Operation Crown

A Google Earth view of the Crown Airfield.

Above is a satellite image of the Operation Crown Airfield near Loeng Nok Tha in north east Thailand. This airfield was constructed by Royal Engineers over a three year period from late in 1963 to December 1966. Originally the surface of the airfield and aircraft parking apron was tarmacadam. 59 Fd Sqn were the resident squadron for the whole of the tarmacing phase. They used Heath Robinson like machines in shifts to get the job done. A Howard Train for soil compaction, the Starmix 8 to produce the tarmac and a Barber Green to spread the tarmac. The conditions meant a night shift was necessary, as searing mid-day temperatures allied to the heat generated by the Starmix, meant work was impossible at midday. The airfield was opened on June 17th 1965 by the then Prime Minister of Thailand, Thanom Kittakachorn. 59 Sqn left for Singapore in July 65. During the wet season water penetrated the macadam and passed through hairline contraction cracks in the stabilization of the compacted laterite subgrade and reduced CBR value to zero in many places. In October of 1965 at the end of the rainy season, 59 Fd Sqn returned from Singapore to strip the tarmac surface from the airfield.

A composite image showing the Howard Train and barber Green.

A composite image of the Koehring Paver and a slump sample.

In December 1965 59 Sqn were relieved by 11 Ind Fd Sqn to start the concreting of the airfield with pavement quality concrete (PQC). 11 Sqn worked on the concreting of the strip until May of 1966. The picture left shows a Koehring Paver being operated by sappers of 11 Sqn and a slump sample showing zero slump.The picture's were taken by the then OC of 11Sqn Major J H G Stevens. A report on Operation Crown Dec 65 - May 66 by Capt A H Hodges dated 12th Oct 1966 reads:- Originally the intention was to mix the concrete with four pairs of fourteen cu ft NT mixers fed by four weightbatchers. Fortunately reason prevailed. Approval was given to hire a twin drum 34E Koehring tracked paver for ten weeks to be used until an SGME central batcher was installed. This phase of the operation will be covered in more detail on 11 Fd Sqn's page. Major Stevens left the Army as Col Stevens in August 1975. He returned to Crown in 1986 and wrote an article for the RE journal entitled Crown Revisited. this will be recorded on the 11 Sqn page. Pictures left by Colonel J H G Stevens B.Sc FICE RIP.

Mike Heal stands in the shade of a Commer tipper as his Thai work gang take a break from their labours. 59 Fd Sqn relieved 11 Sqn to continue with the concreting until October of '66' when 34 Sqn took over. Poor quality stabilisation was removed and a base prepared for lean mix concrete. Thai local labour employed at the start of the concreting phase numbered fifty per day. At around the time this picture was taken it had risen to two hundred and fifty per day.

Mike Heal relaxes in the shade of a truck as his Thai work party take a lunch break.

A colour picture taken at ground level showing the last batch of concrete being laid.

December 1966 and Sappers of 34 Fd Sqn work at laying the last batch of concrete to complete the construction of the airfield. They were two months into, an eight month un-accompanied tour in Thailand, from their base in the garrison town of Tidworth. In front of them starting in January would be the first phase of building a road, the Post Crown project. In the picture left, standing at the top right hand corner of the airfield control tower, is the Crown photographer Cedric Williams. He's recording this significant moment and the picture he was taking is shown below.

A picture taken from the airfield Control Tower showing the laying of the last batch of concrete to complete the airfield construction.