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Post by steve on Oct 22, 2005 1:14:46 GMT 12
Kumeu air station i believe was located close to the rail tracks and was a emergency landing field and dummy air staion for whenuapai. I understand replica hudsons were parked there. Can anyone help me with its location in todays terms....I'm guessing the a&p grounds ..thanks
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 22, 2005 9:57:57 GMT 12
How about Kumeu Airport? Is that a possibility? www.fallingrain.com/world/NZ/0/Kumeu.htmlIn the earlier days I believe it was a satellite aerodrome to Whenuapai for the 4EFTS trainees to use in their Tiger Moths. I think they had replica Hurricanes there too, and one of the fighter squadrons actually operated from Kumeu for a period, but I'd have to check that. |
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Post by pjw4118 on May 19, 2011 16:00:28 GMT 12
This is an update on a post of several years ago. Google 36470789S 174355049E. The land was taken in 1941 and the Public Works built an airstrip adjacent to the Northern rail line at todays Boord Crescent. Local historians record ‘Contractors spent weeks clearing Kauri stumps from the swampy land and the turf was lifted 4000 nine inch field tiles laid in scoria and the turf relayed and rolled. Nine or ten dummy camouflage paint Hudsons were placed around the airfield. Some others reported Hurricane dummies also being used. Both were made by Mt Eden timber company Henderson & Pollard.  Tiger Moths (of 4EFTS Whenuapai) would fly across daily for practice at the strip. NZ682 was damaged on 16 November when it undershot on lading at Kumeu. Lighting parties from Whenuapai were sent across each afternoon to set up a beacon and dummy flare path as a decoy for the Whenuapai/Hobsonville bases. It is surprising that the decoy was set up alongside the only northern rail link.  No 4 EFTS Tiger Moth at Whenuapai Post war locals Jack Faulder and Bill Smith bought a stub winged engineless Hart from a Hobsonville disposals auction plus a few Bren Gun carrier. The Hart was bought for its fuel tanks and wheels which were to be used on farm trailers and a caravan. The rest was thrown into a pond adjacent to the Kumeu strip. The remains recovered some years later. |
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Post by shamus on May 19, 2011 16:57:27 GMT 12
That was a Hawker Hind and it was Don Subritzky who recovered it.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 19, 2011 22:35:29 GMT 12
That's the best photo of a dummy Hurricane in NZ I have seen Peter. They had them at RNZAF Station Nelson too.
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Post by Tony on May 19, 2011 23:28:10 GMT 12
One of the Waitakere Village icons, JJ, mentioned this dummy airfield to me years ago. He told me it was located on the flat land to the north of Waitakere Road between Taupaki and Hanham Roads but that is not too far from the Boord Cres location.
He did mention the "blow-up Hurricanes".
Fantastic pic of the Hurricane, thanks Peter
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jwillis
Leading Aircraftman
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Post by jwillis on Mar 3, 2016 17:50:22 GMT 12
-We live in Boord Cres. and have heard the same stories from locals. There is the remains of a concrete structure in our back paddock, and signs of buried Kauri trees. Does anyone know anything of this relic from Riverhead?  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 3, 2016 18:41:24 GMT 12
That photo link did not work.
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Post by pjw4118 on Mar 14, 2016 12:27:30 GMT 12
Funny enough I was speaking with Derry Faulder at the Kumeu Show this weekend about the old airfield. He confirms that it was the fourth property on the right in Boord Cres. It covered about 10 acres , if you google earth the site there is a large brown paddock just where Derry pointed to.
Hope this helps.
Another active site during the early wartime involved US troops going by train to Waimauku then marching out to Muriwai for exercises. There were parts of the camp foundations in the camping ground until recently.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2016 14:04:09 GMT 12
I'd love to see the dummy Hudsons - could make for a fun and unusual model project! I do enjoy reading about these fake installations.
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Post by Bruce on Mar 17, 2016 17:02:27 GMT 12
I'd love to see the dummy Hudsons - could make for a fun and unusual model project! I do enjoy reading about these fake installations. Great idea - A dummy Hudson and Hurricane would go well in my RNZAF collection too... might have a look at that "Dummicane"... Resin casting project? I assume the dummies were full size? |
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Post by baronbeeza on Mar 17, 2016 18:55:23 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 17, 2016 23:33:14 GMT 12
Don't forget they had dummy P-40's too Bruce. Yes they were full size.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2016 12:30:15 GMT 12
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