|
Post by rone on Jan 3, 2021 13:23:22 GMT 12
The Herald has been owned by o/seas interests now for more than 20 years. Michael Horton was the last chairman/managing director. He has a sister still living in Remuera, who was the last of the shareholding Hortons to sell out, she owned 1%. Sold for a very tidy sum, I will not disclose the amount as she is a very old close friend.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Jun 7, 2020 10:57:45 GMT 12
Yes, I spotted the Bofors right away. The open day was not long after our annual camp. I also remember quite clearly two TAF Mustangs taxiing near what was the TEAL hangar when a brake locked up on one of them. Did a donut right there and then. Did not fly after that. There must be more LAA photos out there surely.
|
|
|
Post by rone on May 20, 2020 10:23:27 GMT 12
Morning all. I have sent Dave H a picture to post. Appears tbf2504 and shorty are on to it. But the RAF badge is totally different to the crown shape of the RNZAF badge. Both must be of George V1 era though. and my personal badge is obviously of the current Queen. Thanks all for the help.
|
|
|
Post by rone on May 19, 2020 20:24:30 GMT 12
Thank you for your thoughts Dave and Camtech. Dave, I will try and photo them tomorrow and email them to you to post on here. Please accept they have not seen any 'shinio' in a long time.
|
|
|
Post by rone on May 19, 2020 19:18:03 GMT 12
I have two RNZAF Hat Badge. I also have, each with a different shape of Crown. I also have a RAF hat badge with a slightly different shape again. Can one of you knowledgeable folk explain the differences to me please. The RNZAF badges are from my own days, one is anyway. In all the years I have owned these badges I have never spotted the difference until now. Funny that. I only noticed it as I am going through my hoard prior to handing it on. I have recently learned stage 4 cancer means a big cleanout. Any help re the Crown shapes greatly appreciated. Ron
|
|
|
Post by rone on May 19, 2020 17:16:19 GMT 12
For what it is worth, I know of a farm in Karaka that still has a trailer with Corsair wheels and tyres. There was once many a farm equipped liked this. I recall when my father was breaking down aircraft and just engines, one of the first items that buyers were after was the magnetos for electric fence units. There was a bloke named Grant out at Karaka who connected them to a electric motor and sold them on. Another who always came sniffing for bits was Jack Asplin. Fence units were scarce back then, so this was always a good seller.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Apr 26, 2020 14:36:02 GMT 12
Apologies if I have posted in wrong place. I have been asked to find Service history of Cyril Cedrid Walker who served in the Army in the Pacific Theatre during WW2. He was born in Whangarei 1910, died suddenly Panmure 1962. All help greatly appreciated.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Apr 11, 2020 12:24:24 GMT 12
I have question for you Tiger Experts. I the picture above of BBV, there is a flat panel on top of the fuselage starting at the fin and extending forward about 3feet or so. My question is, was this only on early Tigers or removed at repair time as it served no real purpose. I know I am pretty ancient now but I clearly recall seeing plenty of Tigers with this flat panel years ago, but photos of more recent times do not show it. I was beginning to believe I was getting senile and imagining things. Please put this old bugger's mind at rest please someone.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Mar 21, 2020 16:32:29 GMT 12
I am certain I am correct, but here goes. Schoolmaster R.B.Waddell was in later years an Electronics teacher at Seddon Memorial Technical College, Auckland. He made NZ's first TV receiver, converting a 6" Occilloscope(sp) to receive pictures instead of radio waves. He was the man responsible for teaching the original TV Servicing technicians the ins and out of TV sets. These were kitset TV's supplied by PYE Radio. So in a way Ron Waddell is the father of TV in NZ.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Mar 13, 2020 10:46:48 GMT 12
camtech, I believe you spent time at Hobsonville, so you will know about the C-47 that was on drums. I know it once was among a pile of aircraft parked near the large hangar that was demolished (no3). When I first saw it, it was over the far side of the field in rotten row, parked on drums. The story was told that the hydraulic fluid had drained from the system , but the undercarriage was locked in place, but not by conventional means. For some reason the aircraft was to be moved (unknown). A person had suggested he could get underneath, lock the legs correctly and get out again safely. Something like that anyway. But it did not work, the aircraft collapsed onto him. It was fairly common knowledge back around late 50's. The aircraft number I do not recall other than it was supposed to have been one of the original batch received.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Mar 12, 2020 18:31:41 GMT 12
In the above post, with reference to Disp. No.147 'fuselage sold to Metal Smelters Ltd', that particular C-47 would be the engineless aircraft that had sat on 44gallon drums at Hobsonville for a good few years, and was broken up for scrap at the same time as the last of the Catalinas and the Seafire. All of which were sold to Metal Smelters Ltd. based in Neilson Street, Onehunga. That C-47 ended as many pieces of aluminium.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Mar 9, 2020 16:21:52 GMT 12
I am pleased to see I have stirred the pot a bit, just to get the memories working.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Mar 9, 2020 10:22:41 GMT 12
Engine and instrument overhauls are quite different activities to that carried out by an Engineering workshop. Crankshaft grinders are left running because of the large diameter grinding wheel takes a moment or two to get up to speed and the need to maintain its balance. This applies today in a workshop that does grinding, not necessary just crankshafts. The original article by Dave H was referring to a General Engineering Workshop that 'manufactured' bits and pieces, from raw material to the finished product. I will probably get shot down here, but I have never heard of a General Engineering Section, in Hamilton at all. My thoughts are that these would be some of the better equipped engineering workshops, of which there were several in Hamilton, able to do this precision work at short notice, being loosely contracted to undertake specialised jobs. I know that from my own time working at the CAC in Auckland P&W crankshafts were ground undersize by Eric Paton ltd, hardchromed by CAC, then reground to size again by Eric Paton. While most were from National Airways, Airforce crankshafts were also among them.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Mar 8, 2020 11:18:58 GMT 12
Could be any number of Precision Engineering workshops that carried out jobs for the Airforce at that time. Jas J Niven (long gone now) springs to mind. While the article sounds dramatic, it is just a normal everyday experience in a well equipped engineering workshop. Working around the clock was not unusual at the time of the article.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Feb 26, 2020 17:17:44 GMT 12
It appears that CMT records do not figure in the archives. At least mot so far. Some of the photos of the vehicles of the Recovery Squadron are a bit suspect. I have a couple of LAA photos that are almost identical to those shown. Both LAA and Recovery Squadron were part of (if my memory is still functioning) a group known as Task Force. David D can probably correct this if I am wrong. Would like to see what record there is though.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Feb 26, 2020 16:47:36 GMT 12
An elderly couple, both widowed, had been going out with each other for a long time. Urged on by their friends, they decided it was finally time to get married. Before the wedding, they had a long conversation regarding how their marriage might work. They discussed finances, living arrangements and so on. Finally the elderly gentleman decided it was time to broach the subject of their physical relationship. "How do you feel about sex?" he asked, rather tentatively. "I would like it infrequently" she replied. The old gentleman sat quietly for a moment, leaned over towards her and whispered, "Is that one word or two?"
|
|
|
Post by rone on Feb 26, 2020 16:32:52 GMT 12
Driving over the Kaimais one day... An elderly couple were driving over the Kaimais, the woman was driving. She gets pulled over by the highway patrol just after the summit. The officer says "Ma'am, did you know you were speeding" The woman turns to her husband and asks "What did he say ?" The old man yells "HE SAYS YOU WERE SPEEDING". The patrolman says "May I see your Licence ?" The woman turns to her husband and asks "What did he say ?"he old man yells, "HE WANTS TO SEE YOUR LICENCE." The woman gives him her licence. The patrolman says, "I see you are from Te Puke. I spent some time there once, had the worst sex with a woman I have ever had." The woman again turns to her husband and asks "What did he say?" "HE THINKS HE KNOWS YOU."
|
|
|
Post by rone on Feb 26, 2020 16:06:39 GMT 12
I have just now read an article on MSN news, written by an ignorant idiot journalist. The story is headed as WW2 US Bombers found. They are then described as WW2 fighter jets, found in the water at Truk in the Pacific Ocean. Reading on I find two aircraft are Dauntless divebombers, the third is an Avenger, all from the US Carrier Enterprise. Does History not get taught anywhere these days, or are all airplanes Jet Powered.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Jan 28, 2020 18:54:10 GMT 12
While not trying to deviate from the purpose of this thread, I would like to add a bit to the history of the CAC. As pjw has stated, Henderson & Pollard's mill was on the corner of Enfield Street (named after the rifle). On the opposite corner was the Crown Seal building. This is where the bottle tops known as crown seals were made. Every bottle that used that type of top in NZ was made there. From a sheet of imported printed tinplate these were punched out and pressed in a die to form the bottle top and a disc of cork was added. Next door up the Enfield Street hill was the Clay Target works, where a mixture of bitumen and other goodies were pressed in dies to make the targets for shooters to knock out of the sky. A few steps further was a couple of early houses. In one lived "Martha", she was the gate warden in my time there, was in her 80's then. She was an original employee, she worked at the CAC her whole working life, starting as a young girl. Opposite Enfield Street, behind the basalt rock wall was the "12 Gauge" finishing area, the shells were varnished and packed here. A bit further along was the proof office and a small firing range. Passing through the main gate, one had to get passed Martha before going further. Next on left was the office. This brick building dates from 1885, is the only recognisable building left. Looking straight ahead was the original ammunition factory, having been superseded once the new factory was built. It still housed the engineering workshop and toolroom with the Chrome Plating workshop attached. One of the regular jobs was hardchroming Pratt & Whitney crankshaft journals. Plus Landrover ball joints and washing machine parts. This was the only Hard Chrome workshop at the time I worked there. That building was also used for the production of the first Alkathene water pipe in NZ. Below, underneath was the engineering stores.
Between that building and the main factory was a railway line heading into Mt Eden Prison. At the entrance to the main factory was a large diesel generating plant, capable of powering the whole place. Was a wartime measure. On the left was the Metal Draw section. Here, in a series of press operations a brass plug was gradually formed into a .303 cartridge, as was the projectile. Next was where shotgun ammo. was produced. Across on the factory right side was where .303 cartridges were assembled and loaded with caps and cordite. The cordite loading was pretty hard on the nerves for females doing this work. There were two small totally enclosed concrete rooms, each with a female seated in there checking the cordite as it unrolled off of a brass spool and was cut to fit the cartridge. There was a fairly high turnover of girls. Next area down housed the .22 lead bullet production and loading of powder. Air rifle lead slugs were also made here.
Late 1950's production of aluminium pie dishes known as "Foil Tainer" commenced. These were the first outside of USA. Now they are everywhere.
Back across Normanby road to the Shot Tower. The building in the photo, beneath the Tower housed a large Tangye High Pressure water pump. One job it was used for was making "Lead Came", used in making lead light windows. Lead was heated till plastic then forced at high pressure through a die to make a "H" shape string of lead. Also in there was a large water filled trough that chilled the shot as it fell down the tube from above. Up in the building atop the tower is/was a large cast iron pot, surrounded by brickwork with a gas burner to melt the lead. the molten lead was poured through fine holed sieves, dropping exactly 100feet to the water. They were then checked for roundness, those not perfectly round were remelted.
One final bit of history, while I worked there the CAC received a contract to break down 60million rounds of ammunition. This comprised 6pound anti-tank ammo., .50calibre, armour piercing and tracer, .303 and down to 7mm and .45pistol ammo. .50 caps laid in a line on tram tracks were a great way to liven Queen Street on Saturday night.
|
|
|
Post by rone on Jan 25, 2020 9:59:30 GMT 12
A great idea to discuss. Unfortunately I brought up a similar topic during the fires down Christchurch way, but was shot down as being impractical to use RNZAF C130 as it meant more training for aircrews to keep current. I do believe however a private operation as suggested above has merit. An aircraft or two or three would be able to operate year round worldwide. As far as local helicopter companies, they would have to grin and bear it. Ok, a chopper can fill up from a lake ,river or any close by water source as against a C130 needing a reasonable airstrip and filling facilities. But a Helo carries 1000litres, a Herc. carries 15,000litres, meaning 15times the coverage per trip. Worth considering.
|
|