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MOTAT
Jul 2, 2011 10:50:42 GMT 12
Post by mumbles on Jul 2, 2011 10:50:42 GMT 12
Hi Mumbles
Geez this was a long time ago. Other option for the road maybe Main Road south of the Wainuiomata Road roundabout
I have the Lat Long listed as -41*17'58.7660, 174*59'00.3242 That sounds about right given the other details Might pop over and have a look next time I have a bit of time to spare.
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MOTAT
Jul 2, 2011 10:52:42 GMT 12
Post by mumbles on Jul 2, 2011 10:52:42 GMT 12
Went up to this site last year, the scar is actually in the next feeder stream. crash site is at/near top of Skerret creek, at a vertical wall.though wreckage has tumbled down from there. Wreckage still about, armour plate, engine,and the wing centre section is in the stream,possibly covering the now more crushed wing panels. If you know what to look for the distinctive L/R wings ,joined by a line of bolts,upside down with gear retraction oleos still partly shiny.Also found a wheel disc cover in the bush and further downstream the rotting remains of one of the tires. Not a bad walk but best if you get guided the first time! How's the access? Do you need to cross any private land or can you just walk up the side of the creek? Interesting that stuff is still there, I thought it would have been salvaged/scavenged by now.
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MOTAT
Jul 2, 2011 19:13:32 GMT 12
Post by shorty on Jul 2, 2011 19:13:32 GMT 12
John Chambers made an attempt to salvage the armour plate and carried it part way down. He said he would go back later and continue (it's pretty heavy) I don't know if he ever did.
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MOTAT
Jul 2, 2011 21:27:18 GMT 12
Post by saratoga on Jul 2, 2011 21:27:18 GMT 12
Walk up the side of the creek ? nice idea but you are in the creek and its an occasional scramble,though doable. Or you can go up the ridge and transect the stream near the top.Most of the airframe bits are near the top but the engine is below a small waterfall,i think you could climb up it . Last time i was up there the armour plate was still there,heavy and awkward to move ! author=mumbles board=Airshows thread=11025 post=126989 time=1309560762] Went up to this site last year, the scar is actually in the next feeder stream. crash site is at/near top of Skerret creek, at a vertical wall.though wreckage has tumbled down from there. Wreckage still about, armour plate, engine,and the wing centre section is in the stream,possibly covering the now more crushed wing panels. If you know what to look for the distinctive L/R wings ,joined by a line of bolts,upside down with gear retraction oleos still partly shiny.Also found a wheel disc cover in the bush and further downstream the rotting remains of one of the tires. Not a bad walk but best if you get guided the first time! How's the access? Do you need to cross any private land or can you just walk up the side of the creek? Interesting that stuff is still there, I thought it would have been salvaged/scavenged by now.[/quote]
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 5, 2011 19:52:41 GMT 12
Denys Jones has sent this photo to me to post. It is the crash site of the P-40 at Wainouomata in 1963. He has removed a person from the photo but the rest is fine. Thanks Denys.
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Post by shorty on Jul 5, 2011 20:50:29 GMT 12
These are the same pieces of wreckage 4 years later (1967) and the engine lying in the stream itself quite some distance downhill.
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MOTAT
Jul 5, 2011 22:53:17 GMT 12
Post by angelsonefive on Jul 5, 2011 22:53:17 GMT 12
Re. P-40E NZ 3031 crashed 1115 approx., 1/5/43.
I had a relative, now deceased, who told me how, as a teenage Air Training Corps cadet he had been attending a camp at Baring Head, SE of the Wellington Harbour entrance.
One morning a Kittyhawk flew over as an aircraft recognition exercise for the cadets. After a few minutes the plane departed to the north and later that day the boys were assembled and told that the P-40 had crashed and the pilot had been killed.
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MOTAT
Jul 5, 2011 23:12:50 GMT 12
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 5, 2011 23:12:50 GMT 12
That must have been a really sad shock for the lads.
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MOTAT
Jul 6, 2011 11:47:04 GMT 12
Post by errolmartyn on Jul 6, 2011 11:47:04 GMT 12
Re. P-40E NZ 3031 crashed 1115 approx., 1/5/43. I had a relative, now deceased, who told me how, as a teenage Air Training Corps cadet he had been attending a camp at Baring Head, SE of the Wellington Harbour entrance. One morning a Kittyhawk flew over as an aircraft recognition exercise for the cadets. After a few minutes the plane departed to the north and later that day the boys were assembled and told that the P-40 had crashed and the pilot had been killed. I also have the time as 1115 in Vol Two of my 'For Your Tomorrow' series, but on re-checking the accident card just now note that it records the time as 1415. The 'Evening Post' of 3 May also confirms afternoon: "AIRMAN KILLED PLANE FROM SOUTH ISLAND A member of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Sergeant Thomas Victor Marchant, lost his life on Saturday afternoon, when the aircraft in which he was the sole occupant, crashed in the southern part of the North Island during a flight from a South Island air station. The airman's father is Mr. H. W. Marchant, 24 Ferguson Street, Wanganui." Marchant was engaged on 'operational co-operation with Observer Corps', so not strictly speaking for the benefit of ATC cadets. Errol
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MOTAT
Jul 6, 2011 16:02:08 GMT 12
Post by angelsonefive on Jul 6, 2011 16:02:08 GMT 12
Thanks for the correction Errol.
In fairness to my late brother in law I have to say that the reference to the morning was not his, but mine, based on the time given in my source, namely ADF/RNZAF Serials.
The ADF/RNZAF serials site refers to the aircraft being " caught in a downdraught " or similar words, but this seems unlikely to me given that the P-40 was a high performance aircraft.
Does the accident card give a reason for the crash ?
I assumed that the plane collided with the ground while flying in poor vis.
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MOTAT
Jul 6, 2011 20:24:48 GMT 12
Post by errolmartyn on Jul 6, 2011 20:24:48 GMT 12
The ADF/RNZAF serials site refers to the aircraft being " caught in a downdraught " or similar words, but this seems unlikely to me given that the P-40 was a high performance aircraft. Does the accident card give a reason for the crash ? I assumed that the plane collided with the ground while flying in poor vis. "Pilot attempted to cross range from lee side in strong wind with insufficient height to allow for downdraughts." And "Pilot attempted to cross a range from the lee side but was caught in a down draught from which he could not recover, and a/c crashed and caught fire." Location given as "Wainuiomata." The card does not go into detail, so unable to say if the event was witnessed or the cause solely deduction on part of the the investigator(s). Errol
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MOTAT
Jul 6, 2011 22:02:20 GMT 12
Post by angelsonefive on Jul 6, 2011 22:02:20 GMT 12
Thank you for the information.
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MOTAT
Jul 24, 2011 12:42:54 GMT 12
Post by Richard Wesley on Jul 24, 2011 12:42:54 GMT 12
I noticed that there is a great photo of the huge new Motat hangar on the Motat website. The old hangar is in the distant background. I understand that all the aircraft are cleared from the old hangar for repairs and improvements to be carried out, but that the flying boats can't be moved inside until things dry out again in summer.
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MOTAT
Jul 24, 2011 14:45:57 GMT 12
Post by skyhawkdon on Jul 24, 2011 14:45:57 GMT 12
Wow that is a great photo and really gives scale to the building compared to the old hangar. What a fantastic asset it is going to be. The Air Force Museum at Wigram has plans well advanced for a similar sized display hangar. Construction should start on it shorty.
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MOTAT
Jul 24, 2011 15:06:41 GMT 12
Post by Richard Wesley on Jul 24, 2011 15:06:41 GMT 12
I saw a plan of the Wigram development and was very impressed with some of the display ideas. I can't remember though where I saw it and would be interested if anyone else has a draft of the layout they can post.
I had a very idea of having fighter aircraft through the ages: Kittyhawk, Mustang, Vampire, Skyhawk which would an impressive lineup.
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MOTAT
Jul 24, 2011 16:02:02 GMT 12
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 24, 2011 16:02:02 GMT 12
Don't forget the Spitfire in that too Richard!
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MOTAT
Jul 24, 2011 17:59:11 GMT 12
Post by Peter Lewis on Jul 24, 2011 17:59:11 GMT 12
all the aircraft are cleared from the old hangar for repairs Has the Magister been taken down from its rooftop possy?
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MOTAT
Jul 24, 2011 19:48:42 GMT 12
Post by Richard Wesley on Jul 24, 2011 19:48:42 GMT 12
all the aircraft are cleared from the old hangar for repairs Has the Magister been taken down from its rooftop possy? I believe that all the aircraft are down from their various positions for a cleanup before being reinstalled in a completely new layout.
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MOTAT
Jul 24, 2011 19:58:50 GMT 12
Post by corsair67 on Jul 24, 2011 19:58:50 GMT 12
I reckon they should let the NZSO perform in that hangar before all the aircraft are moved in, as it'd be interesting to hear what the acoustics are like. Carl Nielsen's 4th Symphony would be a good starter.
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MOTAT
Jul 24, 2011 20:23:10 GMT 12
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 24, 2011 20:23:10 GMT 12
Flight of the Valkyries would be appropriate Craig. I am told the accoustics are excellent, none of the noise of the old hangar apparently. that old large hangar has terrible sound quality, every bang or bump or little squeal of a small child echoes all through, and when it rains it's worse still. I found this out trying to film in there. Of course MOTAT's staff added to it be deciding to pick the same day to use a beeping cherrypicker and powertools in there!!
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