Rukuhia aircraft dump

[Dave Homewood]

Over the years I have heard that when the Rukuhia runway was extended to create what became Hamilton Airport (which opened in 1966) a bit of a gully or dip at the end was filled and several of the remains of Venturas (and possible Hudsons) were pushed into the gully and buried as landfill. I was told they bulldozed over the aircraft to flatten them.

Is this true? If it is, can anyone pinpoint ona map where this happened and perhaps show on a pre-fill aerial photo where the dip was?

Do any photos exist of the runway extension process, the filling of the dip and the aeroplanes being buried?

[No longer identifiable]

Peter - I know I'm about 2.5 years late with this response, but I was killing time looking through these photos, sipping my Merlot (as ya do) and was just blown away by the photos from Davis-Monthan. I've never been there but I've seen a few books and short video clips on the subject, and I was once again astonished by just how many aircraft the yanks have (or had) that are perfectly serviceable but no longer required. My favourite USAF aircraft are probably the century series of jets, so it was great to see an RF-101 Voodoo there. I bet when you took those photos that you never expected the Boeing YC-14 (the tail is visible in one of the photos) would one day morph into the Globemaster III.

[komata]

Dave
Not sure about the 'Ventura bits etc being buried, UT, your mention of the runway extention jogged a memory, which might be of interest:

Not sure of the exact date (1967?) but on the day that the first Mooney single-engined aircraft arrived in NZ, having flown from Hawaii, I biked over to the old James Aviation hangar at Rukuhia to see it land, and closely inspect this new arrival.

My path took me along what is now the access road to airport, although at that time it was unsealed and unpleasant to bike over. BTW, before making the trip I had been warned that if those on duty at the control tower saw me I would be 'in BIG trouble'. I made the journey any; they didn't and I wasn't!

While negotiating the potholes I glanced to my right (towards Mystery Creek), and to my amazement saw a COMPLETE Kittyhawk, SITTING ON ITS FULLy-WHEELED -UNDERCARRIAGE!!

[Dave Homewood]

I wonder if that may have been John Scullin's P-40 that he and two mates got running and taxiing. he was 16 and lived there as his brother in law was Jack Larsen and he spent a year with them. Jack gave John a P-40 to tinker with and his schoolmates and he got it going. he had it confiscated back after he disgraced himself by taxiing it to the Aero Club one day when there was a 'do' on, but found he could not stop it. Luckily an ex-Kittyhawk pilot there saw he was in trouble and jumped up onto the wing and showed him how to stop it. When his sister and brother in law got home and discovered the P-40 was over at the Aero Club, he copped it. Sadly it was melted down. I am not sure if this date tallies though, and sadly John is now no longer with us to confirm it.

[komata]

Grrrr 'Computers'!!

Sorry Dave, lost half my post due to a computer malfunction...

Given the time when I saw this machine and its location, I doubt that it was the one you mentioned; especially as it was on the 'gully' side of the access road, rather than towards the runway.

To continue:-

The odd thing about this aircraft was that it appeared to be complete (remembering that when I saw it this just before the new Hamilton terminal was opened), and the viewing-distance would have been 60 feet or so away. The machine had a white spinner, and full set of propeller blades. Aside from this, and that it was physically-complete, the machine also seemed to have RAF-style Green/Brown camouflage!! This intrigued me as although familiar with markings carried on RAF Spitfires and Hurricanes, I had never seen this on any RNZAF aircraft I had encountered. It also didn't have evidence of bar-type markings on the fuselage. Subsequent research indicates that it may have been a P-40E

Unfortunately, the Mooney single-seater from Hawaii proved more interesting and I never went back to inspect the 'Dinosaur' which had appeared from nowhere.

There was however a very curious postscript to this event.

In 1981 I had occasion to speak to Charles Darby about aircraft wrecks, and naturally asked him about the 'mystery' intact P-40 at Rukuhia. It transpired that he WAS familiar with the machine and that he had removed cowling panels from it for an aircraft at MOTAT.

When asked about its eventual fate, he said it had been scrapped!!

As he was at the time 'Mr Aircraft Recovery' and well-known for his work in the Pacific, the inevitable question followed: Why didn't you save it; it was after all complete and verifiably ex-RNZAF? A rather embarrassed and vague answer followed which did nothing to enhance my opinion of either aircraft preservationists in general and Mr. Darby in particular.

Can anyone identify this particular aircraft based on what I have written, and, if so, tell me its registration number, when it was scrapped,and by whom. Also, does anyone have a photo of it in its 'complete' mid-1960's state?

Hope this is of interest.

BTW: Apropos the 'taxiing of Kittyhawk's': I have it on very good authority that as a 'party-piece' Guy Robertson (Robertson Air Services) and by way of introducing himself to his new pilots, used to wander over to 'Larsen's, find a P-40 with fuel still in its tanks and after getting it going, make a few high-speed runs up and down the grass runway. I never saw it myself, and haven't seen this mentioned anywhere before (though might have missed it on this forum).

Does anyone have any photos of these 'impromptu' aircraft 'movements'? If so, can they share them with us?

Thanks.

[Dave Homewood]

To help with your date of seeing this aircraft, the Hamilton Airport terminal was opened on the 26th of March, 1966.

[komata]

Thanks Dave, and if someone can please provide the date that a Mooney single-engined aircraft (M-22 Mustang?) arrived in New Zealand, specifically to Rukuhia from Hawaii (the first of the type here I understand) we will have the exact date to which I have been referring.

[Peter Lewis]

Assuming it was a Mooney that became NZ domiciled, the first by-air arrival was M20E-2A3 Super 21 N1342W which arrived in NZ 21Jan64 to become ZK-CFV with Aero Engine Services Ltd., Hamilton, the Mooney agents.

I have heard previously that Guy Robertson, when he was CFI at the aero club, used to select a Corsair from among the parked ranks and taxii that around when there was an 'open day' at the airfield. First I have heard that a P-40- was also used (though this does not mean that it didn't happen of course).

NZ3039, the P-40E that was retrieved by Darby and McGarry, was physically removed from the dump in 1960.

[komata]

flyernzl

Many thanks for the date (assuming we are referring to the same aircraft). I had actually thought the Mooney's arrival-date was later (for reasons which I won't go into here), but if the info' fits, (long- range tanks, ex-Hawaii, first into NZ, and on arrival resident at the Aero Engine Services facility near the old RNZAF /James Aviation Hangar) then them's the actual facts. Again, thanks.

On that basis therefore, can anyone tell me the identity of 'my' mystery P-40; the completely-intact one I saw at Rukuhia on 21 January 1964?

In respect of the aircraft-type that were used in Guy Robertson's 'escapades', I had not previously heard about his 'use' of a Corsair for the purpose, so again, thanks.

Photo's of any of these aircraft anyone?

[shorty]

If you look in RAF Flying Review magazine for Jan 1960 in the letters column there is a photo and letter from Ken Meehan about two aircraft acquires by the Aeo Club "for preservation" Photo show both aircraft sitting seperate from any others. The Corsair looks like it may be the "ATC" one (NZ5623)and the P-40 is FE-S (NZ3256). That may be the aircraft under discussion. Also with the letter was a photo of the V1 at Hobsonville

[Dave Homewood]

Hmm, very interesting Shorty. If the Waikato Aero Club acquired a Corsair and a p-40 for preservation, who the hell later decided to scrap them. They need to be named and shamed in my opinion!

[shorty]

The 1950's were a different time Dave

[Dave Homewood]

But if that P-40 that you refer to in the article is the same one still there when Komata saw it in 1964, times were changing then in terms of attitude to preservation. Overseas lots of museums and groups were already preserving WWII aeroplanes. Someone within the WAC had obviously realised this and convinced the club to preserve the two aircraft if that article is right, so sometime later someone came along and decided not to keep them any more and destroyed them. I can understand aircraft in the dump being melted down but I hate hearing stories of aircraft earmarked for preservation, saved and then later cut up and destroyed. Like the Short Empire at Auckland.

[shorty]

Thinking it through a bit more if Komata's recollection of date is correct then they can't be the same aircraft as Ken stated they were scrapped and that must have been before he submitted the letter. Now that letter was published in the issue dated Jan 60 so resonably it would have been written 3 or 4 months earlier at least. so they must have already been scrapped by mid 59 at the latest.
Perhaps Dave you need to read the minutes of the WAC for the period?

[Dave Homewood]

Ah, well that puts a different spin on it. I didn't realise they had been scrapped before the letter was written.

We have several WAC members here. Who knows where the club's records are kept?

[Dave Homewood]

The following photos and comments have been sent to me for the forum by well known aviation writer and historian Janic Geelen:

"Dear Dave,
Most of the photos I have seen of the aircraft dump at Rukuhia were taken where the Hamilton terminal is now. I had played fighter pilot having biked there. You could bike around the aerodrome perimeter those days without getting told off. Then I left Hamilton and went to Auckland University. I met John Smith at MoTaT while working on their P-40, this having just been rescued from the scrapyard. The rest of the P-40s were taken to Asplins Garage and stored behind the parts shed and garage. Then they were one by one melted down. One was saved with the wings not cut, that was NZ3220, Gloria Lyons and John Smith purchased that off Asplins. Together we spend my whole May holidays going through piles of aircraft parts looking for anything with an 87- part number. We also took the wings of NZ3220 so that John Smith could take the machine back to Mapua, Nelson on a trailer towed behind his low light Morris Minor. Unbeknown to me was that John came back and collected another P-40 plus two sets of wings that had been cut in different places so that there was an overlap to make sure nothing was missed. Of course two other P-40s went to an Auckland owner but they did had their wings cut off. Perhaps these pics show the very last resting place of some RNZAF P-40s. Enjoy, Janic"




P-40 NZ3163 behind the shed full of aircraft parts at Asplins

[beagle]

I always think "if we only knew what they would be worth now" every time I see images like this or read the stories of "cutting up"

[Deleted]

So many photos lost to the Photobucket scourge, what a shame!

[fwx]

Bastards!!

[Deleted]

Oct 22, 2010 16:30:23 GMT 12 pjw4118 said:

Going through my records ( junk as my wife calls it) I came across a air record publication Warhawk issued by C Darby and P Hanson in 1962. Many may know of it but it lists a 100 or so P40 s at Rukuhia. For a folded A4 it has plenty of info.
Of note are the aircraft still showing " jap flags" (...) 3119 (...) with one each. What a score for a museum today.

As per The Whole Nine Yards, Charles Darby and Bob McGarry were wanting to take out NZ3119 NZ3072 but when the recovery team (not including them due to time issues) went in they got NZ3009 instead because it was closer to the gate. We were very close to having the Wairarapa Wildcat survive!

Also if DavidD or anyone still has this booklet I'd love to see it.