To view up close you will have to enter MOTAT, and pay an
admission fee. The entrance to this part of the complex is on
Motions road should you wish to go in. However to find this cache
there is absolutely no need to visit MOTAT, all answers can easily
be found elsewhere.
The plane in question is a Sunderland flying boat. This one
served with the RAF during WWII, then as an airliner with BOAC, and
then the RNZAF from 1953 – 1966. The RNZAF was the last air force
in the world to operationally use the Sunderland.
This example was gifted to MOTAT in a complete airworthy state,
and towed from Hobsonville airbase to Meola creek from where it was
winched overland to the MOTAT complex.
To find this cache you will need to do a little research on the
Sunderland and its operations within the RNZAF.
The cache is located at S36 51.ABC E174 42.DEF
A = The Sunderland in question served in which squadron of the
RNZAF?
B = One other (true) RNZAF squadron flew the Sunderland, what was
its number?
C = The Sunderland was replaced in the RNZAF by an aircraft known
as the P? Orion
D = The aircrafts length ?5 ft 4 in
E = The RNZAF serial number of this aircraft on display at MOTAT is
NZ 41?5
F = More officially this flying boat was known as the Short
S.?5 Sunderland