Mawei, Fuzhou, CN 🇨🇳 Closed Airport
CN-0339
-
13 ft
CN-35
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 26.081955° N, 119.60425° E
Continent: AS
Type: Closed Airport
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The airfield was gradually phased out of military service after the 1950s. The site was completely decommissioned and underwent redevelopment for urban use starting in the 1980s with the establishment of the Mawei Economic and Technological Development Zone.
The closure was due to a combination of factors:
1. **Technological Obsolescence:** The airfield was primarily a seaplane base, and the strategic importance of seaplanes declined significantly after World War II in favor of land-based aircraft.
2. **Military Consolidation:** Air operations in the Fuzhou area were consolidated at the larger and more capable Fuzhou Yixu Airbase.
3. **Urban Expansion:** The land occupied by the airfield became extremely valuable for the rapid urban and economic expansion of the Mawei District, which was designated as a key development zone. The site was repurposed for commercial, residential, and industrial use.
The site of the former Mawei Airfield has been completely redeveloped and is now a densely populated urban area within the Mawei District of Fuzhou. There are no visible remnants of the original runway, hangars, or other airport facilities. The land is now occupied by residential apartment buildings, commercial centers, schools, and industrial zones. A major thoroughfare named 'Jichang Lu' (机场路), which translates to 'Airport Road', runs through the area, with its alignment closely following the path of the former main runway, serving as the most prominent reminder of the site's aviation history.
Mawei Airfield, also known as the Mawei Seaplane Base, holds historical importance primarily as a military installation. It was reportedly first constructed by the Japanese during their occupation of Fuzhou in the 1940s. After the war, it was used by the Republic of China and subsequently the People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force. Its location in Mawei is significant, as the district is considered the cradle of the modern Chinese Navy, home to the historic Mawei Arsenal (Foochow Arsenal). The airfield supported naval aviation operations, likely involving seaplanes and amphibious aircraft operating from the Min River estuary. It was never Fuzhou's primary civilian airport; that role was filled by Fuzhou Yixu Airport until 1997. The ICAO code 'CN-0339' is an unofficial identifier used in some non-governmental databases and is not an official ICAO assignment, reflecting the airfield's closure before such codes were universally cataloged for minor fields.
There are zero prospects for reopening Mawei Airfield. The site is fully and densely urbanized, making any reconstruction physically impossible. Furthermore, the Fuzhou metropolitan area is well-served by the modern Fuzhou Changle International Airport (IATA: FOC, ICAO: ZSFZ) for all civilian traffic and the Fuzhou Yixu Airbase for military operations. There is no strategic or logistical need for another airport at this location.
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