Where was this control tower - Can anyone assist
 

I have attached a photograph of an old Australian Air Traffic Control Tower but am unable to properly confirm its location. I was a member of the Royal South Australian Aero Club many years ago and the clubhouse was on the ground floor of a building that looked very like this one so I believe that this photograph was taken at Parafield. The only other control tower that I remember looked something like this was Archerfield. Can anyone positively identify the one in this photo please? Many thanks.

Can't see the image

Control Tower Identification
 

That's a nuisance. I note that the image on my post is indicating "pending approval." Thanks for letting me know, much appreciated.

Have 'reported' your original post as apparently mods don't get automatically notified that something is awaiting approval. Not strictly correct use of the Report button, but seems to get to any or all mods who can action the matter, without needing to PM an individual one.

Fixed :ok:

Reminds me of Archerfield (YBAF)?

Parafield Operations-Administration Building & Control Tower - 1940 ??

Thnx SP......

Judging by the heavy clothing being worn, I'd go for Parafield...but that's just a guess.

Parafield circa 1948

GEOFF GOODALL'S AVIATION HISTORY SITE

Thanks to everyone who assisted to get the photo visible and also to everyone for their answers. Looks like Parafield is a pretty safe bet. Cheers all.

Goodall's site actually says that three airfields had the same design, Parafield, Archerfield and Sydney. So it could be either unless you know who took the picture.

Steve

Yes, I was hoping the logo on the front of the tower may have been useful to confirm its identity as I have no idea who took the picture and I have never seen a picture of the Sydney tower prior to the modern updates. But I still think given the comments, Parafield is a safe bet. Thanks.

I believe the logo at YBAF is an 'A', so the bet on Parafield is pretty much spot on.

Yes thank you. I think so. Hope everyone has a safe new year 2017. Cheers...

Also looks like Archerfield with the ATC box on the top which was removed when the new tower was built in the 1970s. Maybe like schools they were all built to much the same design throughout the land.

The Control Buildings at Parafield, Mascot and Archerfield were all constructed around the same time and were very similar in design. However, there were some minor differences and a close examination of this photo leads me to conclude that it is indeed Parafield. The date is probably late 1940s or early 1950s.

More photos of all three buildings at http://www.airwaysmuseum.com

Archerfield in 1947 had had its wartime blast walls removed from the glass front of the terminal by 1947 but still had its camouflage paint scheme, see here: http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/AF%20Op...%20outside.htm

Also, in 1947/48 the airlines were all moving to Eagle Farm to the infamous igloo hangars and longer runways. I have never seen any photo of Archerfield Terminal Building with a white fence out the front, intruding so far onto the tarmac.

Wow.... walking across an active taxiway area. Not a security guard inside and not a single ASIC visible!

Somebody really needs to report this !

Hey Mr 'mc',....

Back 'in the day', we used to fly BK to SY, land, park in the then 'light aircraft parking area', just outside said tower building, stroll into the then TAA terminal thru the 4 ft wire gate, have a cup of coffee, then 'stroll' back out to the nice sleek PA24-250, a 'hot' machine of the times,......again thru the 4 ft wire gate, and, you are quite correct - NOT an ASIC or a 'security' guard in sight!!

ALL for No Charge....Gummit aerodrome...

And all just to 'impress' the girlfriends..... Finish it orf with a 'City and Beaches'
then back to BK for dinner at the RACNSW Clubhouse Dining room...VERY nice!

Dems were de days....

Cheers:ok::D

You are a smooth operator FSO Griffo!

What was a PA24-250 worth to private hire in those days?

Then I suppose you drove to the local drive in theatre in your three on the tree Holden, with cross ply tyres, drum brakes, vinyl bench seat and no seat belts after consuming a few ales at the aero club bar?

I'm confident its Parafield. It was intact in the 60's whats there now i have no idea. I was then learning to fly

This is Parafield in 1940:

http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/facilit...-OPS%2040s.JPG

Note the hangar to the right of the terminal - same hanger as per the photograph at Post # 1?

http://www.pprune.org/attachments/pa...ist-img313.jpg

This is Archerfield in 1947, still painted in camouflage pattern:

http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/facilit...Tower-4-47.jpg

Archerfield appears to have a different parapet outside the Control gondola?

Interestingly, the clocks are different???????

Sydney Mascot C 1945:

http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/aircraf...-SY-c45-GG.jpg

"And all just to 'impress' the girlfriends..... Finish it orf with a 'City and Beaches'
then back to BK for dinner at the RACNSW Clubhouse Dining room...VERY nice!"

If you had a ASIC you could have started by saying you are a "real pilot" and you might have ended up getting lucky after dinner!

The only thing I have ever used an ASIC for which was useful was to scratch ice off the windscreen of my aircraft rather than risk bending my credit card.

You can certainly see it's roots today.

http://www.parafieldairport.com.au/a...201%202009.jpg

Ex FSO Griffo's story reminds me of several flights made on different occasions for mate's 'bucks nights" We'd fly up from Canberra, (usually in a C182) park in the lighty parking area at Mascot, jump the fence and grab a taxi into Kings Cross to see the sights. After a good night out and appropriately rested etc it was taxi back to Mascot, quick flight plan at the briefing office at Mascot, jump the fence again, then fly back down to Canberra via National Park and Woollongong. Them were the days.

Parafield had a square clock.
Archerfield had a circular clock.

Parafield Tower
 

Talking of the old days; I transited Parafield in 1962 and went to briefing at the terminal to enquire about the nearest hotel for the night. To my surprise we were offered overnight accomodation on the first floor where there was a small flat ready for transient flight crew. This included a kitchen and no charge for the use there of.
How times have changed.

Clock shows a quarter to seven and with the shadows on the building, it looks like PF in the morning.

The picture at the link in Trent's post #7 suggests otherwise. It is labelled as a picture of the Parafield building. It seems to have a round clock...

not Archerfield looks like Mascot

Back in 1973-4, I had a friend (R.W.) who like me was an aeromodeller. He was also a GA pilot and a member of Royal Aero Club of S.A. Often on Sunday mornings we'd go for a fly together at YPPF. I remember the fun of doing aeros in Airtourers, BWE and BWT. A couple of times we also did aeros in their Fuji which was marvellous. Another aeromodelling friend (B.G.) owned an Auster which was lots of fun too. Especially landing in cross winds..

At that time, the bar was located on the first floor. Fortunately, there were no ID age checks in those days.. :ok:

According to a builder who was working on the YBAF terminal several years ago, these buildings (and sure he mentioned one or two overseas as well) were all built off the same plan to military specifications and were designed to be able to take an artillery round or similar and remain standing long enough to be evacuated before it collapsed in on itself. Apparently the Archerfield building simulated a carrier deck alongside the tower (? Dunno, just what I was told) with the "Admiral" (CO?) and his family residing on one of the floors.

RESIDENCE AT YBAF
 

From an associate who for some years was a tenant in the Archerfield Tower:

"The middle floor at YBAF was a "residence". The layout of the floor was quite clear in that respect - bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, toilets etc."

MJG
Back in Paradise for a couple of months

I believe back then is was.. AAPF and ABAF

It's Parafield
 

I am amazed how long this debate has been going. I worked at Parafield Tower on a number of different postings, including the last shift in the old tower before the new one was grafted (c1981?) You can see in these shots that the hangars on the line to the right of the tower from this view match the ones in the old photo. Ignore the toilet paper hanging out of the windows - just a bit of a lark by the boys on shift! We operated from the Temporary Tower for about a year, maybe a bit longer. It was cramped to say the least. We had to climb a steep ladder. No running water and a porta-loo on ground level.
I learned to fly at the RACSA in 1965. In those days the DCA OIC was Jack Buckham and when you went on a cross country you went up into the tower to hand in your flight plan. Jack knew everybody! Those were the good old days of a sort of "All-Over grass field". Runways were 1000ft wide and you landed to the right of anyone ahead of you. You turned left and stopped to do after landing checks then either taxied via the perimeter or requested a taxi direct to dispersal. Some aircraft did not have VHF radio. They used a simple 3Mhz HF. Some aircraft had no radio at all and did a let down over the top and looked for a light signal. The Verey Pistol was in occasional use. My goodness. That was 52 years ago!

They are still trying to fix the clock, no rush.

Jungmeister is 'spot on' . And the OP said he was member of RACSA. I recognise that !
My aircraft days started as a RACSA 'hangar rat' during school holidays in '55, which gave me a lead in with Tigers (prop swinging, taxying, refuelling) until I started learning the manipulative arts of aviating in March '57.
All over grass, no radio... light signals, no brakes ..it was fun alright. Low flying, spinning and engine restarts were all part of the process. I can thank those crusty old ex Wartime guys who taught me... and well.
My tatty old log book still has the old brown WAC section showing the first cross country from PFD to Port Pirie. After a bite to eat, a solo prop restart and off back to PFD via Gawler. A basic intro to "magic carpetting" flying off to some place youve never seen before. And later get lucky enough to see things some have never dreamed of. Drat.!.. that was 63 years ago... and time waits for no man.

Archerfield Airport has done a great job of restoring the original departure lounge including many time line photos
Not unusual to see movie film crews on site

A couple of pictures

AF Former Ops-Admin-TWR 2006

Punters in the image are dressed for colder climes.
Surely that rules Archerfield out.