|
|
Post by SEAN on Dec 5, 2005 11:04:41 GMT 12
This might be of interest to some. I did some time at Te Rapa in the early 80's,and did not know about this at all.
Sorry I can't seem to insert the .PDF file and / or Images.
Anyway the .PDF refers to an article from the Waikato Times dated 28 Nov 05, in which a Mr Stuart Rogerson has written a brief history of the Te Rapa Aerodrome, which was not related to RNZAF Base Te Rapa, and operated from 1928 to 1967. The article states that anyone wanting a copy of the history can contact Mr Rogerson on 07 855-6803. The history also has details of the Hamilton Model Aero Club, early gliding in Hamilton, the RNZAF in Hamilton, and Rukuhia.
|
|
|
|
Post by SEAN on Dec 5, 2005 12:37:12 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 5, 2005 12:45:55 GMT 12
Thanks Sean, great stuff. I had assumed that Te Rapa Aerodrome had closed when the Waikato Aero Club that ran it shifted to Rukuhia. I never knew it continued into the 1960's. Just a tip on Photobucket, if you use the links with ![]() on each end the photo/scan will appear in the post |
|
|
|
Post by steve on Dec 5, 2005 23:06:44 GMT 12
Let me get this right ...Te Rapa aerodrome had nothing to do with with Te Rapa RNZAF stores depot ..ok..was there every any landing facility besides helicopters at RNZAF Te Rapa in the early days?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 5, 2005 23:14:02 GMT 12
No. It was simply a storage depot with a road on one side (SH1) and a railway on the other.
The Te Rapa Aerodrome was set up by the Auckland Aero Club originally, and they developed the Waikato Aero Club, which moved to Rukuhia in 1933. I don't know if the RNZAF ever used the Te Rapa Aerodrome during the war, but I'm sure NZPAF or NZTAF had men who flew from there and from Rukuhia prewar. The prewar RNZAF probably did too. There is a substantial book on the history of Rukuhia, a copy is in the Waikato University library.
|
|
|
|
Post by steve on Dec 8, 2005 21:33:30 GMT 12
The Airforce equal of Hopu Hopu up the road I suppose...I wonder how many staff were stationed there in the eighties ...??100 or so...I remember in the 60s and 70s a quite a large base ...What on earth was stationed there and where was it transfered to...Maybe a lot of WW2 and post war stores?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 8, 2005 21:41:42 GMT 12
Hopu Hopu was indeed a stores base in WWII, and I think afterwards. At a family reunion in 1988 I met a great uncle who'd been based at Hopu Hopu during the war, and he reckoned the entire hill behind the camp was hollow and full of ammunition. I'd love to know if there are underground bunkers under the hill there. He died shortly after that so I never got to find out more.
|
|
|
|
Post by steve on Dec 9, 2005 22:23:31 GMT 12
Dave...Your great uncle was indeed correct....The hill where the Maori varsity i think stands at present is awash with underground old ammo bunkers ...i counted at least 20 quite recently...I wonder who you would need to contact to inspect the old ammo dump??
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 9, 2005 22:30:16 GMT 12
Thanks Steve.
It amazes me how so many of these bunkers and tunnels and things were bult and yet kept relatively secret around the country.
|
|
