March 1, 1946, the Aviation School of the Northeast Democratic United Army, the first aviation school of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), was founded in Tonghua despite numerous difficulties. It was so hard then that almost every plane was assembled with sporadic instruments and tires. By 1949, this school had cultivated more than 200 pilots and 600 ground service personnel. It was the cradle of the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) of the People’s Republic of China.

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