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HDML – Q1188 – Takapu I (P3556)

HMNZS Takapu

HMNZS Takapu (Q1188/P3556)
Commissioned 22 May 1943 as Q1188
Survey Equipment: Fitted to Q1188 when rebuilt 1946-50
The USN supervised the construction and then took charge of the finished HDML for allocation to the Allied navy. Both Q1187(Tarapunga) & Q1188(Takapu) were shipped as deck cargo from Vancouver aboard SS Kootenay Park and arrived at Wellington on 30 April 1943. There they were unloaded by floating crane and underwent full commissioning trials.

HDMLQ1188 joined the 125th Motor Launch Flotilla based in Wellington. They then carried out routine patrols in their respective areas through to 1945. As the war came to an end in 1945 the launches were concentrated at Auckland to pay off.
Q1188 had been cannibalised for parts to keep the other HDMLs that were in service so she had to be rebuilt. This was completed in February 1950 and she was commissioned as SML 1188 and was sent to Wellington in March. After arriving in Wellington, she began a survey of Cook Strait. In April she was given the pennant number P3556.

HMNZS Takapu – taken during Queens Visit, Waitangi Day 1963


From then until 1979 both vessels carried out surveys right across the New Zealand coastline mostly by themselves or as a pair. They would also work with HMNZS Lachlan & Monowai.
In November 1979 Takapu arrived at Auckland for paying off and was decommissioned in December.
Renamed: Takapu as Kahawai 1980

Q1191 Kahawai I (P3553) – Q1192 Maroro (P3554) – Q1349 Haku (P3565) – Q1183 Mako (P3551)

HMNZS Kahawai, ex HMNZS Takapu looking forlorn – Philomel in the background – Oct 30, 1982

Ex HMNZS Kahawai/ Takapu and being refitted for civilian use

Ex HMNZS Kahawai/ Takapu comes to an ignominious end in Cook Strait

HDML – Q1187 – Tarapunga I (P3566)

HMNZS Tarapunga Ex Q1187 – arrives in New Zealand

Everett Marine Ways Inc. Everett, Washington. (Contract Number: D.A.N.O.B. 586)

This Company also built four craft. They were Q1187, Q1188, Q1189, Q1190. They were shipped to Wellington, N.Z. from Vancouver as deck cargo on the ship Kootenay Park arriving Wellington on the 30th April 1943.

          Q1187 was commissioned on the 13th May 1943.

124th FLOTILLA AUCKLAND AREA

Because of the late commissioning of the Anti-Submarine Fixed Defenses at Worser Bay, the following H.D.M.L. were sailed to Auckland from Wellington on the 16th May 1943 via Gisborne, arriving in Auckland on the 20th May 1943.

HMNZS Q1186, HMNZS Paea Ex Q1184, HMNZS Tarapunga Ex Q1187 alongside HMS Philomel – the original Philomel

Q1183, Q1184, Q1185, Q1186, Q1187 were the Five designated and they joined up with Q1191, Q1192, Q1193, Q1194, thus collectively making up the 124th Flotilla.

Between 1947 and 1948 four were placed for tender. They were,

          Q1187 sold and renamed COAST GUARD CUTTER No 1.

At the same time Q1188 and Q1187(ex-Coast Guard Cutter No 1)  the two coastal survey launches were fitting out for their new roles . They didn’t get Radar or lattice masts, but were fitted with modern Echo Sounding equipment.

          Q1188 was given a new pennant number P3556 and was commissioned H.M.N.Z.S. TAKAPU (Gannet).

HMNZS Tarapunga and Takapu SML’s parked up alongside Mothership Monowai

          Q1187 given the pennant number P3566 and was commissioned H.M.N.Z.S TARAPUNGA (Black Backed Gull)   

COASTAL SURVEY DUTIES

Q1188        H.M.N.Z.S.  TAKAPU               P3556

Q1187        H.M.N.Z.S.  TARAPUNGA         P3566

In 1979 Q1187, P3566 H.M.N.Z.S. TARAPUNGA one of the Survey S.D.M.L. was taken off survey duties, refitted and converted, had a lattice mast and radar fitted, similar to the Fisheries vessels, recommissioned, renamed H.M.N.Z.S. MAKO and handed over to the R.N.Z.N.V.R. Division at Wellington.


HMNZS Mako Ex HMNZS Tarapunga

September 1983, Q1187, P3566, H.M.N.Z.S. MAKO ex TARAPUNGA, R.N.Z.N.V.R. Division Wellington Stripped and declared surplus.

RIMPAC 2024 Sports Competitions – KD Lekiu (FFG30) and Royal New Zealand Navy Polar-class auxiliary ship HMNZS Aotearoa (A11

Sailors from Royal Malaysian Navy Lekiu-class guided missile frigate KD Lekiu (FFG30) and Royal New Zealand Navy Polar-class auxiliary ship HMNZS Aotearoa (A11) participate in a volleyball tournament during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, June 28. Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jaimar Carson Bondurant)

RNZAF carries out rare Antarctica mid-winter medical evacuation flight

27 JUNE, 2024

A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) C-130H Hercules crew has today carried out a rare medical evacuation of a patient from Antarctica, taking advantage of a narrowing gap in the weather to fly the challenging night-time mission.

The patient, an American from McMurdo Station, is in a stable condition with a non-life threatening condition. However, they require medical treatment that cannot be carried out in Antarctica.

Air Component Commander Air Commodore Andy Scott says flights to Antarctica at this time of year are very challenging due to the extreme Antarctic environment, changeable weather conditions and because there is no daylight. Apart from flying in a combat environment, night flying missions to Antarctica in the middle of winter present the most challenging and dangerous of conditions.

The Hercules crew flew into Phoenix Airfield using night vision goggles. The first time this technology was used by the RNZAF to fly into Antarctica was in July 2021 for another medical evacuation. One of the pilots on today’s mission also flew on that mission.

The Hercules flew from RNZAF Base Auckland to Christchurch on Tuesday in preparation for today’s flight.

It left Christchurch at 2am and touched down at Phoenix Airfield at 8.50am, and left shortly after 10am for the seven- to eight-hour return flight to Christchurch.

The aircraft was “hot fuelled” on the ice, where the engines are kept running to protect them in the extreme cold. The temperature in Antarctica was minus 33degC with a wind chill bringing temperatures down to minus 40degC. 

“With a narrow gap of acceptable weather, the crew deployed early this morning,” Air Commodore Scott said.

“The weather had deteriorated again on arrival and so they have threaded the needle to get in when they did.”

Antarctica 1 v3

A PATIENT FROM THE UNITED STATES’ MCMURDO STATION IN ANTARCTICA HAS BEEN FLOWN TO CHRISTCHURCH BY AN RNZAF HERCULES CREW. IMAGES: MCMURDO STATION STAFF

Antarctica 2

Air Commodore Scott said at each stage of the journey the crew had to make “go, no go” decisions on whether to proceed. 

Our highly trained crew analyse the conditions every step of the way to ensure they can continue. Last night the weather conditions looked suitable, which enabled them to proceed in the early hours of this morning.

Work by McMurdo Station staff to prepare the ice runway at Phoenix Airfield, by clearing snow and compacting it, had been completed on Wednesday.

With no airfields to divert to en route, the aircraft needed to be refuelled in Antarctica before making the journey home.

“The pilots have a point of no safe return when they make the decision to continue or turn around, known as a `boomerang’,” Air Commodore Scott said.

“We’re very pleased we have been able to successfully carry out this Antarctica flight today and get the patient to New Zealand to receive further medical treatment.”

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NO. 40 SQUADRON LAND IN CHRISTCHURCH WITH THE PATIENT