HEC MAYHEAD originally from Napier,
( but moved to Wairoa some years ago,
so - can be called “ A Wairoa Old Boy “), is
back in Napier again - Taradale.
He has been able to gather together much of the Wairoa
Aero Club’s early history.
Grateful
thanks to an unknown recorder of the first part of a very
detailed and interesting coverage of the birth and growth
of this little but big aero club. "Big" from
the way the local Wairoa community came
in behind the committee and members every step of the way
with it’s development.
The
unknown historian and Harry have provided editorial of
the Club’s early beginnings..... Early History of the Wairoa Aero
Club Harry
Howell's story in pdf format HERE
It’s
worth a read, so read on and discover how a little
community built up its Aero club
into a “mini airport“ ( and an aerial top
dressing base ).
J
McDonald Mustang Wairoa 1964
ALJ
Wairoa 1965
P
51 Mustang ready to roll for a performance 'demo'
J
McDonald Mustang Wairoa 1964
Cookson
Ceres Tutira 1961
R N
Z A F Sunderland does a
low pass over the field
1964
The new airstrip at Wairoa
1,300 metres with 900 metres sealed.
( the old strip over to the right )
Members
and Wives
United
States Navy DC 3 from the
“ Deep Freeeze “ Antarctic flight
section
US Base in Christchurch New Zealand.
THE REGISTRATION OF THE NEW
WAIROA AIRSTRIP NOVEMBER 1969.
THE AIR PAGEANT, WITH VISITING AIRCRAFT FROM MANY
PARTS OF NZ.
SOMEONE SURE HAD SOME “ PULL “IN WAIROA
- LITTLE WAIROA - TO
'ROUND IN' A US NAVY DC3 FROM THE UNITED STATES
DEEP FREEZE
ANT-ARCTIC FLIGHT SECTION. WE HAVE NEVER HAD ONE
IN NAPIER
OR HASTINGS, AIR DISPLAY’S AND THE LATE
MAYOR OF NAPIER
CLYDE JEFFERY ALONG WITH “ANOTHER”
TRIED HARD TO HAVE ONE
OF THEIR AIRCRAFT ON AN IN FLIGHT TO NZ , to drop
off some height and
make a lower pass over Napier on the way to
Christchurch ? ! ( That's what we
asked the Deep Freeze crowd in Ch Ch to do and
got the Thumbs Down unfort ).
American “deep freeze” aircraft used to
make their “land fall “ into NZ over
Napier when coming in from their base in America,
their vapour trails,
from the very high altitude they came in at were
very prominent.
Civil
Aviation’s mobile control van,
and the Wairoa Fire Brigade
Another
view of the “ Jato “ equipped
“Deep Freeze” DC 3
N A
C s DC3 “ Skyliner
Aerial
Mapping’s Beechcraft AT–11
W.Olsen
and Loadstar "beatup"
ZK-ADT
doing a wheelie landing or about to lift off ? (
take your pick )
