Avenger wreck near Hobsinville ??

[stu]

After taking the family out for a Sunday drive and lunch at Riverhead, I decided to drive home via Whenuapai and the Upper Harbour highway.

Looking at all the motorway construction going on for some reason reminded me of a story I was told years ago about an Avenger that crashed into the mudflats near the Upper Harbour bridge. According to my source, you could still see some of the remains (a few bits of aluminium) at low tide if you knew where to look - which I didn't.

The only RNZAF lead I could find was NZ2503 which is listed as having crashed into the Waitemata near Hobsonville in 1956 but was recovered and then broken up several months later.

Has anybody else heard this story (perhaps it was part of NZ2503 that had been left behind and the storytellers - and storytellees - memory wasn't what he thought it was) or should it be classed as an urban myth about an unaccounted for Avenger?

Cheers,
Stu.

[Bruce]

There is a Hudson wreck in the tide sometimes visible from the upper harbour bridge, this could be where the story originated. there is a thread about it somewhere on the forum! (Dave is there a way of indexing all this stuff?)

[twilight]

bruce said:

There is a Hudson wreck in the tide sometimes visible from the upper harbour bridge, this could be where the story originated. there is a thread about it somewhere on the forum! (Dave is there a way of indexing all this stuff?)

rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi?board=Airshows&action=display&thread=1150633178&page=1

[stu]

Many thanks for the info (and I should have known there was already an answer somewhere here). I can see the story I was told must have come about due to a bit of Avenger/Hudson confusion.

One final question, where exactly is the wreckage located in relation to the bridge - hoping of course that the current road works and bridge expansion haven't entailed driving a great big pillar through it. Could be an interesting weekend expidition armed with a camera.

Cheers,
Stu.

[30sqnatc]

Years ago, long before the bridge was built, I spent a few weeks in Hobsonville while on a course. Over the weekend I wondered around the shoreline as I was aware of the wreck and had seen it of all places while standing in the door of an Andover approaching the Whenuapai DZ during para course. If my memory is correct it is probably under the bridge approach road although it could be slightly further north. It was very close to the shoreline at low tide.

[Dave Homewood]

If you are heading northbound on the bridge (ie going uphill) look left. It can be seen clearly at low tide.

There is a wreck of an Avenger under the sea just off the coast of Gisborne. A 31 Sqn crew gently landed it on the sea at night, after the engine cut. It wasn't dmagaed in the ditching and simply sank. I don't know if the surf has since destroyed it.

[steve]

Thats correct however about 200m before the bridge proper looking left at low tide you will see the wing of a hudson about 50ms from the road. Be careful if you attempt to go out as we did the slow grind with a group of us in 1989. At parts you can sink up to your thighs in soft mud. It was fasinating however to examine the wing and ythe wheel assembly with tyre still in reasonable condition then.