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Guest: Lou Larsen
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 17th of December 2019
Released: 18th of July 2020
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 43 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood sits down with Lou Larsen, the adopted son of the late Rukuhia scrap dealer Jim Larsen. The Larsen family owned the aluminium smelting business situated on the edge of former RNZAF Station Rukuhia, now Hamilton Airport, in the Waikato. Jim Larsen bought up over 500 surplus RNZAF aeroplanes – P-40 Warhawks and Kittyhawks, Corsairs, Hudsons, Venturas, Avengers, Catalinas, etc., and they were cut up and smelted to make aluminium ingots.
Lou was a child there when this began and over the twenty year period of the operation he grew up literally amongst the old aeroplanes, and got involved in the smelting process himself.
The following photos were taken by Dave Jenkinson, and were kindly supplied by Warwick Jones of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Hamilton Branch. They depict scenes at the Larsen aircraft graveyard.
NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud
Great work, Dave – a really interesting podcast that shines a light on part of post-war history that to me has always been of interest, yet much unknown.
Thanks Craig. Yes this was a great insight into the famous scrap yard. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Be great to run GPR around Hamilton airport even to find a few bits and bobs, scrap and the like. Junk most likely but interesting junk. Great episode/chat.
Thanks Dave