Mosquito scrapping photos

Then u better not look at this one either

http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Airshows&action=display&thread=11842

Oh my God. A bit graphic for my liking.

And the picture of the guy with the axe was reminicent of ‘The Shining’.

Not nice images on a dreary, wet Wednesday… 🙁

A sentiment expressed by all, but after the war with tens-of-thousands of warplane, most had to go.

The sad part was almost no effort to preserve any of them.

Referring to the points raised above, the RNZAF received 85 Mosquito aircraft from both British and Australian sources over the period 1947 – 1948 to replace wartime lend-lease aircraft that could no longer be operated.
The original intention was to equip three squadrons, but this did not happen due to staff shortages and budget constraints.
Although all of the aircraft that did arrive in New Zealand (four crashed en route) were alloted NZ23xx serial numbers, a considerable number of the Mosquitos were ferried without any further use from the arrival airfield at Ohakea to either Woodbourne or Taieri and stored there. As far as we know, the NZ serials allotted to these stored aircraft were never painted on and thus when these were scrapped in the early 1950s the RAF serials were still evident.
The active Mosquitos were replaced by Vampires from 1952 and the final RNZAF Mosquito flight was performed by NZ2306 on 24Apr1952.
Few hours were clocked up on the Mosquito fleet. Typically the aircraft were scrapped showing 60 – 90 hours flight time including the delivery flights. The highest I have seen was 469 hours.

I hate to burst your bubble but my bet is they went straight to the smelters! Interesting shot of the Mosquito burning that would explain the dump I have been excavating recently.

I wonder … New Zealand used to have no scrap industry and no demand for scrap metal, results being that many older cars were just left to ‘mature’ in the countryside and many of NZ Railways steam locomotives, instead of being broken up for scrap, were dumped into rivers to reinforce the banks (several have been recovered in recent years)

Info (Scroll down)

A huge waste that was going on all over the world with aircraft, ships, tanks etc, all surplus to peacetime.
Here’s Rolphy!

Excellent photos, I am very grateful that they have survived the passage of time and that somebody wanted to share them:). I wonder if any of the Mosquitos backing onto the road are amongst the survivors today…..at least one has a TE xxx serial instead of NZxxxx like 2 survivors

We need a wailing ‘smily’. 🙁 Almost too horrible to look at.

Who are these guys? They look like they’re actually enjoying it!

Tony

Reminds me of crawling all over the wrecks of the three 3 CAACU Mossies at Thruxton on the early 60s.

We need a wailing ‘smily’. 🙁 Almost too horrible to look at.

That genuinely upset me…

the only very slightly uplifting moment was the lovely Commer TS3 taking the five Merlins away..

..but the guy with the axe..Arrrgghh..!!

I hate to burst your bubble but my bet is they went straight to the smelters! Interesting shot of the Mosquito burning that would explain the dump I have been excavating recently.

I feel sick..anyone ever seen a picture of a Stirling being scrapped..seen plenty of ones in storage ( Woburn Abbey), but none being killed………..

Oh my God. A bit graphic for my liking.

And the picture of the guy with the axe was reminicent of ‘The Shining’.

Not nice images on a dreary, wet Wednesday… 🙁

That genuinely upset me…

the only very slightly uplifting moment was the lovely Commer TS3 taking the five Merlins away..

..but the guy with the axe..Arrrgghh..!!

Horrible. 🙁

this should come with a health warning