Here stand the Wartime Concrete Hangars OHSAWA 2. These hangars whisper tales of a bygone era. They are a relic from World War II. These concrete structures once shielded Japanese fighter planes. They were protecting them from American B-29 bomber raids.
Chofu Airport’s history intertwines with these hangars. The airport began in 1938. Tokyo Prefecture acquired land for its construction. Some landowners didn’t want to sell. Construction began in 1939. High school students and prisoners were mobilized for labor. By 1941 two runways were operational. One was nearly 700 meters long. The other was 1000 meters.
Initially a civilian airport it soon became a military base. The Imperial Japanese Air Force stationed Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien fighters here. These “flying swallows” defended Tokyo. Chofu Airport became a transit airfield. It was used for “special attack units”. These were Kamikaze units en route to Chiran.
As US aerial attacks intensified protecting the fighters became crucial. Concrete hangars were built in 1944. They shielded the planes from bombs. High school students and local gardeners were conscripted for this work. The Wartime Concrete Hangars OHSAWA 2 is one of at least 30 such hangars. They were scattered around the airport. This decentralization was an additional safety measure.
These hangars were small reinforced concrete caps. Each hangar fit one fighter plane. This explains their odd shape. Many fighters were lost. They weren’t a match for the B-29s’ massive defensive guns. The hangars aimed to save some fighters. They would be available for the expected US invasion.
After the war parts of the airport grew vegetables. The US Army Air Force used other parts. They based reconnaissance planes here. These planes surveyed the war damage. This lasted for a few months until early 1946. The airfield was handed back to Japanese control. A small-scale civilian airport was re-established. Today the airport serves small private services. Light aircraft and helicopters use it.
Local initiatives preserved the three surviving hangars. The Wartime Concrete Hangars OHSAWA 2 stands as a testament to this effort. The information panels offer historical background. They also show the hangar locations. There is a slight disagreement between the panels. One marks 30 hangars while another marks 33.
The Wartime Concrete Hangars OHSAWA 2 is identical in content to Ohsawa 1. The panels at these sites are bilingual. They offer a good English translation. Ohsawa 1 differs. It is closed. The front displays a large mural. It shows a plane inside the hangar. Next to it is a scale model. It is a bronze sculpture of a plane inside its hangar. Half the roof is missing for a better view.
The Wartime Concrete Hangars OHSAWA 2 and its counterparts stand as quiet reminders. They evoke a sense of history. They tell a story of war. They also tell of resilience in the face of adversity.