Which Aerodrome Mk III

[dubbleyew eight]

the low resolution of the photo has beaten me. I just cant make out any details.
golf course????

[chevvron]

My image is too pixilated to see any detail.

[John Hill]

It is not Wynyard in Tasmania either.

[John Hill]

Con-pilot, the airport is now civil/military and was once operated by the airforce of an imperial power. Oh! at that time the airport was in another country!:8

[John Hill]

Sorry about the quality of the picture Chevron, maybe this one will be useful..

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3776/9603084328_d02a59f652.jpg

[cuefaye]

Oh c'mon you lot, you lost 3-0, but with your friend GI, you know it's Peshawar. Jeez. No chance in the forthcoming :D

[John Hill]

Phew! Cuefaye gets the banana! Over to you sir..


Peshawar, where the rails cross the runway (just like Gisborne and Wynyard). Peshawar in Pakistan which was once upon a time in India when it was a RAF base.
Peshawar, one of the airports where PIA, aka Prayers in the Air, aka Pakistani International, does the ground handling.

[dubbleyew eight]

if we kept winning the cricket the poms would just slip into third world pessimism.
you've got to give them a win occasionally just to keep them happy as a nation.

btw who is hosting the national paint fading ashes next time?:E

[cuefaye]

Crook - so Open House

[Dora-9]

Sorry you're not well cuefaye!

My next one then - no longer an airfield now, the hangar is gone but the large building in the background is still there:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/img130_zps99a915f5.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/img130_zps99a915f5.jpg.html)

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/img131_zps1945cf14.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/img131_zps1945cf14.jpg.html)

[dubbleyew eight]

is this in north africa?

[Lightning Mate]

Or Sicily ?

[Dora-9]

Not North Africa - in Sicily.

[Lightning Mate]

Did Patton have anything to do with it?

[dubbleyew eight]

gella-farello?

[Dora-9]

W8: no.

L-M: Possibly the true reasons for Patton's dismissal occurred here.

[dubbleyew eight]

massacre of italian prisoners on ... Biscari Airfield?

[Dora-9]

That's impressive, W8. More correctly known as Biscari - San Pietro or just San Pietro, but I'll pay your answer. You have control.

Despite there originally being revetments and a hangar, there is no evidence at all now that there was an airfield here. If you look at Santo Pietro on GE, you can see where the landing area was and also the large building behind the wrecked aircraft (top LH corner of the landing area)..

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/img131_zpsc2c8cede.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/img131_zpsc2c8cede.jpg.html)

[dubbleyew eight]

I googlated "pattons mistake on crete" he made 3. the 2 slapping incidents were nothing compared to the massacre. so I guessed.

open house.

[dash7fan]

As open house

http://imageshack.us/a/img801/1404/lhlu.png

[G-ARZG]

Innsbruck ?

[dash7fan]

Austria yes, Innsbruck no. Sry

[John Hill]

Noetsch?

If so, open house please as it is nearly my bed time!:)

[cuefaye]

dora

GI certainly is impressive!

[Lightning Mate]

Niederöblarn ?

[dash7fan]

Not Nötsch oder Niederöblarn, sry

[Duckbutt]

How about Zell am See then?

[dash7fan]

DB you are correct. Zell am See 1963. Your control

[Duckbutt]

Thanks. Think this one is easy but I found it interesting:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Twyler/Puzz101.jpg

[dubbleyew eight]

a bright blue sky with that little light, I would say somewhere in England.
at least somewhere around 60 degrees latitude.

[Dora-9]

Lask, Poland?

[Duckbutt]

Good morning! Neither of the above but Dora is closer.

[Lightning Mate]

Germany ?

Ramstein?

[Duckbutt]

Further from UK than Germany, LM.

[Dora-9]

Ponzan, Poland then?

[Lightning Mate]

Well, that's a MiG 29 and I feel the F16s are American.

After much searching this could be an exercise in Bulgaria, and the Bulgarian air force has them, in which case Graf Ignatievo Air Force Base would be a likely candidate.

[Duckbutt]

Sorry I had to nip out. A perfect description LM and it's all yours.

[cuefaye]

LM

Another well 'searched' and slightly disguised GI :sad: Do C'mon mate!

[Lightning Mate]

Open House.

[evansb]

Here is one that is not on the list:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r68/convair640/ancient_aerodrome_zpsd44f0bea.jpg

[chevvron]

Talbenny (Wales)?

[evansb]

Sorry, not Wales. It is located south of Wales.

[Duckbutt]

Is that an upside down aircraft in the beach lying where it has been bulldozed to make more space for operational aircraft evansb?;)

[evansb]

Not sure about a bulldozed aircraft, but the photo was taken in 1947. During WW.II damaged aircraft were indeed pushed into the surf. The aerodrome was struck off in 1966, and is no longer visible on Google Earth.

[Cows getting bigger]

Querqueville, Nomandie.

OH if correct.

[evansb]

Querqueville, France, is correct. CGB declared OPEN HOUSE.

[DIBO]

Can't hide it's origins, but now a well equipped (ILS/DME) primarily flying school airport.
http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab142/DIBOYOU/PPRune/ppr0004.jpg

[DIBO]

hint: it's within a 200 miles radius of the previous, Querqueville. And they're in a bit of trouble as the flyingschool providing 75% of the traffic, went bust:uhoh:

[chevvron]

Warsaw Pact styling so maybe East Germany?

[dash7fan]

Merville-Calonne?

[DIBO]

dash7fan spot on !!! It's OH again !

[dash7fan]

http://imageshack.us/a/img854/8306/r4p4.jpg

[asw22]

Hello all!

I see some people tread in my domain of choice ;)...

The origins of Merville Calonne are not so clearly visible on this view: it was created as a French "platform of operations" in 1937 (just a grass square), then enormously developed by the Germans around 1941/1942 with three concrete runways, and many hangars/revetments (30+).
As was their standard practice the Germans developed the airfield outside the original french airfield thus leaving the original airfield operational (during Battle of Britain He111 bombers from KG4 and Do17 from KG2 were using the original french airfield).

The photo I join shows clearly the orignal airfield in clear grey and the three german runways....I would have used this one, had the timing been right :)

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/5273/3eg5.jpg

[sidtheesexist]

Quantico/Turner.......

[dash7fan]

Quantico is correct. You have control

[sidtheesexist]

Thank you. Open House folks.

[Dora-9]

This thread has gone very quiet. Here's one:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/img151_zps0b59074f.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/img151_zps0b59074f.jpg.html)

[sidtheesexist]

Filton perhaps as its a newly built Bristol Beaufort? In the unlikely event that I'm correct, OH as I'm going to be away for a few days.

[Dora-9]

Not Filton. Note the shape of the fin.

[chevvron]

Hangar in the background appears to have a sign with a bottom line 'Air Service Ltd' so I'll plump for Heston.(Nice 3 -pointer about to happen)
Note no gun fitted to the turret and no squadron letters. Interesting chimney(?) in the background but no cooling towers so unlikely to be Croydon.
Sorry to ramble on, not much happening at work today!

[Noyade]

Note the shape of the fin.

Australia mate?

[cuefaye]

Oz changed the design of the Beaufort fin - so it has to be in Oz.

At first I thought of Fishermens Bend, Victoria

But if that's the Kingsford Smith Air Service hangar in the background, I'll plump for Mascot, Sydney ---

[Dora-9]

It's Mascot and a DAP Beaufort - well done Cuefaye!

The caption to the photo reads "Beaufort T9541, the first aircraft assembled at the Dept of Aircraft Production's GAF at Mascot, taking off on its first flight on 20 October 1941." Actually I rather think it's landing. It's using the old 12/30 runway, traces of which could still be seen in the 1970's as a taxiway before it was swallowed up by what was then the Ansett tarmac/terminal/aerobridges etc.

Over to you....

[cuefaye]

Thanks Dora

Have to exit my patch for rest of day, so OH I'm afraid. Sorry

[chevvron]

I'm not checked out on Beauforts, but at a guess, I'd say you wouldn't use that much flap for takeoff.

[Dora-9]

Or that much up elevator....

Actually Chevvron, given the type's dire reputation with the RAAF, maybe you should be grateful that you're not checked out?

[dash7fan]

I think ist open house:

http://imageshack.us/a/img51/7839/39ny.jpg

[dash7fan]

No takers until now...

It is in Europe

[dixi188]

I thought Antwerp at first, but I don't think it is.

[minuteman]

Poznan, EPPO. Looking down 11...

OH if correct!

[India Four Two]

Two days! It clearly can't have been available via GI or LM would have "researched" it by now. ;)

PS What's the aircraft?

[dash7fan]

Minuteman Poznan is corret, so OH

India four two its a Dash 8 - 300

[chevvron]

'On the glidepath well right of centreline correcting slow'.
[Sorry it's my ATCO instincts.]

[dash7fan]

Visual Approach, landing was perfect (by copi), nobody hurt, a/c ok, returnflight on schedule :)

[Noyade]

Here's another...

http://i44.tinypic.com/1zdxg75.jpg

[Noyade]

We're in the south of France, names on the map....

http://i44.tinypic.com/2e561c7.jpg

[chevvron]

The name 'Istres' stands out.

[Noyade]

'Istres' stands out. It sure does. Your control Chevvron. :ok:

http://i43.tinypic.com/2qisfaf.jpg

[Lordflasheart]

And I thought he'd put the red triangle on Marignane to give us a bit of a clue Chevy.

[Dora-9]

World calling Chevvron.....

Do you have anything for us?

[chevvron]

Sorry for the delay chaps; managed to smash my screen hence couldn't read it!
Open House anyway.

[evansb]

Here is the next mystery aerodrome:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r68/convair640/convair640005/Cheezies_zps88fbd303.jpg

[cuefaye]

Hawkins Field, Betio

[evansb]

Yes, Hawkins field, :ok:, Betio atoll, Tarawa Group, Gilbert Islands, Republic of Kiribati, in the South Central Pacific. Site of a fierce 3-day battle between U.S. Marines and the Imperial Japanese during WW.II.


cuefaye has control.

[Lightning Mate]

evansb,

Google Image Search is not your friend.

[cuefaye]

As has been said many times LM ---

Open House

[Noyade]

Here's one...

http://i43.tinypic.com/9qv0o3.jpg

[Cows getting bigger]

Fife Glenrothes.

[Noyade]

Fife Glenrothes.

Spot on mate. Your control. :ok:

[Cows getting bigger]

OH, I'm afraid.

[John Hill]

Another easy one for the Googliers...

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5466/9861624406_ee265fc9ea.jpg

[siftydog]

Looks like Rongotai, Wellington. Oldie days - new airfield not built, or my friend's house on the hill behind.

OH if so.

[John Hill]

Rongotai it is, you have control.

[dubbleyew eight]

an unkind person would blank out the rego and make it hard.
I left it in to make it harder :E

http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/P3030061_zps32416875.jpg

[Dora-9]

Assuming that the N rego is a furphy - is this Serpentine WA?

[dubbleyew eight]

Dora you're amazing. spot on.

your windsock.....

[Dora-9]

OK, waving my windsock - the photo is dated 21 July 1943:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/img200_zpse6908c98.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/img200_zpse6908c98.jpg.html)

[ICT_SLB]

Remember seeing a similar hill at Vieux Fort (Hewanorra) Airport, St. Lucia.
[OH in the unlikely event I'm right].

[Dora-9]

Sorry ICT SLB, a long long way from St Lucia (but the hill - a ridge actually - is a good clue)...

[Terry Dactil]

How about Townsville (Garbutt) airfield.

The nose art shows the aircraft to be "Miss Giving" of the 380th BG.
See MISS GIVING (http://380th.org/HISTORY/PARTV/MissGiving.htm) for the aircraft's history.
They operated from Fenton airstrip near Darwin, but Google does not show any decent ridges nearby at that location.
However, Townsville was/is a military airfield with a substantial ridge in the circuit area and I expect the aircraft passed through there at some stage.

[India Four Two]

Dora-9,

Thanks for expanding my knowledge of Aussie slang. ;)

Furphy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furphy)

[Dora-9]

TD:

Correct ID of both aircraft and owner unit -not Fenton though (which was a much more heavily timbered location), nor is it Garbutt.

[Dora-9]

On the basis that "a fast game is a good game", here's another clue (different location on the same airfield, almost two years later):

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/3-8_zpsd6ad5082.gif (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/3-8_zpsd6ad5082.gif.html)

[Terry Dactil]

That escarpment to the East makes me think it could be Adelaide or Perth. However as the black swan is a Western Australia icon it could be a significant clue, so I'll go for Perth.
(It is only 1600 nm from their main base in the NT, but in 1945 I guess their navigation wasn't all that great). :E

[Lordflasheart]

Wild guess - Corunna Downs in the Pilbara ?

[dubbleyew eight]

just a guess. Gawler in South Australia.

[Dora-9]

LFH has it! Well done, that man - it is Corunna Downs, Australia's "secret air base". Over to you!

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/corunna_zpse2ced8de.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/corunna_zpse2ced8de.jpg.html)

That distinct ridge is immediately south of the main runway - the domestic site lay immediately to the west of this.

Also Terry D - the black swan indicated 25 (City of Perth) Squadron - the connection is obvious - who were based at Cunderdin, east of the Perth, and not in the NT. The remainder of the RAAF force, 82 Wing, comprising 21, 23 & 24 Sqns, were based in the NT. All these units, plus earlier the USAAF's 380th BG, used Corunna to stage through to attack targets in Java. History waffle ends....

[Terry Dactil]

What a desolate place!
No wonder it was a "secret" airfield.
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/8860200.jpg
Thanks for the incentive to embark on a great history lesson.
(Just finished looking up the details of when the later version nose turrets were fitted to the B-24 as in the second photo).

[Dora-9]

What a desolate place!Yes, and it was 15 miles from Marble Bar, statistically the hottest town in Australia. What a great place to be posted!

I flew into here regularly in the late 1960's, despite being closed in 1945 it was then quite well preserved. The revetments were impressively huge and in a much better state than they are now - then they still looked exactly like the three you can see in the background to my 25 Sqn photo....

There is another airfield at Noonkanbah (then called Nookanbah), ESE from Derby, with similarly enormous revetments (positioned even further away from the airfield) obviously intended for the same purpose, although it doesn't seem to have seen much use in fact.

[Lordflasheart]

Thanks Chaps for eliminating all the obvious airfields. Interesting to see how many of these obscure places got bombed - in addition to the well known raids such as on Darwin and Broome. No wonder they staged through. Apparently the livestock got strafed on occasion too - mistaken for troops in the open.

Here's the next - LFH

http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj632/LFH99/LFH441_zps09b6eb73.jpg?t=1380009917

[Dora-9]

LFH, I think that Corunna was never located by the Japanese - however there was a nocturnal raid by a "Mavis" on Anna Plains (on the coast south of Broome), it's thought that while the Japanese were aware of a large staging airfield somewhere in the Pilbara, they located and subsequently attacked the prominent airfield at Anna Plains in error.

[Terry Dactil]

Yes. It appears that the Japanese never found the place.
When I was searching for "Corunna Downs" to find out where the hell it was, I came across an entry that seemed to imply that the only casualty there was some poor sod who was killed when he fell off a truck when they were all leaving.

[Lordflasheart]

Clue: It's not Australia. ;). LFH

[Dora-9]

LFH - a ranging shot. Germany?

[Lordflasheart]

A lot warmer and a lot further East than Germany, Dora.

[Lordflasheart]

Looks like I'm flogging a dead duck here. SE Asia - ca 1948. LFH

[Cubs2jets]

San bay Gia Lam, Ha Noi, Vietnam

C2j

[Lordflasheart]

Not Hanoi Cubs - but you're in the right territory - (then and now - but not in between) LFH

[Terry Dactil]

As I am a newcomer to this thread, can someone explain to me what strategy I should use in locating the current challenge.

I came in on the previous B-24 challenge because there were several clues in that photo.
B-24 & nose art = aircraft and squadron = unit history. Date clue = operational area. Background terrain = possible locations etc.

The current challenge is such low resolution that there is not much detail to work with. There is an airfield and some buildings, some trees, a river and a road. That eliminates places in the desert or snow, but that is about all.

I can nail the location in 30 seconds using Google images, but that method seems to be frowned upon. :=

Help.

[India Four Two]

I can nail the location in 30 seconds using Google images, but that method seems to be frowned upon.

Welcome to the thread, Terry. More and more participants are now aware of GI and try to post pictures not already on the web, or obfuscate ones that are.

What is really "frowned on" by most here, is a technique employed by some posters of immediately going to GI and then posting a series of questions, giving the appearance of clever research, while narrowing down the choices to the "correct answer". What's the point?

The only time I look at GI in connection with these threads, is to check an image I want to post.

[Terry Dactil]

Thanks India Four Two.

I liked the idea of some details in the photo giving clues to research.
With the B-24 challenge I learned something about:

The 380Th BG operations in Australia
How to fly the B-24 and operate a Norden bombsight
Some history of RAAF 25 squadron

Then about the "secret" Corunna Downs airfield in Western Australia

There are good recent hi-res photos of Corunna Downs here
http://dandjr.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/secret-airbase-revealed-corunna-downs/

and some rare photos when the base was operational
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFcIrvpcSO4

This all made a great little history lesson that I thoroughly enjoyed.
In contrast, using Google images or the "I guess a country" then "I guess a place" and "no - a bit further east etc," shotgun approach does not appeal so much.

[India Four Two]

the "I guess a country" then "I guess a place" and "no - a bit further east etc," shotgun approach

However, sometimes other poster's guesses help me zero-in on a geographic area, that perhaps hadn't occurred to me.

LFH's most recent cryptic comment seems to indicate this airfield is "in my back yard" but I still cannot think of a likely location.

[Dora-9]

Good sleuthing TD! Thanks for posting the links.

Looking at those recent hi-res photos makes me realize just how much the revetments have deteriorated in the 45 years (gulp) since I was there.

[Lordflasheart]

Good morning Terry and Ifor. (And Dora.) I agree with all your remarks including about the low res. I did check the pic against GI and it came out nil, so considering its history, I was quite pleased with it. I tried GI again after Terry's remarks and now see that there's not a lot escapes the magic eye if you persevere. I haven't time or skill for "obfuscation" and suitable non-internet photos (such as personal or book sourced) are few and far. A lot of the good book stuff finds its way onto the net anyway.

"giving the appearance of clever research, while narrowing down the choices to the "correct answer". What's the point ?" - and then say "Open House" rather too often .....


What we are currently discussing has given rise to a bit of mild aggro here in the last year or so. I am not sure if I have any suggestions. I'm off for a couple of days so I shall probably have to terminate this challenge in a couple of hours anyway. LFH


PS see three more posts since I started drafting this - -


LFH's most recent cryptic comment .... ;)

[Lordflasheart]

OK - shan't be around for a couple of days - If I may, I'll put this challenge on ice and declare Open House. LFH

[Background Noise]

Been done before but an interesting historic pic - taken about 40 years ago,

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a297/stickshaker/DSC_0435.jpg

[Lightning Mate]

Ahh - camouflaged Frightnings.

Gutersloh ?

Issa Mk F2As innit.

[Background Noise]

Absolutely.

Not a clue on the Mk, it was a teenage snap shot.

[Lightning Mate]

Youngster. :E

92 Squadron.

The F2A was the only version in Germany.

Some called it the interim Mk6, but it had the old AI23 radar and Firestreaks.

At least it had GUNS.

Open house I'm afraid.

[chevvron]

3 of the old 92 Sqdn aircraft were 'disposed of' to RAE Farnborough. They still had a 'bite' though. When the wings were being cut off one of them, some residual fuel vapour ignited causing an explosion which injured the person doing the cutting up.
I was tower controller at the time and my 60 year old assistant was so quick with the crash alarm that the fire service said they heard the klaxon before they heard the bang.

[LFT]

Try this -

http://i43.tinypic.com/2sb7ivs.jpg

[Terry Dactil]

OK. I'll bite.
I can't see any passenger terminal with aerobridges, so it does not look like a major domestic or international airport. The small and medium sized hangars suggest private and business aircraft based there, and there is an industrial area in the foreground.
Is it in the UK?

[Terry Dactil]

Cancel that UK question.
I see non-ICAO single digit runway designators.
And a what looks like a baseball playing field.
I'll go for North America now.

[LFT]

Scheduled air services started just this year and that's 3 x C-130's top right.

[Terry Dactil]

Aha. I had my suspicions that the cleanest bit of concrete with grey aircraft on it could have been military, but there was not enough detail to be sure.
Knowing they were C-130s and finding a list of their bases to check runway diagrams soon got a match with 142nd Airlift Squadron, Delaware ANG.

So it is:
New Castle Airport (KILG)
Wilmington Delaware USA

Interesting to know that Delaware was the only state in the USA that did not have a scheduled airline service until very recently.

[LFT]

Well done, New Castle it is, over to you.

[Terry Dactil]

OK. Let's have a bit of history then with this very old photo where the airfield has been tinted green.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17847496/Aerial-30s-overlay.jpg

Some clues to start with:

This airfield was opened in the 1920's and the land cost just over 5000 pounds.
The sale conditions allowed the original owner to graze horses on the land overnight.

[evansb]

Essendon Aerodrome, Melbourne, Australia ?

[Terry Dactil]

That is it. Well done evansb -You have control.
I had several more hints ready, but you were too good. I guess the area reserved for the water tanks was a dead giveaway.


The fenced off area was kept by a water supply authority and now contains several large water tanks.
The airfield was expanded to the south in 1935 and 1943, and to the north in 1947.
Housing development has surrounded the airfield now and, as usual, residents are clamoring for the airfield to be closed, even though it was there first!

Here is what it looks like now.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17847496/Essendon.JPG

[evansb]

Here is another mystery aerodrome:
http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b477/gumpjr_bucket/name_that_dromo.jpg

[Dora-9]

Dubbo, NSW?

If correct, Open House.

[evansb]

Dubbo, Australia is correct. As requested, it is OPEN HOUSE.

[Flap40]

As a little bit of thread drift, I've often wondered why Aussie runways always seem to be laid out up the centre of an area that has markings for a grass runway that is three time the width.

Can anyone explain?

[UV]

Are they really grass runway markings? If so be very rough at the top right hand side.
Maybe they are some sort of clear area markings?

[Dora-9]

They're not "grass runways", just flight strips (cleared areas). Note the T-Vasis on either side of Rwy 23.

[LFT]

Open House so here's another -

http://i41.tinypic.com/fbma2r.jpg

[Cows getting bigger]

Unlike some, I haven't landed here.

Next stop Londonderry; oops - make that Ballykelly Air Field (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?76922-Next-stop-Londonderry-oops-make-that-Ballykelly-Air-Field)

Ballykelly, Northern Ireland.

OH if correct.

[LFT]

Correct, OH it is!

[evansb]

Here is the next challenge. Don't cheat.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r68/convair640/HO_LEE_COW_zps80b7afcc.jpg

[Airclues]

Time for a clue perhaps?

Dave

[UV]

Lampedusa?. OH if correct

[evansb]

Lampedusa is correct. OPEN HOUSE.

[Noyade]

I think this is already on the list, but nevertheless...

http://i43.tinypic.com/14aafjq.jpg

[evansb]

Is this in Guatemala ?

[Noyade]

No mate. We're in Africa.....

[Noyade]

Mind you, this is around 1993...

[chimbu warrior]

Wilson, HKNW.

[Noyade]

Wilson, HKNW. That's the place. Your control mate. :ok:

http://i43.tinypic.com/2pr74o3.jpg

[Lordflasheart]

I was offered a job there in the '60s. Police Air Wing Beavers - they carried a Bren and a couple of grenades for flagwaving if the Shifta got restless. Changed a bit. LFH

[chimbu warrior]

No airport pictures to post, so open house.

[albatross]

I was the pilot of one of those 212s. Canadian Helicopters (CHC) from the UN mission in Rwanda.
Boy does that bring back memories!

Great thing about that photo is the airport advisory ground signals in the photo. You sure don't see those much anymore.

[chevvron]

I'm sitting looking at a Signal Square now, but the airport name isn't displayed so I'm not sure where I am (only joking!)
All military airfields in the UK use them but their use at civil airports is dwindling.

[Noyade]

Another one...

http://i39.tinypic.com/2eounaw.jpg

[Cows getting bigger]

Limatambo? I'm going by the ridge line in the background which looks remarkably similar to the one seen at picture 111 on this excellent website

The Early Days of Panagra (http://earlydaysofpanagra.com/JA/#GV_EDOP_111r.jpg)

[Noyade]

Limatambo

Well done mate - your control! :ok:

[Cows getting bigger]

Thanks. Sorry, just crewing-in. Open house.

[LFT]

Try this -

http://i39.tinypic.com/f4jszd.jpg

[Blanket Stacker]

This appears to be one of the sites at RAF Dumfries, Tinwald Down. If correct, OH, as nothing available.

[LFT]

That was quick, well done! Left a wee bit of the Museum in @ bottom left as a clue.

[Dora-9]

Blanket Stacker says Open House.

Here's one - a 1944 photo:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/Mallala3_zps04e6279d.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/Mallala3_zps04e6279d.jpg.html)

[India Four Two]

Judging by the rectangular fields, the hangar layout and the non-dispersed aircraft, I'm guessing USA, probably in the West.

[Dora-9]

India Four Two - sorry, not the USA.

[Terry Dactil]

Gotta be a military flight training base

probable parade ground in central location
lots of small aircraft
no runways

Dora-9 lives in Oz, so searching RAAF training bases in WW2 with distinctive "V" shaped hangar layout brought up Uranquinty which was obviously designed by the same military genius, although it is not the one we want.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17847496/Uranquinty.JPG
I think we are looking for an old RAAF base somewhere in Australia.

[evansb]

Mallala, Australia ?

[Dora-9]

Terry is correct in that several RAAF bases, built at the same time (in the south of the country), all had an identical hangar layout. Possibly they were designed by the same "military genius"?

However, the prize goes to Evansb. It's Mallala, home of the RAAF's 6 SFTS and a vast fleet of Oxfords and Ansons.

The photo is aligned East-up.

Little evidence remains now of what once was a very busy base....

[evansb]

Thank you. OPEN HOUSE.

[Terry Dactil]

Bugger! A bloke can't stop to have a nap in this game without someone half the world away zooming past and finding the solution :{

Seriously though, thanks Dora-9 for a challenge with some clues in the photo to start searching on. This one also turned into a history lesson.
This place also played a big part in weapons research after WW2 when the Poms were blowing up parts of Australia with atomic devices.
Then it became a migrant camp for a while before being turned into a car race track.

Mallala at its peak as a training base.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17847496/Mallala.JPG

As it is now
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17847496/Mallala2.JPG

Today you need to look very hard to find just the faintest traces of the "V" shaped hangar area.
All a bit sad really.

[Terry Dactil]

Open house - OK
Here is a quickie as there are plenty of good clues in the photo.
It is 1921 and the aircraft in the centre crashed some time later, so I have removed some of its registration as that would make it too easy.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17847496/LP1921.JPG

[Dora-9]

Langley Park, WA?

[Lightning Mate]

Well, the aeroplanes are Bristol Tourers.

[Terry Dactil]

Langley Park in Perth, Western Australia it is. This was in the days when Australian aircraft still had British registration marks, and this was my cunning plan to throw you all off the scent. :E It obviously didn't work.

This is what it looks like today.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17847496/aerial4_MZ.jpg

I reckon it would get the prize for being the closest airfield to any city's central business district - about a 100m walk.
YHC.

[dubbleyew eight]

Dora has it I'm sure. Horrie Millers operation.
the current langley park is over the road and to the east of this location.

[dubbleyew eight]

terry, common mistake.
see the trees at the far left hand end of the park on the photo.
your challenge location was on the other side of those trees.

if that photo is the year I think it was. I was parked 1/3 rd in from the other end in a Cessna 150a.

the next year the insurances and over the top safety wanking caused the event cancellation. there were 6 americans putting their aircraft in containers to ship them over to be a part of the flyin. I just caught them in time to cancel an expensive wasted trip.

[Dora-9]

This is from my visit to the fabulous (and unique) Langley Park Fly-in:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/VH-LBWatLangleyPark2001_zps3c3b1e38.gif (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/VH-LBWatLangleyPark2001_zps3c3b1e38.gif.html)

When Australia got its own civil registration prefix ("VH"), the existing registrations in the G-AU** range were altered by changing the first three characters to VH-U**.

And now, another former RAAF airfield (this one is easy!):

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/100_6148_zpsf06411c2.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/100_6148_zpsf06411c2.jpg.html)

[Terry Dactil]

I think that is Bundaberg, Queensland where you have cleverly concealed the eastern end of the grass strip by putting a pile of spectators and a bit of tailplane over it.

Does one have to have flown into Langley Park to play this game?
If so, I was there too, up at the end with the faster aircraft.
It was a great fly-in, even if a lot of us took several days flying across Australia to get there.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17847496/IMG_0105.JPG
dubbleyew eight:
Yeah. I was told that it wasn't the exact original location, but it was very close by.
In fact, I was also told that the present strip is reclaimed land, so it would have been all water when the original photo was taken.

[Dora-9]

Yes it is Bundaberg Terry, over to you....

Does anyone know the history of Building 161 at Bundaberg? It's an impressive timber framed hangar with adjoining workshops, the locals are adamant it was "constructed by the Americans". While the structure is similar to other US-built hangars in Queensland that I've seen, the RAAF occupied Bundaberg in early 1941 and started building a plethora of Bellman hangars then, so why would the Americans have built this?

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/P1010312_zps096f20c0.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/P1010312_zps096f20c0.jpg.html)

My attendance at Langley Park was nowhere near as impressive an effort as yours - having jetted in from overseas, I flew a friend's Cessna 180 from Jandaklot (virtually the shortest distance possible). The Danish AF marked Chippie belongs to another friend.

[Terry Dactil]

Nothing good at hand right now, so Open House.

Dora-9:
I haven't seen any references to American forces based in Bunderberg, so it seems unlikely that they built your hangar.
However, I have seen references to wood truss hangars made to American designs built by the RAAF at Tocumwal and Werribee during WW2. Maybe this is also the case with your hangar and could explain the American connection in the story.

Is the inside of yours the same as either of these?
http://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/projects/images/rwar/war16.gifSection of a 29. 3 m (96') span hangar at Werribee, Victoria


http://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/projects/images/rwar/war17.gifSection of the 39. 6 m (130') span hangar at Werribee, Victoria

Timber Building in Australia (http://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/projects/retro/war/rwar.asp#hang)

[Russell Gulch]

Terry Dactil has kindly posted OH, and it's been a while since I strolled this particular PPRuNe boardwalk, so I'd thought I may suggest the next offering:

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/wa/wa1122_zpsaa647310.jpg (http://s241.photobucket.com/user/868mick/media/wa/wa1122_zpsaa647310.jpg.html)

[Cubs2jets]

Brodhead, Wisconsin

C2j

[Russell Gulch]

Correct, C2j.

Some very interesting toys to be seen in the hangars on the left.

YHC

Russ.

[Cubs2jets]

Defeatring Google Image is easy when you use your own pictures. Now for something completely different.

C2j

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010049a_zps8b1e51f0.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010101a_zpsf1aef0e3.jpg

[Terry Dactil]

Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport ?

The Ba146 with the eagle on the tail is PK-OSP of Metro TV in Indonesia.
The F-28s painted with tropical flowers are Garuda Citylink aircraft.
The smoke reducing visibility is from the "burn the forest" season which occurs every year in Indonesia, so I reckon it has to be somewhere in Indonesia.
The twin tailed aircraft with droopy noses could be Su-27 or Su-30, and the Indonesian airforce operate both those types as well as F-16s
Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport is both civil and miliatary, and that looks like the old tower which was painted red and white at varios times.

I couldn't find the flagpoles, though :{

[Cubs2jets]

Not WAAA.

C2j

[Cubs2jets]

Didn't realize that the inability to "google search" was such an impediment to the game. LOL !!

I've looked and I don't have any "aerials" of the airport from my time flying out of there. International airport / serves capital / joint GA and military.

C2j

[dixi188]

Halim Perdanakusuma International

OH if correct.

[Terry Dactil]

That could be it, as it ticks all the boxes for
International airport / serves capital / joint GA and military
I gave it a miss because all the control tower photos I could find did not match colour or pattern, or have flagpoles nearby.
Maybe it was painted recently.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17847496/control%20tower.JPG
I had been searching all the Garuda Citylink destination airports on google earth looking for a control tower match.
Only had 18 still to go :{
Bit of a waste of time really, when a major clue is not valid.

[Cubs2jets]

WIIH - Bandar Udara Halim Perdanakusuma is correct. Pictures taken in April/May 2005. There was a retirement ceremony going on for the (former) head of the Air Force (TNI-AU). C-130's, F-5's, Hawks, F-16's and SU-30's all participated in the fly overs with about 2.5 miles visibility in smoke/haze.

Open House has been declaired.

C2j

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010047a_zpse7065b24.jpg

[India Four Two]

Great challenge, C2j.

I completely discounted Halim in my search, because during my time in Jakarta, I never saw any military jets. The rumour was that the Army distrusted the Air Force so much that they wouldn't allow attack aircraft to be based within range of Jakarta!

about 2.5 miles visibility in smoke/haze.

Practically CAVOK in Jakarta ;)

[Cubs2jets]

Well, as no one else has a challenge, let's go somewhere else!
C2j

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010003a_zpsf77213af.jpg

[India Four Two]

Not much of a dewpoint spread on that day!

Somewhere in Eastern Europe or the Balkans?

[Cubs2jets]

Quite some distance from the Balkans. A suprisingly active airport for the regular poor weather. Lack of services makes it an "in-and-out" destination for all but the saviours.

C2j

[oftenflylo]

solomons or PNG

[Cubs2jets]

Technically, neither.

C2j

[chimbu warrior]

Wamena WAJW.

[Cubs2jets]

Chimbu Warrior is correct. Wamina, Indonesia. The only aircraft bases there (2005) was a Cessna 206 supporting missionary work.

C2j

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010011a_zps20bcea6a.jpg

It was a busy day at Wamina with military and civilian flights.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010022a_zps40269432.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010025a_zpsfde6b207.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010016a_zpse31e5158.jpg

Trigana Air Service was the major player utilizing 5 different types. Both the Caribou and Twin Otter have since been written off (unfortunately the DHC-6 with a major loss of life). Can't say for the ATY and F-27.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010039a_zps1e08a919.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010048a_zps43ef93b3.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010059a_zps2ccc10d8.jpg

But, you say, that is only 4! Well, I was the fifth, and only jet (they hadn't yet begun to run 737's off the runway) and was operating under Trigana's AOC.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/Cubs2jets/P1010037a_zps7b95f62d.jpg


By the way... how does one find "What Aerodrome Mk I & II"?

[seacue]

I started Mk I in 2007 acting on a suggestion from evansb (I think). The first mystery aerodrome picture was of the original terminal at Washington National Airport, KDCA. I can't find a link, even with that knowledge,

seacue

[dixi188]

Are we open house?

[Airclues]

seacue

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/283572-aerodrome.html

Dave

[dixi188]

I am assuming OH.
I don't think this has been done before, can't find the list.
http://i353.photobucket.com/albums/r394/dixi188/PICT3623.jpg (http://s353.photobucket.com/user/dixi188/media/PICT3623.jpg.html)

[Cows getting bigger]

Good picture. I remember landing here some years back and wondering how on earth anyone had managed to put s chimney there!

I'll hang fire and see if anyone else gets it.

[sycamore]

Turkey perhaps..?

[dixi188]

Jenkins is correct. Sde Dov, Tel Aviv.
Used to stay in the Sheraton hotel just off the edge of the picture, bottom right.

[scr1]

First time I have recognized one the moment I saw it, was their a couple of weeks ago and had a great time

[dixi188]

Where can I find Mel's list of airfields, etc.?

[Airclues]

dixi188

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/311746-what-cockpit-what-aerodrome-latest-lists.html

Dave

[LTNman]

Seems like it is an open house so here is one to get the ball rolling again.

http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/1381/81q8.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/802/81q8.jpg/)

[Phileas Fogg]

That wouldn't be, by any chance, Roundshaw Housing Estate in the background would it?

[LTNman]

No and No I am sorry to say.

[Tempsford]

Squires Gate?

[LTNman]

Squires Gate Blackpool it is, well done.

The photo was taken around 1969 give or take a year or two. What is the aircraft type and what happened to this particular aircraft? I seem to remember that the aircraft might have been abandoned. Also a close look at the tail seems to show it is detached from the rest of the aircraft.

[Tempsford]

A few family ties with Blackpool. Vickers, Lancashire Aircraft Corporation, Hawker, Silver City, Autair, Britannia, BIA, Monarch plus a few more. If you turn the camera round you will see Abbey Road, where I used to live. Seafire VP441 now in Montana with Jim Smith?
Open House folks
Temps

[Lordflasheart]

What is the aircraft type and what happened to this particular aircraft? I think it's a Seafang - (edit - :uhoh: no it's not.)

Sorry chaps, belay me last pipe - it's likely Seafire FR47 VP441. - like wot Temps said above - should have looked more closely and read his post properly too - now apparently beautifully restored and flying.
LFH

[chevvron]

Could it have caught the arrestor cable a bit too fast? Happened to 'Winkle' at Farnborough when he was testing a Sea Fury, and the bit he was in not only got airborne, but he managed to land it!
One of the old assistants at Farnborough was a 'radio operator' when it happened, and he told me 'Winkle' said 'oh dear how annoying'!

[Noyade]

In the meantime - an alcohol inspired challenge...

http://imgbin.me/image/FDRQCCHL.jpg

[Cubs2jets]

Cuba? I don't know what airport.

C2j

[Noyade]

We're in Colombia mate, one of the locations illustrated below....

http://imgbin.me/image/JZLXORJI.jpg

Here's the sober image....

The "Stage House", where nervous students awaited the outcome of Sea Hawk flight by their comrades - and critique from US instructors.
http://imgbin.me/image/USALFGFM.jpg

[Noyade]

The airfield was located at Palanquero.

Open House.

[dash7fan]

As it is open house:

http://imageshack.us/a/img20/6541/go7x.png

[Airclues]

That building on the left looks German/Austrian.

Edit......but on the other hand, the topography looks Danish.

Dave

[dash7fan]

Dave, it is not danish

[Pali]

Isn't it between Hundsheim and Prellenkirchen?

[Airclues]

Spitzerberg, Austria?

If correct then Pali has the floor as all I did was look at a map between Hundsheim and Prellenkirchen.

Dave

[dash7fan]

Yes, Spitzerberg 1959. View from a Grunau Baby II. Over to Pali

[Pali]

Isn't it funny? Probably only airport in Austria I stood by and observed departing and landing a/c and here it is…

Anyway…

http://www.prieskumy.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Airport-radar.jpg

One of the hills behind is a place where an airliner crashed around 50 years ago.

[Cubs2jets]

KIAD Dulles International Airport?

C2j

[Pali]

Not western hemisphere...

[Pali]

There are much higher mountains around Innsbruck.

Hint: 1966

[Airclues]

Bratislava? OH if correct.

Dave

[Pali]

Correct, OH then...

[dash7fan]

To keep the thread going..

http://imageshack.us/a/img849/4408/pqdr.jpg

[Flap40]

Well the aircraft is an Embraer 135/140/145. The terrain looks North American as does the red/white water tower this side of the field. The size of the terminal does not seem to match the size and number of runways and there appears to be a large freight hub (maybe disused) on this side of the field. There also seems to be a lack of aircraft in view.

That's as far as I have got.


Edit: Dayton Ohio James M Cox. OH if correct.

[dash7fan]

Dayton, Ohio is correct. OH

[India Four Two]

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/india42/photo-5_zpsd2796e44.jpg

[Cows getting bigger]

Tacloban, Philippines?

[India Four Two]

Cgb,

Yes, Tacloban. I snapped the picture from a BBC World News bulletin.

Such a devastating event. Just before landfall, the winds were 170 kts, gusting to 200 kts. The central pressure was 858 mb!

Here in Vietnam, we were lucky. The typhoon intensity decayed very rapidly over the South China Sea and it then tracked further north than predicted and by the time it made landfall, it was a tropical storm. Still a lot of damage though, but not on the same scale as Leyte.

One of our frequent posters on AH&N, Phileas Fogg, lives on an island southeast of Leyte. I sent him a PM the day after the typhoon struck to see if he was OK and much to my surprise, got an almost immediate response. He and his resort had survived, but one of the words he used to describe the experience was "frightening".

Cgb has control.

[Cows getting bigger]

OH I'm afraid.

[Russell Gulch]

Try this one to keep the thread going:

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/wa/Ptdc0059red_zps754bd20d.jpg

[Phileas Fogg]

One of our frequent posters on AH&N, Phileas Fogg, lives on an island southeast of Leyte. I sent him a PM the day after the typhoon struck to see if he was OK and much to my surprise, got an almost immediate response. He and his resort had survived, but one of the words he used to describe the experience was "frightening".

Sorry for the thread drift but indeed I did describe it as "frightening" ...

So many have perished or suffered far worse however our electricity "browned out" before midnight and there was I in the horizontal rain repeatedly trying to 'rip cord' start the generator before I finally got it going and I spent much of the night up, to the effect, "If this ship is going down then I'm going to be there at the helm".

Alas all we suffered were damages to our fences, indeed we took in two additional French guests at the 11th hour (they were frightened where they were staying) and one of these guys actually slept through the super typhoon so well constructed are our accommodations of my design. :)

But, hey, Leyte is the place that has been f*cked, this super typhoon just gave me/us one hell of a lovebite as it went past, please concentrate on Leyte, we're already back up and running again.

God bless

[Russell Gulch]

Has everyone fallen off the edge of the world? :p



http://beyondmorale.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Waiting.jpg

(this self-portrait is in Wickford, Connecticut, and is NOT part of the challenge, since even the rickets-ridden legs or bony spine cannot be assumed to be any part of a runway). If no response in a further 3 days, can someone please tell my Mum?

Russ

[John Hill]

Kazakstan?