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The Gisborne Photo News

 

62

Preparing For The Friendships

The 4300ft-long, 150ft-wide sealed runway, and taxiway, which is being constructed at Darton Field to facilitate a jet-prop Fokker Friendship service in and out of Gisborne, is now in its final stages.

The soil-cement foundation of the runway is being sealed with a "hot mix" surface, comprised of bitumin, sand and chips, heated to more than 400 degrees Fahrenheit by a specially imported plant owned by the contractors, Manawatu Asphalts Ltd. It is then laid onto the base material by a paving machine, and compressed with rollers. When cooled, the mixture sets into a permanent hard surface.

Prior to laying this 1½-inch final seal, the runway received a levelling coat.....an unusual process of laying thin "hot mix" at speed from the tray of a truck. On cold frosty mornings, the mix left a great trail of steam in the wake of the speeding vehicle.

It is hoped to seal Gladstone Road with this mixture in the near future.

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Making a spectacular picture, a truck races along the runway spreading steaming "hot mix" in its wake

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Front-on view of a truck laying the mixture

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Operator of the "hot mix" plant, Ra Paenga, at work on the control panel in his cockpit.

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Managing director of Manawatu Asphalts Ltd, Mr Arthur McGreevy, surveys the project.

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The "hot mix" plant (left) and a sand drier in operation at Darton Field

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The "hot mix" plant filling a truck

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The paver being filled with "hot mix" from a truck

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Paver driver Steve Grace at the controls of his machine

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Ministry of Works staff Walter Bullen and Jim Houston check the strength of a sample piece of "hot mix" in their field laboratory at the airport.

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Machinery working on the soil-cement foundation at the approaches to the concrete apron in front of the terminal building. The control tower is at rear.

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Project manager Les McGreevy inspects lighting installations in the taxiway being built by Cos Loogman.

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A roller and soil-cement machine at work

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A top-dressing aircraft banking over the new taxiway and apron