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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 25, 2019 17:01:38 GMT 12
 The above is an F. Douglas Mill photo that is on the Auckland Library's site, and they describe it as: "View across an airfield (possibly at Woodbourne, Blenheim) to four de Havilland Gipsy Moths and a Fairey Firefly aircraft on the ground, outside the main building. Location unknown, possibly Woodbourne, Blenheim." Well it is a Fairey IIIF, not a Firefly, haha, and I am pretty sure that is not Woodbourne, is it? The original page is here |
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Nov 25, 2019 17:04:37 GMT 12
Wherever it is in NZ, it is windy. So that narrows it down...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 25, 2019 18:27:53 GMT 12
This seems to be the same buildings and this page also reckons it is Woodbourne. I know there was a little flying there before the Air Force moved in but did they have these well established buildings there? Click here: |
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Post by davidd on Nov 25, 2019 20:38:02 GMT 12
Are those not the hills that are at Taieri?
David D
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Post by Brett on Nov 25, 2019 22:14:35 GMT 12
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Post by delticman on Nov 25, 2019 22:19:17 GMT 12
Your right David. The old camera's had different focal lengths, probably the size of the lens which shows a view that our eyesight and modern cameras don't show now. The buildings appear to be much bigger than they actually are.
The building on the far right is the Otago Aero Club. The long building has hangars at the right end, now disguised by a mall shed that Southair built on in the 1970's. Graeme Gale kept his Hu500 in when he first started.
So behind the big biplane and towards the left that part of the building was removed and the Union Airways hangar built.
Did we have some Mosquito photos a year or two back showing the same background?
Interesting.
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Post by delticman on Nov 25, 2019 22:24:52 GMT 12
So someone else is thinking the same. Now that lens is the other way.
What cant be seen is the RNZAF hangars and the were within easy walking distance of the Aero Club.
On further thoughts, I wonder if the date was 1939 or earlier for the Whites photo. The concrete at the Union Airways hangar looks very new.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 25, 2019 23:03:27 GMT 12
Thanks, I have never been to Taieri so had no idea, I just knew it looked nothing like Woodbourne. Cheers.
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Post by joey05 on Nov 26, 2019 5:52:47 GMT 12
Both buildings are still there, the building on the right is the current Otago Aero Club building. The main one in the picture has some small hangars on the front and the NAC hangar is now to the immediate left.
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Post by davidd on Nov 26, 2019 9:18:50 GMT 12
The Union Airways hangar was built at Taieri about 1936, all concrete (probably built about same time as hangars at Mangere and Milson). These three were (respectively) southern terminus, northern terminus, and engineering HQ. The original RNZAF hangar was built for the (stillborn) Dunedin Territorial squadron, just before the war - I have an idea that it was bodily moved to another site on the aerodrome (not too far away) early in the war.
David D
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Post by isc on Nov 26, 2019 22:07:21 GMT 12
Worked with Rex Aviation for 3 years in that building to the right of the flag in the mid 1960s. Hugh, Keith and Mrs Skilling lived in the house at the right end of the photo. isc
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Post by AussieBob on Nov 28, 2019 11:13:12 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 28, 2019 11:36:06 GMT 12
Thanks Bob. It's interesting how close the main gate was to that big hangar.
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Post by tbf25o4 on Nov 28, 2019 13:17:32 GMT 12
I wonder what happened to the buildings and the big hangar?
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Post by exkiwiforces on Nov 28, 2019 14:46:07 GMT 12
From memory the old Taieri Base is over on the western side of the Airfield with a main rd now separating the old base from the airfield. A lot of the old base remains when I last traveled through that neck of the woods while I was return from a Ex with NZ Scots, 4OSOUTH, Engineers and the Dropshorts in the mid to late 90’s.
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Post by baronbeeza on Nov 28, 2019 14:58:13 GMT 12
 It has changed a lot over the years. This is from 10 years ago and is a view on the other side of Dukes Rd, from the airfield.  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 28, 2019 20:41:25 GMT 12
The big hangar was pulled down not too many years back, maybe 3-4 years before Wigram lost its hangars. I m sure it was covered here on the forum at the time.
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Post by isc on Nov 28, 2019 21:32:09 GMT 12
The Invermay animal research outfit used the RNZAF buildings on the other side of the airstrip. Did my first driving lessons(car) on the concrete apron in front of the AF hangars. I think Shacklock had some of their production over there. When you work in a place, you don't all ways know what is going on a few hundred yards away unless you need to. isc
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