Harvard Aircraft

[tmnruk]

Hello all,

I wonder if anybody can help me - I am trying to locate a holiday venue in the Netherlands from the late 1960's that was apparently a man-made lake but notably had a old Harvard aircraft for the children to play on.

I hope that somebody may remeber such a lake with an old aircraft and be able to direct me to venue as I am attempting to trace a miniature railway (rather than the plane) that ran there.

With many thanks in advance
Mike (in England)

[Stratofreighter]

"Bosbad Hoeven" is probably the venue you are looking for. They have had aircraft on display for decades...

[ehbg]

According to Dutch wrecks and relics 1970 there were other holiday destinations that had harvard aircraft to play and a lake. I can't find a remark about a train.
Bosbad Hoeven only had a Catalina in 1970.

The best option is Beekse bergen, Hilvarenbeek.
They had Harvard B-14 in pop-art colours.

[Hans]

Hi,

According to Dutch wrecks and relics 1970 ...

You have a 1970's w&r?...

1970's, aircraft in a playground... reminds me of something; (going bit of topic here) somewhere around 1970 there used to be an aircraft in a playground in I think Hoevelaken or Achterveld. As far as I can remember it carried a red cross on the fuselage. Any details on that aircraft would make me very happy

Regards,

Hans

[ehbg]

Your question is not that far off topic. I found three other (less likely) possibilities besides Beekse bergen.
I don't know if they had a lake or train.

1. The Harvard in Haamstede/Westerschouwen (camping Duinrand) was already there in the sixties.
2. Back then even Avifauna in Alphen aan de Rijn had a Harvard.
3. The Rudolfstichting in Achterveld indeed had a Harvard. Their Harvard was basically B-30
(cn 14a-1440 & ex FT400, 43-13141) with some parts of cn 14-894, 14-1536 & 14-1721.

[Hans]

Thanks a lot!

Hans

[tmnruk]

Dear all,

Thanks for all of the help so far.

I am having difficulty understanding many of the websites that relate to these places and wonder if there is anybody who would be able to contact these venues and ask them about the train that I am researching on my behalf to as I do not speak Dutch?

With thanks, Mike

[Stafhunter]

Dear all,

Thanks for all of the help so far.

I am having difficulty understanding many of the websites that relate to these places and wonder if there is anybody who would be able to contact these venues and ask them about the train that I am researching on my behalf to as I do not speak Dutch?

With thanks, Mike

i have look at google and found out what sort type train you looking for
Tri-ang Minic Narrowgauge Railway System

now we come closser the type airplane and the type train now we must have the place.

Mike you can install google toolbar it has a translate function so you can read Dutch in English

[BennoT6]

Hi,

I can not think of any other Harvard/Texan as those mentioned above. A couple of places given can even be ruled out.

- Bosbad Hoeven never had a Harvard on display.
- Achterveld had a Harvard for a while, as mentioned, basically former Royal Netherlands Air Force B-30. However this was only a small playground and I have never seen any (photo)proof there was a small scale train there.
- Burgh-Haamstede/Westenschouwen had (and still has!) former Royal Netherlands Air Force B-193 as a gateguard at a campingsite. In the early years on concrete blocks, but never to be accessed by children as a play-thing. There wasn't a small scale train there either.
- "de Beekse Bergen" near Hilvarenbeek had former Royal Netherlands Air Force B-14, in pop-art colours in a playground. This might be a candidate but again, for this one as well, I have never seen (photo)proof of a small scale train there.
- The one in "Avifauna", Alphen aan de Rijn, seems to be the best candidate. "PH-AVI" (former Rijks Luchtvaart School PH-UBE) was on display there in a playground and the park had a lot of fun-things for kids. This Texan was however scrapped in 1966 already.

Feel free to contact me when having any Harvard/Texan questions.

Regards,

Benno "T6" G

[tmnruk]

Hi Stafhunter,

Indeed I am looking for the Tri-ang Minic Narrowgauge Railway set that was located at the venue - I run the website and society for them.

It was the former Tri-ang service engineer that had said that he went to Holland to fix one of the locomotives and when pressed said that all he could remember was the old Harvard by the lake. The railways were built between 1963 and 1966 and were at their most popular in the first two years.

I'll have a go with the Googlebar - I didnt know that it could do that so i will install it now!

With thanks, Mike

[ehbg]

The one in "Avifauna", Alphen aan de Rijn, seems to be the best candidate. "PH-AVI" (former Rijks Luchtvaart School PH-UBE) was on display there in a playground and the park had a lot of fun-things for kids. This Texan was however scrapped in 1966 already.

A year after the "PH-AVI" was scrapped another Harvard arrived at Avifauna.
This Harvard was B-133. So Avifauna could be the right place.

[Arjan]

But what has happened to this second Harvard then?

[BennoT6]

Interesting story about this B-133; never heard before. B-133 was reported in a scrapyard in Breda until 1966.

[ehbg]

That is correct. My booklet says in 1967 it came from a scrapyard in Breda.
The Dutch wrecks and relics 1970 came of a typewriter in December 1970.
I don't know what happened to it after 1970.