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Post by simonrh on Aug 29, 2021 11:03:51 GMT 12
Hi All
Was wondering if any one can give any info on airstrips at Levin in the past ?
I have seen mention of an airstrip on Tararua Road, Levin, also understand that their was a strip near Lake Horowhenua
Regards
Simon
Koputaroa
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Post by 30sqnatc on Aug 29, 2021 12:12:35 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 29, 2021 12:29:47 GMT 12
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Post by simonrh on Aug 29, 2021 16:37:01 GMT 12
Thank you Dave Yes that was the RNZAF base on Kimberley Road With reference to the Tararua Road strip, Kingsford-Smith's Southern Cross landed there see horowhenua.kete.net.nz/item/d186fdc7-7c74-4faa-8baf-6c384b4339b2 I also have had information that there was a small (non-military) airstrip near Lake Horowhenua, for light aircraft at a much later date. Regards Simon Koputaroa |
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Post by simonrh on Aug 29, 2021 16:46:34 GMT 12
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Post by thomarse on Aug 29, 2021 18:19:40 GMT 12
Hi Simon
I can put my hand up as having flown from the last iteration of the Tararua Road strip. That strip was one paddock in from and parallel with Tararua Road and was in those days licenced - it appears as such in White's Air Directories of that vintage. My flying there was firstly in a Rallye CKL of NZ Aerosales from Paraparaumu in 1967, then in Palmerston North Flying School's CBU which operated from Levin each Saturday. I've also been in and out a few times in various aircraft of the Paraparaumu Flying School.
In the early 60s an aircraft could be seen in an open-fronted shed - I think it was a Rearwin that was owned by Crighton's/Horowhenua Earthworks.
I never established where the Moutere strip is, but at one stage a Levin Doctor whose name I don't recall based a Cessna 172 there if I'm not mistaken.
There's also a strip off the Western end of Lyndsay Road that is clearly visible today. I've heard of people who've flown off that, and in the early 70s Air Contracts based an Airtruk there for a short time, flown by Ray Scott
Happy to discuss this further
Cheers
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Post by simonrh on Aug 29, 2021 18:25:40 GMT 12
Thanks Thomarse
I live five minutes from Peter Kernohan's strip at Koputaroa and have been to a few fly-ins there (by road sadly)
Cheers
Simon
Koputaroa
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Post by thomarse on Sept 20, 2021 13:04:37 GMT 12
I'd rather hoped that someone else who had flown out of Levin strips would have popped up in this thread.
Although Levin and surrounding areas are extremely well covered in terms of their history - classics like "Levin - The Making of a Town" being an example - there is precious little about aviation as far as I can find out
I'm especially keen to contact anyone who may have flown with Paul Legg's NZ Aerosales out of Paraparaumu or elsewhere.
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Post by andym on Sept 22, 2021 16:29:29 GMT 12
There was a strip I went into years ago on the western side of Lake Horowhenua.
If you look at Google earth you will see the pine trees on the north western edge of the lake. It use to run from the edge of the lake west towards the 2 little white buildings.
It sloped up a bit from the lake and two of us in a C152 had no issues getting in and out. The pine trees were not there at the time
There was one particular bull that wasn't happy about us visiting.
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zkdex
Squadron Leader
Posts: 101
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Post by zkdex on Oct 14, 2021 20:25:16 GMT 12
Two other airstrips of note... both topdressing types. One located on high ground between Koputaroa and SH57, possibly no longer used? Other one is east of Levin on Denton Road around about #100. Bin at top of strip.
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Post by thomarse on Nov 1, 2021 14:05:06 GMT 12
There was a Cresco operating off that first one last Tuesday ZKDEX - first time I've ever seen it in use, although I've known it was up there somewhere for years. IIRC it was used for skydiving years ago and was called "Collis Blake's Strip".
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Post by simonrh on Nov 4, 2021 12:32:02 GMT 12
Last Tuesday (ie 26th Oct) the Cresco operating in that area was ZK-LTU of Aerospread, wasn't aware it had landed up there but saw it from my place at Koputaroa doing a number of passes.
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Post by davidd on Nov 4, 2021 16:44:58 GMT 12
Afraid there is little to commend the Wiki entry for wartime Weraroa/Levin, vague and all over the place, little if anything of much practical use. We deserve better! Not certain about plunging in to correcting Wiki, perhaps I should learn to do so such things some day.
David D
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