What else was there to see at the Taranaki Aviation Transport and Technology Museum? You name it – they had it! Such as an American AT6 Harvard which did RNZAF Service from 1941-1977. The Harvards were finally retired in 1977 and replaced with NZ Aerospace CT4 Airtrainers.
Harvard AT6
Inside the cockpit
Fire Rescue Service Truck 
A collection of radio and TV valves
Robin grew up in New Plymouth and the Brewster family lived close by. Edgar Brewster went into bee-keeping which led to his ideas of “NORIAN” – no right angles in nature. He developed a building technique based on the hexagon principle, and built the family home based on a beehive. A constant stream of visitors looked through this distinctive house, and it featured in many newsreels over the years. Sadly, the house has since been demolished, but the museum has hexagon panels of the house on display, plus two remarkable hexagon dining tables. Robin was often sent to the Beehive house during his childhood to buy jars of honey.
Norian honey was sent all over the world
Hexagon table made by Edgar Brewster
Who says you can’t have fun at a museum? We certainly did when we were invited to “let the inner child out to play”. Remember those Lamson wire systems (Lamson Rapid Wire Carrier System) which whisked money and dockets on wires across department stores? It took me several goes to pull down hard enough to make it work. But once I’d got the hang of it, there was no stopping us. I was at one end, and Robin at the other, and the tube just kept whizzing along the wire!
There it goes
We have had a great time in New Plymouth, and travelled around looking at places important to Robin’s childhood. Did some exploring in the city and along country roads, and enjoyed our time staying at the country POP. Tomorrow we are moving across country to Taupo, and will travel home slowly, stopping off at places which take our fancy.
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