Ohakea and Whenuapai's concrete hangars

[nuuumannn]

Do you know why both WP and OH hangars/bases have a 'Southern aspect'?

Nelson was the same; Two Hangar faces south. This photo looks roughly due north.

[jimtheeagle]

Does anyone know the floor area and height of the Whenuapai concrete hangars? How many P-3s can you get in one? How much of 5 Sqn has to sit on the line or be elsewhere when not flying?

Thanks,
JT

[camtech]

Basically, three Orions can fit in the concrete hangars. Way back when, I can recall an attempt to get a fourth in but couldn't quite do it.

[Dave Homewood]

And one other Orion is (almost) always under cover at Woodbourne. So only two have to sit outdoors I guess.

[fwx]

For the technically-minded and the just plain curious, here is an account of the design and building of the Ohakea and Whenuapai reinforced concrete hangars in 1939, written and presented by the designer, Charles Turner:

ipenzproduction.blob.core.windows.net/cms-library/docs/default-source/news-publication/heritage/turner_nzie-proceedings_1948.pdf?sfvrsn=2

It includes description of the loss of part of a roof section when the fresh pour was washed away in a downpour, and details of the repairs to the roof of the Whenuapai hangar which the Hudson crashed through.

Fascinating stuff!

Thanks to IPENZ.

Cheers, Chris

[Dave Homewood]

The scaffolding on one of the Whenuapai hangars blew over in a very high wind one day too in 1940, and bent some of the steel girders.I was reading about that in an old newspaper only the other night.