|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on Apr 11, 2006 0:03:37 GMT 12
Anyone remember the Sunderland that was on the Onerahi waterfront at Whangarei for some years from 1967? The aircraft was NZ4114:  After it was sold to the wreckers, the engines and other gear was removed at Hobsonville:  The 'boat was then towed up to Onerahi (must have been some trip) and beached on the waterfront for use as the Northland Volunteer Coastguard Service headquarters.  (nice new Holden !)  Apparently it eventually fell into a derelict state and was scrapped. Anyone know when? |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 11, 2006 6:40:34 GMT 12
Great photos. Such a shame.
|
|
|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on May 16, 2006 22:03:42 GMT 12
I'm now told that it was sold for scrap in 1972, so it didn't last there very long - five years. The following photo was taken in 1971:  |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on May 16, 2006 22:26:33 GMT 12
Oh wow, what a great photo. Cheers Peter!
It doesn't look too derelict to me. What a huge shame after all their efforts to get it there. It looks in better condition than Motat's was in the 1970's. Was anything saved from the scrapper I wonder, cockpit?
When you think about aircraft like this that were presereved for a time and then scrapped, it makes you ill. Another is the TEAL Short Empire that became tearooms in Auckland and was a lovingly looked after attraction for a time, then up and scrapped. Or those Lancasters amd B17's a chap went to all the trouble of pulling from lakes in Europe in the 1950's and then he scrapped them later on. Ergh!
|
|
ronb
Sergeant
Posts: 11
|
Post by ronb on Jun 10, 2009 20:14:20 GMT 12
I own a proerty in the far north at Mangonui and one day (1977 i think) I was chatting with one of the neighbours about fast types of boats,when Roy said,that Fastest thing he had ever seen on the water at Mangonui was Catalina that had broken down one day and had been repaired at Mangonui during WW2. The day it was fired up and floated out to the harbour mouth,the entire population gathered up on PA hill to watch it take off..  |
|
|
|
Post by John L on Jun 18, 2009 16:08:04 GMT 12
Was anything saved from the scrapper I wonder, cockpit? I'm sure the cockpit section ended up at Ferrymead. |
|
|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 18, 2009 20:45:27 GMT 12
The Sunderland nose/cockpit at Ferrymead is ex-NZ4112 - the Hobsonville Yacht Club one.  |
|
slpilot
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 1
|
Post by slpilot on Jan 9, 2010 2:13:35 GMT 12
I have a very vague memory of this as a 3-4 year old! By then, if I remember correctly, it had been moved further up the harbour and dismantled in the area that is now the municipal rubbish dump. My father swiped one of the control wheels from it at this stage and this hung in the back of our garage for the next 15 years before being sold (shock, horror) at a garage sale in the mid 80's. Probably got all of $20 for it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 9, 2010 8:08:30 GMT 12
Welcome to the forum slpilot!
|
|
|
|
Post by pepe on Jan 9, 2010 19:11:20 GMT 12
Yes, I can also remember the plane on the Onerahi waterfront and later dismantled and sitting in the southwest corner of the Whangarei dump for some years.
It was kind of ironic given Pohe Island (the site of the dump) was Whangarei's original airfield.
|
|
|
|
Post by fletcherfu24 on Jan 9, 2010 19:30:25 GMT 12
Played in it a few times when I was kid on holiday in Whangarei 1970-71 ish.It was pretty ratty and smelled like you know what inside.In later years when I was back in the area I was told it was burned to get rid of it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on Jan 11, 2010 21:00:07 GMT 12
It was kind of ironic given Pohe Island (the site of the dump) was Whangarei's original airfield. Well bless my cotton socks! I lived in Whangarei for 13 years as a kid and yet I never knew that. I have always found the aviation History of Whangarei obscure. Reg Roseman told me about the early landings at Kensington Racecourse - now Kensington Park, where the St Johns helicopters are based - but no-one knew or cared much about later movements. Even the crash of Tiger Moth NZ1441 into the main street in 1943 (which must have been a pretty public event, even in wartime) was never mentioned. Amazing what you learn around here. |
|
|
|
Post by pepe on Jan 12, 2010 20:26:37 GMT 12
I believe humble wee Pohe Island was also host to Charles Kingsford-Smith and the Southern Cross during their 1928 visit.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 12, 2010 21:17:48 GMT 12
Definately not during their 1928 visit, the Southern Cross landed at Wigram where it was repaired after damage on the crossing, and then it flew to Woodbourne and from there crossed the Tasman. It never flew anywhere else in NZ on that trip, and its only glimpse of the North Island was a flyover of Wellington on the way in and probably on the way out of NZ.
The Southern Cross never got to tour the North Island till 1933.
|
|
|
|
Post by pepe on Jan 13, 2010 21:36:15 GMT 12
Quite correct. It was 1933  Given that he departed for Australia via 90 Mile Beach it would suggest that the Whangarei visit would have been towards the end of his visit. |
|
