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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 19, 2007 19:51:23 GMT 12
Thanks Steve. On the actual webpage this spiel appears under the history section. In another section are details on the runways, which were 1500 and 1560 yards in length each, and 150 feet in width.
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Post by steve on Mar 20, 2007 16:07:20 GMT 12
Yes that looks like something I have read to ...I might be rembering the planned length and not the built length
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Post by Bruce on Mar 20, 2007 18:20:05 GMT 12
1560 YARDS equates to 4680 FEET, so its not too far off. (about 173 yards)
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 20, 2007 19:41:21 GMT 12
Indeed.
Did they have an abbreviation for yards in the olden days, like where feet was ' and inches "
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Post by steve on Mar 30, 2007 22:10:34 GMT 12
I don't think so Dave...i have only seen yds... The chage to metric by NZ was only half sucessful years ago...eg height...most people still only relate to feet and iches and internationally avaition height still measured in feet...I suppose because USA still has the imperial system for weights and measurement
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 31, 2007 12:08:45 GMT 12
Steve, have you checked out the new Aucland rgions page on my site now? It's online.
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rod
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 80
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Post by rod on Oct 25, 2010 20:11:54 GMT 12
i saw some pics and heard some stories from where my dad was training with bofors on harvards out there this weekend, pretty intense!
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Post by trx850 on Oct 26, 2010 20:00:27 GMT 12
Here's a shot from Google Earth. You can plainly see where the two runways were. Cheers, Pete M. |
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Post by shamus on Oct 26, 2010 20:36:26 GMT 12
I posted this picture of Seagrove on another thread but think it should be shown on this one. It is taken during the war or not long after it and shows the layout of the land at that time. Because of the angle from which it is taken the NE/SW runway appears shorter then the East/West one but I believe they were of similar length.  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2010 20:38:29 GMT 12
I had never seen Seagrove before, despite being such a big fan of the Dauntless, so it is wonderful to see these photos and the info!
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rod
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 80
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Post by rod on Oct 26, 2010 20:40:40 GMT 12
just a rock with a plaque on it nowadays so i understand
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 26, 2010 22:29:24 GMT 12
I would love to see, and have never seen, photos of the P-40's operating from Seagrove back before the Dauntlesses turned up. That period seems largely forgotten now.
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Post by kb on Oct 27, 2010 12:44:19 GMT 12
Dave, I have just read your Seagrove history. Thanks for that, very interesting. Just a couple of small points. A Marine Air Group is the equivalent of an RAF Wing with 3 or more squadrons. Just like their light switches they have an upside down chain of command as their equvalent of an RAF Group is known as a Wing!  The term Banshee was tentatively assigned by the USAAF to the A-24 but I don't think it ever came into general use. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 27, 2010 19:00:00 GMT 12
So in that case did all three squadrons from MAG 14 come to New Zealand at that time?
MAG 14 had previous experience with the kiwis, when No. 3 (GR) Squadron arrived at Guadalcanal in 1942 they were camped alongside MAG 14, and many of the kiwis and American crews became good mates.
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Post by kiwithreadz on Jan 27, 2011 10:50:37 GMT 12
Our family own the land on which part of the old Seagrove airfield runs. our fenceline runs parallel to where the monument is. If anyone would have any more history of photos we would be really interested.
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Post by kiwithreadz on Jan 27, 2011 10:53:57 GMT 12
just a rock with a plaque on it nowadays so i understand Thats correct, it is on a paper road and is accessible to the public. The stud farm have illegally blocked access, you used to be able to drive down there |
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Post by philip on Jan 27, 2011 18:22:09 GMT 12
I was visiting a client out at Glenbrook Beach today so drove down Seagrove road and took these pics. What an amazing bit of land for an airfield. North East  South West  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 27, 2011 19:29:20 GMT 12
Welcome to the forum kiwithreadz, it's good to have you here. Do you guys have photos or history that you can share with us?
Great photos there Philip.
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kiwiwreckdiver
Squadron Leader
Still military and aviation history mad
Posts: 123
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Post by kiwiwreckdiver on Jan 27, 2011 21:59:37 GMT 12
I was told 0f a a few crashes around the old Seagrove base a SBD and Afew P40 went in never, in 2001 on a walk around the old base i picked up a number of .50 projectiles and a few old glass bottles along the water front. The farmer also told me his friend had a P40 tail while from one of the crash sites. Anyone been to or know of the rough are of the crashes  |
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jirilea
Leading Aircraftman
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Post by jirilea on Feb 28, 2011 13:19:27 GMT 12
Have just found this site. My Great Great Grandfather, Joesph Clark bought the land now known as Seagrove in 1858. It was very interesting seeing the aerial photos of the property. The aerodrome was used for both car racing and motorbike racing from 1946 until 1952. I remember going there to watch the motorbikes in 1952, at what I believe may have been the last meeting held there. I have a programme from the meeting. As children, at low tide we would walk out to the concrete blocks that were used as targets. We would often find bullet cases. Another source of information is a book by Jewel Dell titled The Mystery of the History of Waiau Pa.
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