing down.
There are, nevertheless, some fascinating items in the collection. In April 1970, China launched its first satellite, Dongfanghong I, into orbit, and the museum has this identical backup satellite. Dongfanghong I orbited the Earth for 20 days, as planned, broadcasting a song called “The East is Red”.
There’s also this Fanhui Shei Weixing recoverable reconnaissance satellite. These were used for military and civilian photo surveillance purposes for 30 years from the mid-1970s. They are said to have had heatshields made from wood (oak, actually), though there is some doubt about this given the closed nature of China’s space programme.
Also on display is the MiG 15 fighter used by Chinese top gun Wang Hai. He shot down or hit nine American aircraft during the Korean War, and went on to become commander of China’s Air Force with the rank of general. He is now 93. The plane, along with other objects I saw outdoors, have been cleaned up and moved inside to the refurbished exhibition halls.
Western visitors complain that descriptions of exhibits are mainly in Chinese – a big issue in a country where Google is blocked, so you can’t look things up.
Some objects will mean more to Chinese visitors than Westerners, such as this car used by Zhou De. Zhou, a former warlord who became a revolutionary and sometime ally of Mao Zedong, rose through the Communist Party hierarchy and served as China’s head of state from 1975 to 1976. He is not, however, a well-known figure in the West.
MORE INFO
TRAVEL CHINA GUIDE page about the museum. Online information on Chinese tourist attractions in English can be a bit sparse, but you’ll find some information here. READ MORE
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GALLERY: SPY PLANES, SATELLITES AND CHINA'S TOP GUN
Relic of ANOTHER
U-2 Incident
3/5
Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution, Beijing, China
IN 1960, at the height of the Cold War, an American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union.
This caused a serious ratcheting up of the already strained relationship between the superpowers. It’s the thing that’s remembered most about the U-2, so much so that it would be easy to assume this was a unique event.
In fact, five other U-2s were shot down in the 1960s, not over the Soviet Union, but in Chinese airspace, with the loss of three pilots. The planes were operated by the Black Cat Squadron, a Taiwan-based unit, and were supplied by the CIA.
The Taiwanese pilots received training in the US, and their main task was to gather intelligence about China’s nuclear programme. The reconnaissance programme was shrouded in secrecy.
For years, the wreckage of one of the U-2s (above) lay in the forecourt of this museum in Beijing. It was an arresting sight as it slowly mouldered away, with little effort being made to conserve it.
The museum in the west of the city reopened in May after a seven-year renovation and expansion project. This was still underway when I visited, so the building – with its lofty, star-topped, spire – was closed, and many of the exhibits were displayed outdoors.
The museum is one of Ten Great Buildings built in Beijing for the tenth anniversary of the foundation in 1949 of the People’s Republic of China. Later this year there will be events to mark the 70th anniversary.
My first impression was that this was not a museum likely to win any awards for curatorship. Many of the exhibits – such as this captured US Sherman tank – were coated with dust and could have done with a good hosing down.
There are, nevertheless, some fascinating items. In April 1970 China launched its first satellite, Dongfanghong I, into orbit, and the museum has this identical backup satellite. Dongfanghong I orbited the Earth for 20 days, as planned, broadcasting a song called “The East is Red”.
There’s also this Fanhui Shei Weixing recoverable reconnaissance satellite. These were used for military and civilian photo surveillance purposes for 30 years from the mid-1970s. They are said to have had heatshields made from wood (oak, actually), though there is some doubt about this given the closed nature of China’s space programme.
Also on display is the MiG 15 fighter used by Chinese top gun Wang Hai. He shot down or hit nine American aircraft during the Korean War, and went on to become commander of China’s Air Force with the rank of general. He is now 93. The plane, along with other objects I saw outdoors, have been cleaned up and moved inside to the refurbished exhibition halls.
Western visitors complain that descriptions of exhibits are mainly in Chinese – a big issue in a country where Google is blocked, so you can’t look things up.
Some objects will mean more to Chinese visitors than Westerners, such as this car used by Zhou De. Zhou, a former warlord who became a revolutionary and sometime ally of Mao Zhedong, rose through the Communist Party hierarchy and served as China’s head of state from 1975 to 1976. He is not, however, a well-known figure in the West.
But there are more than enough tanks rockets, guns and other hardware to keep military equipment fans happy. They can also buy toy planes and guns at the souvenir shop.
VERDICT: Interesting collection, and the refurbishment looks like a huge improvement.
Updated January 2020
MORE INFO
TRAVEL CHINA GUIDE page about the museum. Online information on Chinese tourist attractions in English can be a bit sparse, but you’ll find some information here. READ MORE
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THE WARTIME BLOCKBUSTER MIDWAY has come under heavy bombardment from the critics. But another Midway you can go and see deserves sparkling reviews. READ MORE
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WELCOME TO OUR WORLD! Afaranwide’s home page – this is where you can find out about our latest posts and other highlights. READ MORE
TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS: Many of the world’s most popular tourists sites are closed because of the coronavirus crisis, but you can still visit them virtually while you’re self-isolating. READ MORE
SHIMLA, QUEEN OF THE HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey. READ MORE
TEN THINGS WE LEARNED: Our detailed guide to creating a website, one step at a time. The costs, the mistakes – it’s what we wish we’d known when we started blogging. READ MORE
TROUBLED TIMES FOR EXPATS: Moving abroad can seem an idyllic prospect, but what happens when sudden upheavals or the inescapable realities of life intrude? READ MORE