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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 17, 2008 15:57:20 GMT 12
As a kid and right upo till the early 1990's I'm sure, Dad used to point out to me the concrete stands and pads where Corasairs and P-40's were mounted on to test fire their guns into the butts. They were in a paddock next to the right angle corner on that road that goes behind the WWII hangars, and Simon's hangar, etc - that main road round to the hangars and Warbird Hangar. You could see them from the road at that corner if you looked into the long grass on a south-west type direction. The corner I mean is the intersection of Harvard and Kittyhawk Lanes. See map here www.helicam.co.nz/images/map.gifI went to point them out to my mate recently and couldn't see them. Were they removed by someone? Have they been preserved somewhere? |
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Post by Bruce on Mar 17, 2008 16:56:06 GMT 12
They were demolished 1999 from memory. There was some Archeological investigation carried out, which yielded a variety of spent Ammunition - including a surprising large number of 9mm rounds - obviously someone tested personal sidearms there postwar...
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Mar 17, 2008 18:49:55 GMT 12
9mm...The Sten Gun,9mm was a common calibre WW2.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 19, 2008 11:37:26 GMT 12
Why did they remove them? What a shame, they were historic. I doubt there are any WWII era aircraft butts anywhere now.  |
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Post by flyjoe180 on Mar 20, 2008 8:17:36 GMT 12
IS that near the Mobil Jet pump? There is still some concrete stuff out there I think, but not resembling an actual butt any longer.
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Post by Bruce on Mar 20, 2008 9:47:46 GMT 12
It was around behind the Rural Aviation (Grant Biel's) Hangar on the far corner of the SE Apron - standing in the Field across the perimeter road. It looks as though it was removed when the field was put into Maize as it would have been a nuisance to the harvester. It is worth noting that none of the Ardmore historic structures seem to have any historic places protection. in the time since I was first there in the late 1980s, they have lost the old Base HQ building, Water tower, several prefab huts, and I think the old Base institute. Before that the central grass hangars went in the Late 70s - early 1980s (one to MOTAT). Its a bit sad that historic structures are lost, but it is an active airfield which changes to meet the changing needs of its users.
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