McIntyre Filed - Gate 9 at Tocumwal Airfield Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

inspicio: One or more of the following has occurred:

No response from the cache owner.
No cache to find or log to sign.
It has been more than 28 days since the last owner note.

As a result I am archiving this cache to keep from continually showing up in search lists and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements.

Should you like to resurrect the cache please create a new cache listing so it can be reviewed as a new cache.

From http://support.groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=70

4.23. Unarchiving a Geocache

The archiving of a geocache is intended to be a permanent status. That is why only community volunteer reviewers and Geocaching HQ staff have the capability to unarchive it. This is done only in rare circumstances and only if it meets the current Geocache Listing Guidelines.

If a geocache is archived by a reviewer or staff for lack of maintenance it will not be unarchived.

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Hidden : 8/28/2011
Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

A custom hide which my Dad, Blacklegend helped me make. There is only room for a log book. The cache is heavily camouflaged to avoid being taken by muggles. I hope people don't find it too tricky for my first hide. Blame my dad, Blacklegend... he won't mind.

I chose this location because it is at Gate 9 at the Tocumwal Airfield, which is also the main North-South runway.

The Tocumwal Airfield began operation in the second world war in response to the Japanese moving south in the Pacific Ocean. There was a real threat that they were going to invade Australia, and Tocumwal was a major airfield which was going to be used in that defense.

When occupied by the USAF (US Air Force) it was called McIntire Field. In 1942, the RAAF took over operation of the airfield and called it "Tocumwal".

During its operation the airfiled was 25 square miles in size and was home to many different types of planes. including 54 B-24 Liberator bombers, 11 Vultee Vengeance, 5 Kittyhawks and an Airspeed Oxford.

After the war it was also used as a vast storage and repair depot with aircraft such as Avro Anson, Airacobra, Beaufort, Boeing, Boomerang, Dakota, Hudson, Lancaster, Lincoln, Meteor, Mosquito, Mustang, Spitfire, Beaufighter, Vampire, Winjeel and Wirraway.

After the RAAF left Tocumwal in 1960, over 700 aircraft were scrapped through until 1963. Many aircraft were smelted on site into aluminum ingots, pots and pans.

There were originally six large hangars built on site, there are three remaining today. One is used by the gliding club onsite to store aircraft.

The runway nearest to this cache was originally longer. It was shortened after 1960 as was the East-West runway. There was another runway, the longest of all four that were made, which has been covered by soil, and if you drive about 400 meters west along the road the cache is on, you can see some white markers in the field, inside the airport fenceline. This marks where that runway is. I will be putting another cache there soon.

Our house is on land that used to be part of the airbase. When my Dad has been working on our block, he has found old aircraft tools, red bricks from buildings and old bullet casings.

There are other caches around the area which have information about the airfield. If you search for "McIntyre Field" you will find them all.

Hope you enjoy the cache and some of the history. Thanks to Blacklegend for helping me editing my first cache page.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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