SURPLUS AIRCRAFT SOLD FOR SCRAP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27080, 14 May 1949, Page 6

SURPLUS AIRCRAFT SOLD FOR SCRAP

Some of the 500 surplus war aircraft—Hudsons, Venturas, Warhawks, Kittyhawks and Corsairs—which have been bought by Mr Larsen, of Hamilton, to melt down into 141 b aluminum ingots. All Mr Larsen’s smelting equipment, with the exception of the melting pot, has been made from aircraft parts and is designed so that the workmen do not need to handle the metal after it has been prepared for smelting. Mr Larsen believes that it will take him about eight

years to dispose of all the planes after he has reached full production—a ton and a-half of ingots a day. During the 10 months he has operating the plant, he has smelted about 100 tons of the metal. Most of the obsolete planes go into the plant under their own power, but for hauling those incapable of doing this, there is an unusual truck which has been constructed completely from aircraft parts. The motors are dismantled and parts are sought for farm imple-

ments and other equipment. Radios, tyres, electric motors and the numerous other component parts of the planes are all carefully removed and sold. The greatest problem exercising the mind of the contractor is the acquisitive habits of souvenir hunters. So many people broke off parts of the planes and kept them when they visited the area where the planes are parked that he has been forced to post guards around the property during the week-ends.