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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 19, 2007 14:53:00 GMT 12
Have the New Zealand Warbirds Association ever considered establishing a museum or a visitor's centre at Ardmore?
I know they are always friendly and welcoming to interested people, but it's just really an operational airfield and nothing more - not that I'm complaining as i love that place.
But I wondered whether any consideration had been made ever on establishing a more permanent place for visitors to congratae to, with artifacts and photos on display about the history of Ardmore, the RNZAF and the NZ Warbirds, as well as the aircraft themselves? In the same way that Wanaka established the NZFPM?
Just wondering.
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Post by Damon on May 18, 2007 8:40:51 GMT 12
At an AGM of the NZ Warbirds many years ago there was an proposal for a museum at Ardmore.
The new hangar/complex would have housed the majority of the WB aircraft as well as including the PBY and DC-3.It was to be located in the aera between the Ardmore Fly School and the Auckland Aero Club(where it is now situated).
I am not sure if its still being considered at this point in time.
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Post by flyjoe180 on May 18, 2007 9:55:14 GMT 12
A lot of aircraft have gone to Tauranga for display at the museum there. A 'working' museum was intended a while ago as Damon pointed out, however, Ardmore Airport Ltd has not been very supportive of organisations on the field. It is a profit-hungry company that appears to do the bare minimum to get by. Tauranga has streaked ahead of Ardmore in the Warbirds scene. Ardmore had everything going for it for such a display (still could), but I fear the resources and support are beyond their means.
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Post by Naki on May 18, 2007 20:39:11 GMT 12
There are a few aircraft on their way to Tauranga from Ardmore as I understand it including the A-37, Dominie, Dove and a Tiger Moth.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 22, 2007 2:08:27 GMT 12
I've just found in a July 1991 NZ Wings magazine column by Wayne Parsons of NZ Warrbirds that at the Warbisrds Assoc. AGM in June 1990 Trevor Bland "told the gathering that a future intention of the Association was to establish a large museum facility, possibly on an adjacent site, and develop it to a stage where public access could be provided to view a large collection of operational warbirds. He noted that 1991-1992 would see major steps taken to initiate this project."
What a shame it didn't come to anything.
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Post by flyjoe180 on May 22, 2007 10:13:32 GMT 12
Good foresight, but it happened elsewhere unfortunately. I wonder why they never went ahead with it.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 22, 2007 10:42:02 GMT 12
It could still happen at Ardmore I think if given the right support, but from what a lot of people are saying many operators want to get out of Ardmore. Now that Tauranga and Wanaka have similar set ups, I sadly doubt it will ever happen. It would be nice if a small museum or even just a display could be set up with the history of the famous Ardmore station though.
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