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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 1, 2006 17:02:05 GMT 12
The March 1977 edition of NZ Wings has an advery for a Wings and Wheels Spectacular at the Pukekohe Racecourse. The date for the event was advertised as the 13th of March 1977.
I assume by racecourse it means the motor racing track and not a horse racecourse.
The purpose was to raise cash for the "Sir Keith Park Memorial Airfield" at Motat, Meola Road, Pt Chev.
It states
"All manner of events, such as Aerobatics, Formation, Handling, Novelty, Aerial Spraying and Air Racing, togetehr with competition motor racing and time trials, and an attempt at the World Speed Record for Electric Cars, will take place."
"Mass parachute drop, gliding and hot air balloons, with model steam railway, veteran and vintage cars, model aircraft, fire fighting, double decker buses, and helicopter rides. In other words - smething of interest for the whole family."
Wow, that sounds a lot more interesting than watching boring Fords and Holdens going round in circles. Did anyone here attend this event? Or was there any others held like it in other years?
Is there actually an airstrip at Pukekohe or would the aircraft have been based at Ardmore I wonder?
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Post by Kereru on Dec 1, 2006 18:51:55 GMT 12
Dave,
In my younger school days(1960-63) Pukekohe Race Course was a horse racing venue(horse track) a car racing venue(Grand Prix track) and an airfield. They used the center grass area for light aircraft to land and take off. I am not sure but I think it was used for training as well. I remember an article in the local paper of it being used for all three types of sport. The Franklin Times I think it was called and not sure if it is still published. During the Grand Prix days aircraft could fly in and attend the days festivities and many did as I remember them being parked along the center area with enough room to be clear of the runway.
Colin
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 1, 2006 19:24:57 GMT 12
Thanks Colin, that's very interesting. I never knew there was an airstrip or a horse track there.
I wonder if the soon-to-be-built formula one style track in north Waikato will have an airstrip. They hope to attract the A1-GP according to last night's news, which must really annoy Taupo.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 3, 2006 20:42:11 GMT 12
I was at that airshow.
From memory, a few aircraft (carrying spectators) used the strip, but the participants flew over from Ardmore, did their display, and flew back. The topdressing DC-3 did a wheels-down on to the grass, but obviously could not land in there.
The strip in the centre of the racetrack was quite active. During my motor racing days I used to count 20 or so aircraft flying in for a motor race event. On other days the aero clubs used to use it for forced landing practice - anyone can do a forced landing at Ardmore given the size of the place, so a strip like this one is far more realistic.
There were a couple of accidents, Airtourer ZK-CDQ crashed there in May 1973 (I don't know the details of that one) and then Tomahawk ZK-FWP had the engine fail at low level when departing after a motor racing event in April 1992. I think that put an end to the strip, as it was closed shortly after that incident.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 3, 2006 20:49:25 GMT 12
Amazing, thanks Peter. I had no idea of that strip before this. I guess many of our other motor racing tracks were in fact airstrips (Ardmore, Seagrove, Wigram, etc) but did any other specifically-made tracks have airstrips too?
It was not too long ago I discovered even the famous Silverstone in the UK was formerly a bomber base in WWII.
Did the Tomahawk make it down ok after the engine failure?
Also, do you happen to have photos of that Pukekohe Wings and Wheels event?
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 3, 2006 21:24:05 GMT 12
Saw a 172 do a takeoff (and presumably it did a prior landing) on the back straight of the old Bay Park raceway at Tauranga about 1970 - does that count?
The Tomahawk was - well - scrap.
Probably some photographs stacked away somewhere in the dust.
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Post by steve on Dec 3, 2006 23:02:38 GMT 12
In the late 60s and 70s a cessna aircraft landed in the Epsom show grounds parking area on a regular basis for the easter show...was exciting as our property was lined up with the car park and would clear the house by only 100 feet before touch down..
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Post by Bruce on Dec 4, 2006 7:26:07 GMT 12
The Tomahawk was - well - scrap. Yeah, but what was it like AFTER the crash? oops, sorry, that word has an "S" in front of it....  |
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Post by McFly on Jul 20, 2022 13:08:06 GMT 12
"Motorsport to end at Pukekohe Raceway after 50 years, making way for horse racing" ( Link) Been a while since aircraft used the centre grass strip....  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 20, 2022 13:13:12 GMT 12
If it began in 1962, then that is, surely, 60 years?
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Post by planewriting on Jul 20, 2022 13:24:08 GMT 12
Peter Lewis and I were at the 1977 Wings and Wheels flying display along with his mother and my wife. Events I recall is a handling display by Schleicher ASW-17 ZK-GKO flown by the late Ian Pryde and a low level flypast by Air New Zealand DC-10 ZK-NZL(I think). I also recall seeing Tiger Moth ZK-BFG which was badly burnt in a hangar fire at Rotorua Airport on 31 March 1981. In the late 1960s I often used to fly there with a friend in Bolkow ZK-CJB of Manukau Flying School and we would do touch and goes.
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Post by oj on Jul 20, 2022 20:35:57 GMT 12
I was there for one of those days (date eludes me).
I remember a very spirited display by a Piper Cherokee at low level. I had no idea they were so maneuverable in skilled hands.
It was almost as good as Bruce Aitken's Piper Cub displays.
Also a breath-gasping display by a Cessna 150 Aerobat doing dead-stick aerobatics; absolutely riveting.
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Post by kevsmith on Jul 21, 2022 1:38:09 GMT 12
Took a load of Napier Aero Club pilots to Pukekohe Racecourse in C185 CHS on the 8th of Jan 1972 for the NZ Grand Prix which was won by Frank Gardner of Sydney in a Lola T300.
There you go Dave, aviation and car racing!
And mention of the Epsom Show Grounds, the US Navy (I think it was Navy) demonstrated some helicopters in the show arena on an occasion in the mid 50's. I have a photo somewhere that I took with my Baby Brownie camera. It was the first time I had ever seen a helicopter.
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Jul 22, 2022 14:56:49 GMT 12
I was there for one of those days (date eludes me). I remember a very spirited display by a Piper Cherokee at low level. I had no idea they were so maneuverable in skilled hands. It was almost as good as Bruce Aitken's Piper Cub displays. Also a breath-gasping display by a Cessna 150 Aerobat doing dead-stick aerobatics; absolutely riveting. Aah! When airshows were air pageants, nary a warbird to be seen unless it was current RNZAF hardware, and each airframe had to stand on its display merit! Great stick and rudder skills with a little boundary-pushing and luck thrown in, with the added benefit of loose regulatory confines. Sigh... |
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Post by Antonio on Jul 22, 2022 16:29:59 GMT 12
Wait until displays are banned because of global warming...
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jul 22, 2022 17:37:26 GMT 12
Peter Lewis and I were at the 1977 Wings and Wheels flying display along with his mother and my wife. Events I recall is a handling display by Schleicher ASW-17 ZK-GKO flown by the late Ian Pryde and a low level flypast by Air New Zealand DC-10 ZK-NZL(I think). I also recall seeing Tiger Moth ZK-BFG which was badly burnt in a hangar fire at Rotorua Airport on 31 March 1981. In the late 1960s I often used to fly there with a friend in Bolkow ZK-CJB of Manukau Flying School and we would do touch and goes. Amazing memory for detail! Tiger Moth ZK-BFG at Pukekohe Racecourse 13Mar1977  |
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Post by planewriting on Jul 23, 2022 12:46:40 GMT 12
I have found my 45 year old, report recorded in the Aviation Historical Society April 1977 Newsletter on the Wings and Wheels event. I have made a few corrections which I either made, or were incorrectly transcribed; notably that the ASW.17 was, almost certainly, ZK-GKL not ZK-GKO. In the report it was incorrectly recorded as an AS-W19. Also mis-spelt was Bryan as Brian (Cox). Obviously not all the heavy aircraft landed and I am not sure if the double glider tow took off there or from Ardmore Airfield. So here goes:
"A Wings and Wheels spectacular" organised by Motat and held at the Pukekohe racecourse on 13 March drew a crowd of 12,000 and was well enjoyed by all. The display opened at 1000 by which time around 100 aircraft were present.
Light aircraft opened the flying with a handling display followed by a hot air balloon takeoff by Thunders FBH and FBK. A series of handicap races was held with Fury DMN winning the homebuilt. Next Pawnee CEB towed gliders AS-W17 GKL and Std Cirrus GHC. GKL aerobatted as did GHC which was rather hampered by a DC-10 at the same height. NZL overflew at 896 feet (according to P J Layne) and two Aerobats DRE and DRJ practised their art in line astern. They then parted and DRJ, in the capable hands of Mr. Bryan Cox, CFI of Dalhoff and King Flying School, performed sans motor. Another race, this time for custom-builts up to 200hp, was won by Cub BNO. A set-piece attack by "bombers" DC3 AZA, Drover DDD, Cessnas KSW and N404A, Pipers EHQ and CNL and Widgeon CFA being beaten off by a fighter force including Chipmunk ARL, Pitts DOH, EES and PAC. Some defenders apparently switched sides as the "base" was literally strafed by all and sundry. Bryan Cox again showed his skill with a "Cynthia's first solo" act in Cherokee CUN, performing incredible stunts at low speed, even a barrel roll. Chipmunk ARL won a "vintage" race which included an Auster and four Tigers. Pam Collings gave her usual immaculate display in Pitts PAC. A women's race was won by Cessna DWU and Marines' Airtruk DNC displayed in place of a helicopter. Drover DDD, earlier "shot down" with coloured smoke, dropped members of the Auckland Parachute Club, concluding a well organised and enjoyable day.
Aircraft in attendance included:- DH82 AIA,ANQ,ATC,BFG,CDU; DC3 AZA; DC-10-30 NZL; Minicab BUB,BUC,DDH,DMM; Rallye BZZ; Drover DDD; C.172 CXD,DAY,DFH,DIF,DJO,DKK,DPN,DSM; C.182P DJN; C.206 DOV; C.340 DSD; C.402 KSW; C.Titan N404A; C.188 CSC; C.177 DFT,DFU,DFZ DWP,DWU; C.185 DPE; C.180 BJX,BVV; C.150 DJW,BVY,CCK,CHH,DRE,DRJ; Comanche DAA; Maule DON; Fury DMN; Beech DII;DVB,DVD,ECC; PA.39 EHQ; PA25 CEB; Starlet DEO; Thorpe EDF; Falconair DBI; Cherokee CUN, DDB,DGM,DSK,DUS; Widgeon CFA; Airtruk DNC; AS-W17 GKL; Std Cirrus GHC; Thunder FBH,FBK; PA18 BKS,BKU,BKV,BKW,BNO; Turbulent CAC,CAE,CAX,CVX; Auster AWH,AXJ,CYQ,DBU; Cherokee 6 CUV,DBC,DBP,DOJ; Pitts DOH,EES,PAC; Fletcher BIK,CWQ; T3 DSZ; CT-4 DGY; Airtourer CZY; Jodel CKG,DBY,EER; Rearwin ALF; PA.31 CNL; Chipmunk ARL; C.207 DXT.
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Post by scrooge on Jul 23, 2022 20:07:05 GMT 12
In one of the Graeme Cosgrove sub collections there are 6 photos that look likely for this event- 2 of AZA doing a touch and go, 1 of a Fletcher flying overhead and 3 of an Airtruk doing it's display.
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Post by scrooge on Jul 23, 2022 20:08:38 GMT 12
I'm also aware that a Piper Cub used to use Ellerslie Racecourse occasionally around 25 years ago. I think the racing club director/chairman owned it?
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Post by oj on Jul 23, 2022 20:09:26 GMT 12
"I was there for one of those days (date eludes me)."
Thank you planewriting; it was not a dream and I now know when.
At that time I was in my tenth year of employment with AESL/NZAIL
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