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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 29, 2011 11:34:26 GMT 12
Is anyone here aware of the existence today of any loaders or loading buckets still from the era of James Aviation's topdressing Dakotas?
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Post by Bruce on Jul 29, 2011 15:17:40 GMT 12
One of the "Hammerhead" loading cranes and buckets (from Ardmore I think) was at Farmworld Mystery creek for many years - I hope they havent lost it!
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fadge
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 81
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Post by fadge on Jul 29, 2011 17:13:10 GMT 12
Super Air have one of the buckets. It gets used as a rubbish incinerator.
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Post by The Red Baron on Jul 29, 2011 18:58:43 GMT 12
Sacrilege..  ....thats like using the Treaty as a place mat. |
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Post by thomarse on Jul 29, 2011 20:18:49 GMT 12
Funny you should ask that Dave - just yesterday I noticed that the remains of the fixed-type loading gear at Napier Airport appear to be there still.
Think also that much of the installation at Wairoa is still in place and perhaps bits and pieces at Dannevirke
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Post by hairy on Jul 29, 2011 22:04:34 GMT 12
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Post by hairy on Jul 29, 2011 22:22:45 GMT 12
This appears to be the remains of the loader and the bucket at Napier Airport on Google Earth (image dated June 2009). The bucket is a fair bit larger than the ones on the 3 truck mounted loaders on the field.    |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 29, 2011 22:51:16 GMT 12
Thanks guys. These clues are probably useful. I have passed them on.
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rhyno
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 90
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Post by rhyno on Jul 29, 2011 23:34:28 GMT 12
The DC-3 loader boom from Napier is now a bridge over lake Pohue, at TePohue, on the Napier -Taupo highway, and can be seen from the road.
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Post by thomarse on Jul 30, 2011 7:51:22 GMT 12
Spot on Hairy!
Just through the locked gate at the end of Watchman Road.
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Post by alias on Jul 31, 2011 11:55:47 GMT 12
There used to be the substantial remains of a Feildair unit next to the road out to the Wairau bar, near Blenheim.
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Aug 2, 2011 1:15:15 GMT 12
Here is what I assume to be the DC-3 loader at Wairoa, as it was in 2007.................   I saw a Dak drop its load of super on the runway at Wairoa one day. I was driving a train past the airport and the Dakota was taking off when it lost an engine. The pilot dumped the load, whereupon the Dak shot up into the air and the super went for miles past then end of the runway and the aerodrome boundary. |
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rhyno
Flight Lieutenant
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Post by rhyno on Aug 17, 2011 21:56:40 GMT 12
If anyone would like a up-to-date photo of the remains at Napier i can oblige..
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Post by starr on Feb 17, 2012 13:13:25 GMT 12
Remains of loader at Mystery Creek was the original from Ardmore. That was built in around 1965. Evidently not there now. Bucket at Super Air was off the first loader built, the Thorneycroft crane. That loader I believe ended up working in a scrap metal yard somewhere.
The loader at Wairoa was one of several of the static loaders.
The South Island loader could be the first one David Taylor from Tauranga built on a TK Bedford in 1965.
The loaders James had were the Thorneycroft, built by Aero Machinists in 1954 - 55, one built in Takanini by Armstrong Engineering in 1959 - 60 on an Autocar, another conveyor belt loader bult by Aero Machinists in the early 60's, which ended up with Airland, the TK Bedford built by David Taylor, which ended up with Southern Air Super and 2 D series Fords, the same design as the TK. I had the priviledge, or whatever, to drive them all.
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fadge
Flight Lieutenant
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Post by fadge on Feb 17, 2012 18:07:10 GMT 12
You even had the priviledge to load about 50 tonnes in to fadge's Fletcher too, Dave!  |
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Post by thomarse on Mar 7, 2012 8:54:46 GMT 12
I was past Wairoa last week.....  Looks like it's unchanged since 2007 |
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Post by starr on May 29, 2012 17:05:43 GMT 12
James Aviation original Loader. This taken in 1961 at the old bulk store which was one of the old RNZAF hangars. Attachments:
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Post by fu24lover on May 29, 2012 19:20:19 GMT 12
Awesome photo Mr Starr.....  But how did you get to shift a hunk of machinery like that down the road....?  |
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Post by eieio on May 29, 2012 19:25:39 GMT 12
Easy peezy Fu24, that was before P C Bull---t
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Post by starr on May 29, 2012 19:25:58 GMT 12
Thorneycroft in transport mode. It used to take two and a half hours to get ready for the road and the same time to get ready for work. several modifications were done in 1963, and then it took one and a half hours. Attachments:
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....thats like using the Treaty as a place mat.
