You Are Here =====> (Manawatu) Traditional Cache
You Are Here =====> (Manawatu)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Please loosen only, you do not have to dismantle cache to open. NO TOOLS REQUIRED.
BYO Pen.
Early morning on a weekday is the most likely time to see lights flashing.
This spot is not ideal for the overall effect. It is quite impressive seen from somewhere like the main street in Sanson. Take it quietly and 'blend in'. You must 'get in' to log the cache.
Be discrete, minimize geo-trail and DO NOT distract aircraft. YOU MUST SIGN THE LOG TO LOG THIS CACHE, finding the cache is easy.
Early days
An air base here was first proposed in 1927. Ohakea was considered the best site for a mooring mast for airships of the British Imperial Airship Service. It was proposed to build one mast for a demonstration flight, with potential to expand to a full airship base with three masts, airship sheds and hydrogen production. Development depended on a commitment from the Australian Government to also build masts. So when Australia declined, NZ did also.
1930s development
In 1935 the Labour government committed to an expansion of the military air service at the expense of the navy, seeing this as a way of reducing the total defence vote.The plan called for several new bases, with a major development at Ohakea, which would be home to 30 Wellington bombers on order for the RNZAF. Two large hangars (now hangars 2 and 3) were designed by the Department of Public Works chief design engineer Charles Turner. Turner decided to build the hangars as monolithic reinforced concrete structures because structural steel could not be used without delays, while concrete and reinforcing steel could. This also forced Turner to adopt concrete doors. The arched hangars spanned 61 metres, with a height of 18 metres. The two Ohakea hangars were completed in 1939, at a cost of about £76,750 each.
The Wellington bombers for which the hangars were built never arrived. They were donated to Britain at the start of WW2. However, the hangars have been in continuous use since their construction, and (re-roofed in steel) remain in use today.
FYI: The big tall orange building you notice is for the cleaning and packing of parachutes used in the aircraft.
Operational Squadrons
During World War 2, Ohakea was the RNZAF main training base for operational conversion on fighters, observers/navigators for medium bombers and air gunners.
After World War II No 2, No 14, and No 75 squadrons operated at Ohakea.
Current Stationed Units
HQ Flying Training Wing
No. 42 Squadron RNZAF (King Air B200)
No. 3 Squadron RNZAF (Bell UH-1 Iroquois)
Pilot Training School RNAF (King Air B200 and CT-4E Airtrainer)
Central Flying School RNZAF (CT-4E Airtrainer - shared with PTS)
Helicopter Transition Unit currently operating NH90 and A109 Helicopters
Other aircraft often using the Ohakea airfield include:
C-130 Hercules
B757
P-3 Orion
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Jvatahgf
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
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