New town at RNZAF Base Hobsonville

[Dave Homewood]

Have you seen the plans for the redevelopment of Hobby? there are some artists concept drawings here

www.hlc.co.nz/gallery.htm#nogo

It looks like the Wet Apron is to become a shopping promenade, which would probably be nice if it wasn't so infuriating that this wonderful historic place is to be lost to commercialisation.

At least it looks like they are to retain the concrete hangars from their sketches.

[beagle]

The buildings where the machine and metal shops were , or maybe still are, are still there in the scetches but not the old big hangar.
Unless my eyesight has gone right after my 44th birthday

[Dave Homewood]

I think you're right, the rounded hangar that is opposite the ramp you mean. Sad, as that is one of the oldest buildings.

[beagle]

I would have thought that would be if anything the one they would have kept.
Maybe it was going to cost too much to bring it up to standard.
Would have looked good as maybe a big food hall with a statically restored catalina or sunderland in there with food places , cafes around the fringes.

[Dave Homewood]

First of all, you wouldn't find a Sunderland to put in there. Second of all, if you found a Catalina to put in there there wouldn't be much room for shops. And third, I do think that hangar was getting fairly tired and run down. I don't think it has been restored recently, so it would indeed be costly to upgrade. The concrete hangars will last much longer I'd think.

But I like your thinking. Maybe large models of both types would be good centrepieces.

[beagle]

we could take some fibreglass moulds from the sunderland at MOTAT then make a static model like they did with the spitfire.
Yes I know it would cost a bit but if all the superyachy companies chipped in it could be feasable.

[Dave Homewood]

A fibreglass replica might as well sit outside. It would look neat on the ramp.