Hanoi and Storch

Did anyone ever see the P-38? The rumour goes a failure on takeoff and was put down on one of those islands.

We hunted all over for it,got cut to bits on the islands(feet)

P 38 Dregerhafen
 

I can´t say if it was a P 38. In 1990 I was there visiting my parents and swam over to one of those islands (I can´t really remember which one it was) and I did find some wreckparts in the bush pretty close to the beach. There wasn´t much left, so I really can´t say what it was. I didn´t find any wreckparts in water though. But there also was some shipwreck there in the lagoon in about 30 feet of water. Through the lack of scuba diving equipment I could only look at it from the depth I could get down to with snorkeling equipment, which wasn´t really near enough.

Geez SP were we based in Lae at the same time?

Given the GKP was crashed on Mt Otto by you know who my first month in Talair I guess those pics are 87ish?

Finchafen is burned in my memory as where P2-COI made a direct and premeditated attempt on my life in early 1989:ok:

I had forgotten how pretty it was - little wonder we would load up an aircraft with wives, kids, beer, food and a designated driver some Sundays and head out for a day at the beach.

Edit: Just noticed. You sure it was June 88? We were most assuredly both in Lae at the same time but my memory has GKP being crashed much earlier in 88. That looks like Richard Rowe doing the paperwork.

AxelPNG
Are you telling me the old Talair office across the road from the Bird is now a Chinese Restaurant???????

I spent 13 years in that building............ and now it is a Chinese Restaurant? :yuk:


Dennis Douglas

Yes, your old man was a great man - I had some great arguments with Bikkies. Indeed, I can't remember a time we weren't blueing! But I respected your father for his achievements. Never any hard feelings - we had many a drink together.

If memory serves me correctly, I remember you as a whipper snipper in Moresby when your Mother had the fabric shop at Taurama.

Bikkies, Junior and many of us are from a time which has now ended, for better or for worse. That era has ended.

You'd have preferred a kai bar?

Torres...Yes Chinese Restaurant & Supermarket...I just a great steak at the "Bird" had many feeds there since 1991 and never had a problem....they have closed the Gillies bar....had many a good night at that bar over the years

g'day all , new poster here . been enjoying the read for nearly a week . I was in PM , flying for central air services , from nov 84 to june 85 . only flew u 206 p2 MAB and DQU . log book reveals 250 hrs while in PNG and as this was my first job after training , more than doubled my TT . I can't say i had as good a time as most of you seemed to . I was in over my head with the flying and while struggling to learn was constantly threatened with sacking by unfriendly management . Of course there was those moments of peace - cruising through that incredible scenery - that restored ones faith . It all seemed very extreme , the flying , the drinking , the ******* . witnessed my first beer induced chunder in the cockpit while icus (and the second , third , etc ) . Truly an unforgettable place .

I'm gonna sound like a cracked record, but boy, it always hits me seeing these old photos - those airstrips were MUCH better maintained then...

That ship in the lagoon was still visible recently. Yet another spot that I only got to fly over and not enjoy at close range unfortunately. Anyone know the story on that one?

The Mandarin restaurant does an alright meal. I particularly liked their baked potatoe slices - probably swamped in MSG but they tasted good!

Thanks again for the great pics Storchpilot! :ok:

Chuck, it was in the middle of June 1988. Actually I wasn´t based at Lae at that time or ever, just travelling as SLC on the Talair flights. I was just visiting my parents who were based at Logaweng, the station up on the hill, where you would pass over before going into the approach pattern for RWY34. From there I toured the country for a few weeks, before staying another week at FH and then going on to Oz for three months for some practical training.
I left Finschhafen for Oz in the middle of July 1988 and flew back to Nadzab on GKL

http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...DSC00002-1.jpg

with this pilot (I don´t kow his name) :confused:

http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...DSC00001-1.jpg

but I bet you´ll remember :)

His name was Richard Rowe - he was killed in a crash in Chimbu Province in 1993.

:uhoh: Sorry to hear that. I flew with him two times and was able to get good shots, as he let me sit up front.

The office was originally a small house until we added and garage until we added the back office around 1974.

The Gillies Bar? Named after Merv and Les Gillies (who I think built the Bird for Bobby in the early 1960s)?

Which bar was that - the one at ground level on the corner?

The Bird
 

Torres
Peter W. ex manager of the Bird in the late 70's now has a motel in Stanthorpe. It's surely a small world.

Hmmm places to eat in the 70's.. The Steakhouse over by the Dero in Lae...a place on the road to Nadzab, you went up a drive anyone remember it?
The haus wind in Madang Hotel was great. Hagen Park Motel did a good feed
Goroka, the roof top at the Bird....

wow, you talair guys wore trousers! Looks like it would've been 30+ at Finch.

Hey Storch, did you get any pics of the Jap wrecks in the scrub at the end of Finch?

No but I did find a japanese doublebarreled machinegun on a far earlier trip to Finsch (13 years old). Unfortunately my parents didn´t let me take it back to Europe when we left in 1976. But maybe I´ve got a picture somewhere. Actually the bush all around the whole Finschhafen area was full of weapons, ammo, and all the other stuff armies leave when they move off. Did anyone ever get to see the caves underneath the hill of Logaweng (the before mentioned station you guys flew over on approach)?

Alistair, blue shorts:yuk: and long white socks:ooh: was an option - but the grass seeds were easier to remove from the trousers:ok:

P-38 at Finschhafen
 

Night Beetle

Definitely was a P-38. Positively identified from impellor blades and one of the twin booms on the beach. Majority of wreckage was just under the water.
TAA Social Club at Lae used to have a staff picnic day at Finschhafen each year. Load up a side-saddle DC-3 , 32 side saddle seats plus 16 High-density seats down the middle , total 48 seats but load was usually around 65-70 including kids plus some "Niners" on the rear platform. Normally went to the rock pools beside the strip , blasted out of the rock by army engineers during WW11 , but in 1971 went across to the island instead and picnicked beside the wreckage.

Used to go to a restaurant called " the Habitat " on a hill beside the road to Nadzab , near Abunaka Plantation ( Jim Jacob's ??? ) in the early 70's. Many a cold greenie consumed there on Sunday afternoons. Was also a rest stop after swanning on the lawns at the Royal Nadzab Races.

Last time I saw former Bird of Paradise managers Brian and Bev Martin was in 2008 and they were managing Rapopo Resort on the beach just out of Kokopo. Many will remember their stint at the Kaivuna , home of the famous deep-dish pies.

Could go on forever here !!!.

P 38
 

Thanks Hanoi
Was there in 89,we must have been looking in the wrong places.Plenty of old munitions on the seabed.Some of our more adventurish in the group proceded to dismantle these fizzing munitions while others went exploring up the coast and listening for a big bang.....the shell casings buffed up really well.
I think we had brown botols.

Up to about 1970 TAL issued pilots caps.
I had one never wore it, gave it away in OZ in the 70's
Be a collectors piece now
The Prawn always wore his, had a magnificent 35000 hour bash in it :rolleyes: