Rukuhia aircraft dump

[Deleted]

I thought they were flaps but didn't know what from. Nice spotting!

For those of us who aren't aware: where exactly was Asplin's garage, and where were the aircraft parked? The area's changed so much I can't tell when driving past.

[delticman]

Aug 18, 2017 18:05:48 GMT 12 @zacyates said:

I thought they were flaps but didn't know what from. Nice spotting!

For those of us who aren't aware: where exactly was Asplin's garage, and where were the aircraft parked? The area's changed so much I can't tell when driving past.

Asplin's garage is still the. Driving on State 3 north of Hamilton Airport, sweep left up the hill and as you sweep right, the garage is on the top of the hill. It is had various owners in last twenty years and was home to a trailer company for a while.

[camtech]

Currently a storage centre.

[Deleted]

I had thought that was the old garage! Excellent to have that suspicion confirmed, thanks gents.

[camtech]

Been through some evolutions over the years.

[camtech]

While hunting for one photo, came across this one - no idea of date, or origin - either RNZAF or Whites.
Rukuhia aerial view by Les Billcliff, on Flickr

[Mustang51]

I think I am going to cry......

[Deleted]

Ando - as soon as I find a time machine I'll be sure to save you some!

Is anyone with knowledge of the parking arrangements able to give me an idea of where those locations are now, say by drawing on a Google Maps photo? I'd just love to know where they sat.

[Bruce]

In the photo above, the clue is the Waikato Aero Club Hangar in the background (Now Central Aero engineering). The present runway is a similar alignment to the one running Top left to Centre right. Ignore the Other runways in the picture; they have all been realigned. The Current terminal would sit nearly opposite the WAC hangar, probably a bit to the Right. That would make the patch where the aircraft are sitting the area between the terminal car park and the Pacific Aerospace taxiway. Airport road was built in the 1960s right through the middle of that (About where the P40s sit in front of the Venturas) with the remainder on the other side of the road near the Lochiel Golf Course and the Fieldays access road.

[Deleted]

Thanks Bruce! So something like this?
Rukuhia rough 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[Peter Lewis]

My youthful memories, from when I visited in '62, was that the derelict aircraft lay in the area to the south of aero club, about in front of where CTC is now. When the extensions to RW18/36 were made in the mid-60s was when the last wrecks were removed.

[Bruce]

Aug 24, 2017 16:04:44 GMT 12 @zacyates said:

Thanks Bruce! So something like this?
Rukuhia rough 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

That would be pretty close I think.

[camtech]

So that would put the storage area on the same side as the current terminal? From Peter's comment, it would be at the top of the picture.

[delticman]

My first visit to Hamilton was in January 1962 and I remember aircraft in the general vicinity of Zac's map. I don't think at that time there was that much left of complete aircraft. I don't remember any aircraft being parked in the area where CTC are, unless the were recovered from the other side.

One of my contacts at Hamilton had a panoramic picture taken in the late forties of all the aircraft in one location, certainly more than appears in recent photos published.

A few years later I remember that the aircraft were being cleared away for the new terminal building but that's not the location of the recent photos.

[planewriting]

Not sure if this helps or not but my first flight was in DC-3 ZK-AZN during the school holidays in either 1954 or 55. I sat on the starboard side three rows from the front. I clearly recall the aircraft graveyard when looking out the starboard windows. If I recall correctly we passed those aircraft fairly early during the landing phase. The weather was atrocious so I suspect we landed from the west on an easterly heading. My thought is yes, they were on the same side as the current terminal. Pretty sure we stopped adjacent to the control tower and that the old aircraft were across the runway from where we were parked. With that description, how does that match up with suggested theories as to the park's location?

[Peter Lewis]

That would match up with what I recollect seeing in 1962. Wrecks to the south.

[Bruce]

I'm not sure whether this link from Retrolens works, but its a 1953 Aerial photo of the Airfield. use the magnifying tool to see the aircraft along the Northern and Eastern side.

Retrolens

[Bruce]

This 1963 photo shows large numbers of P40s and Corsairs near the smelter, situated east of the current Terminal, Near Mystery Creek Rd (Beside Tony's dump site) Looking at other photos from the 1963 series I cant find anything around the Aero Club / CTC area. It is worth noting that the roads were substantially altered between 1963 and 1974 and the Runways likewise realigned.

Retrolens 1963

[Dave Homewood]

The late John Scullin sent me these photos in April 2007.




This was at Asplin's Garage, Rukuhia

[camtech]

As I dig through my pile, a couple more to keep you going:
Ventura NZ4526 with others Rukuhia May 1946 by Les Billcliff, on Flickr
From The Weekly News
Engine bulkheads Asplins Garage Rukuhia 4 Sep 1971 by Les Billcliff, on Flickr
This was taken from alongside the current Asplins Garage, looking down the drive towards the gully behind the garage. Most of the bulkheads I believe were Harvard origin.