Levin and Cabbage Tree Corner

[jellywrestler]

Slightly similar Ken, Mum taught maths to navigators during the war, and until the day she died she regretted having done so as she felt she sent young boys off to die in the bombers! Also because she had done that with no pay, she was forever denied a salary step in education.

they were going to war anyway, one could also take comfort in knowing she had improved their chances of surviving too.

[jellywrestler]

it was out kimberley road where the mental health insitution was for a long time, just a local airstrip that was pressed into action at the time I've just tried to find period aerial piccies but can't sorry

[khyndart in CA]

Thanks to you who have helped me with the answer; Allan, Rhys, Jellywrestler. I appreciate your inputs.
I did find this site which was interesting;
https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/1281 ... in-wereroa

As I have noted before on a previous thread about Goodwood, my uncle apparently clipped the power lines that can often be seen going over the South Down Hills north of Goodwood about 5 miles east of the track.

(A 1965 photo showing the power lines in the distance. I'm not if they are still there today ? )

The plane almost made it to the coast but it sadly claimed lives on the ground as well. Ironically his brother Bob, worked for the NZ Union Steam Ship Company in Southampton about 1950-52 and boarded at Middleton-0n-Sea about 5 minutes from where the Mosquito crashed and he never knew that is where his brother had perished. We just found out within the last 20 years of what actually took place.
Again thanks for letting me get off track.
Ken H

[khyndart in CA]

Is it really 50 years since we saw the Formula 5000 cars compete at Levin in 1973 ?
They lapped 3 seconds a lap quicker than the Lotus and Ferrari's of Jim Clark and Chris Amon in 1968.
Wouldn't it have great to have seen Clark go up against Graham McRae on this circuit when they were in their prime.
(Just dreaming and now I'm awake!)
1973 event programme cover.

Laurie Brensell's wonderful photos of race winner Graham McRae in his GM-1 005 # 22

(Thanks to Laurie and John Climo for permission to present their material on TRS. Ken H.)

[Roger Dowding]

Meanwhile a bit up the road to the North.

This appeared at the " Last " Race meeting at Pukekohe ..

Photo by Bazza Morland.

Greg Stokes took a number of photos- which should go on the " Morrari " thread, and another recreation /replica of that era was there too !!.

Laurie and John have huge archives of photos and in John Climo's case programmes on NZ Motorsport,great they are available to us.
Thanks Ken H for posting..

[khyndart in CA]

At the 1973 Levin International race, Frank Matich came in second and also set fastest lap in his Matich A50-1 # 1
We may never see the likes again where two men can build their own race cars, drive them and also beat the best of the rest.
A wonderful memory and we were indeed privileged to have witnessed this era.
(Laurie Brenssell's photos capture Frank in action. Jan.13th. 1973.)

(Ken H)

[khyndart in CA]

Another captured by the lens of Laurie Brenssell at Levin, was a young 21 year old Noritake Takahara from Japan, driving a Brabham BT 36 # 15.

The weekend before he had competed at the 1973 NZGP at Pukekohe.
I put in this photo to show the size of the crowd on the hill as Noritake flashes by in this Barrie McBride photo.

A week after Levin, Noritake was competing at the Lady Wigram race near Christchurch.
You can just see the Bridgestone sign on his car. He was the first to use Bridgestone racing tyres on a single-seater in NZ.

(Laurie Brenssell & Barrie McBride photos.)

Ken H

[Oldfart]

Plenty of wear on the left side tyres! Both at Wigram and Levin!

[khyndart in CA]

Noritake Takahara was the first Japanese driver to compete in a Formula One race when he drove in the non-championship race at the 1974 International Trophy race at Silverstone.

He won many races in Japan in the mid 70s and he also drove a Surtees to 9th place in the rain in the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix becoming the first Japanese driver to complete a World Championship Grand Prix.

(Ken H)

[Ray Bell]

deleted

[Ray Bell]

I would have thought that Masahiro Hasemi was the first...

He was further up the grid and had been fastest in one practice session.

[khyndart in CA]

Ray.
Noritake Takahara finished 9th in the 1976 Japanese F1 GP.
Masahiro Hasemi finished 11th in that race.

(Ken H)

[Ray Bell]

But Hasemi was quicker in practice, taking tenth spot on the grid...

And I still think he was quickest in one qualifying session. Originally he was credited with fastest lap in the race but this was revised. His performance was the reason John McCormack bought the McLaren M23.

All in all a good performance by a Japan-built car, while final positions in a race so badly affected by the rain can be a bit of a lottery anyway.

Takahara was 24th on the grid.

[khyndart in CA]

As they say in racing; It is not how you start but how you finish that counts.
Noritake went from 24th to 9th in the rain which was a very good effort.
Let us not take anything away from Noritake.

(Ken H)

[Milan Fistonic]

But Hasemi was quicker in practice, taking tenth spot on the grid...

And I still think he was quickest in one qualifying session. Originally he was credited with fastest lap in the race but this was revised. His performance was the reason John McCormack bought the McLaren M23.

All in all a good performance by a Japan-built car, while final positions in a race so badly affected by the rain can be a bit of a lottery anyway.

Takahara was 24th on the grid.

Hasemi only recorded a time in Practice 1 which was the fourth fastest time of that session. He crashed in the Friday afternoon session.

[Ray Bell]

Okay, my recollection of it all wasn't as good as I thought...

However, fourth in a practice session with 20 or more regular F1 entrants on the track, that's not to be sneezed at. Like I said, it was his performance which led John McCormack to buy the M23.

[bry3500]

Pic courtesy Brian Spurr