Rukuhia aircraft dump

[fwx]

Wow, great photos! Thanks, this thread is turning into a virtual time machine ...

[pjw4118]

Theres a few more but I need to find out how o post more than one at a time as there is also the Te Kuiti dump.

[Dave Homewood]

Superb photos Peter.

If you go down the route of posting the photos via photobucket (as explained in the How To Guide at the top of each Board) you can post lots of photos on the same post.

[Dave Homewood]

I pointed this thread out to John Scullin who lived at Rukuhia in the early days with his sister and brother in law Jim Larsen, who was the scrap dealer that bought all the aeroplanes in 1948. he has replied with this information:

"Hi Dave

I found the thread most interesting - but as I was only there for the full year in 1948 - all my knowledge covers that period, and only what I heard from Jim when I left.

Re the Three Photos Number three is defiantly Rukuhia as I stood on the top of one of the only two ( or three ) G/Avengers
to take the photo. The photo of the Corsairs with the Guide wire running through I took from the old airforce Control tower looking west toward Mt Pirongia - the Kittyhawks were on the opposite side of the tower - looking east (I understand these were the 'Choice ones with low hours).

The Corsair engines were standing upright as the photo and were like that in 1949 - 50 as they were being purchased by
an American Company to be re-serviced to go to the French Airforce who were still using Corsairs in the French Indo China war Vietnam now - The French lost the war and pulled out of French Indo China as the Americans did some years later in North and south Vietnam (I visited Jim in 1949 or 50 and observed that Jim had with the assistance of the American Company to purchase had removed all the engines that they required (Why I remember all this so vividly was Jim was going to take me to America with him when they were going to be delivered . With the defeat of the French the order was cancelled ( Boo Hoo )

From memory the price to be paid for each engine was 35,000 pounds ea - that was quite a sum in 1949 ( I will try and count those engines and see the total at 35 000 each !! ??

The P40 being loaded onto a truck must have been when the aircraft were being moved over to Asplins site -

I will draw a sketch of the Rukuhia aircraft lay out showing where the aircraft were in 1948 over the weekend and pass it on to you Dave

Cheers John."

[Tonys18]

Man those photos are amazing! Darn excellent! I had a dig with a forum member today (Damon808) And because of that we found a very neat part off a Ventura! (As you can see It was in bits in a bit of a washout. We are going to try and get the rest of it when the weather is clear again. Its been given a little tlc since we got it back.

Thank you Damon, I wouldnt of come across it in that area without your help mate.

Also came across something that by the looks of it, an engine is supposed to be bolted to it. But it was to heavy to drag up the hill out of there

But we are working on getting that up too

[Bruce]

Wow! the perspex off a Martin upper turret - very good find!

[Tonys18]

Thank you very much! Its going to take a little while to get it close to normal again as its been burnt on one side too. Wouldnt mind finding the bit that its stuck to and digging it up or is that a bit to much to ask for ;D

[43willys]

Here are a couple of photos of sheep grazing

[43willys]

These photos are taken up at Asplins. The last one is me having a scrounge around for some desirable bits.

[fwx]

Cheers, Chris

[eieio]

Jeez,and I thought I had some junk

[eieio]

Note the ancient tractor on triple steel for flotation on the peat,Is the item behind the gas set a Bren carrier carcase? Post 1961 for those who dont know their Bedfords.

[30sqnatc]

Sept 19, 2010 18:38:23 GMT 12 eieio said:

Note the ancient tractor on triple steel for flotation on the peat,Is the item behind the gas set a Bren carrier carcase? Post 1961 for those who dont know their Bedfords.

Yes a Universal Carrier with a set of road wheels and an upturned turret off a Valentine tank sitting by the fence on the left. I didn't know they cut up vehicles as well as aircraft.

[oj]

And a 1936 Morris 8 going past northbound ........

[Dave Homewood]

John Scullin has just sent this through. He says:

"Hi Dave - A very rough lay out of the aircraft positions as of 1948 - this is fairly correct as I spent a year among them all
Cheers John."

[43willys]

One more photo to keep this topic rolling.

[Dave Homewood]

So, who bought it then?

[pjw4118]

Looking a all those photos reminded me of the great Arizona boneyard in Arizona, the grand daddy of scrapyards. We spent a month in USA and the family itinerary just happened to require a few days at Tucson, apparntly its good for shopping!
The Pima Air Museum is 200 acres plus with five airconditioned halls, prize $14 or $7 for ves and grey power. A one hour tour of Davis Monthan was the same price. So that was Day 1. Day 2 was visiting the private scrap yards around the base perimeter. the variety was amazing and all for sale. My suitcasse then held an ex Constallation Wright R3350 Piston, DC9 yoke and F4 ID beacon panel. The latter looked just like a wired bomb which I declared at each checkin, but the SW airlines were only concerned if I was packing a loaded weapon? If the good people at US State Dept, Homeland Security and Pentagon accept my story, I may be getting some bigger bits. Any how here's some pics.

[pjw4118]

Pima Indoors

[pjw4118]

Pima Outdoors