Airfield dig disappoints

Press, 10 December 1982, Page 6

Airfield dig disappoints

A test dig in an area of the Wigram airfield thought to be the site of a long-disused trench containing aircraft parts has been disappointing. The director of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum, Squadron Leader J. K. Barry, said that the dig had revealed horseshoes, tins and bottles but no aircraft parts. Squadron Leader Barry had had reports of a big clean-out held in 1937, with discarded parts dating to the 1920 s being thrown out into frpnphPQ Staff of the D.S.I.R.’s Geophysical Observatory used a proton magnetometer last week in an effort to get a

metal reading from the area where the trenches were thought to be. A strong metal reading was found in an area measuring about 10m by 15m, which area was the subject of a test dig yesterday. Squadron Leader Barry said “three little digs” had been done and had shown “not a sign of anything aeronautical.” The digging had been in an area measuring about 6m by I.Bm and about I.Bm deep at its deepest. The test dig could have been done in the wrong trench, he said. Another dig would probably be done later, possibly to a greater depth.