NEW SOUTH WALES - Schofields / Nirimba

**kookabat** · 19-12-2008, 12:04

Schofields (HMAS Nirimba) Aerials - Sydney, AUS

By chance I was paxing on an AngelFlight yesterday, between Coffs Harbour and Bankstown. We were flying IFR and tracked back via RAAF Richmond - which took us almost directly over the former HMAS Nirimba, otherwise known as Schofields. I managed to snap a couple of photos.
I'm intending to make a dedicated photo flight over the site at some point in the future (it's in the Richmond restricted area so it isn't a common area to fly over while VFR) - this was just a chance transit and the windows on the aeroplane were in pretty poor nick.

Anyways. Here you go:

**norwichpaul** · 20-12-2008, 22:30

Cheers for these, would be interested to see the next batch of photos!

**JCB** · 21-12-2008, 10:03

Kookabat: Looks very built up round there. What was the history of this airfield - did it begin in the war etc? That white tent looks a bit modern and out of place. Does that house a helicopter or something?

**WJT** · 21-12-2008, 19:29

Kookabat: This message has just appeared on another internet forum over here:

"According to 'Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy', Bankstown was HMAS Nabberley
1944-45, Nowra was Albatross 1948, Flycatcher 1945, Nabbington 1945 and Nabswick
1945 and Schofields was Albatross II 1953, Flycatcher 1945, Nabstock 1945, Nabthorpe
1944, Narimba and Nirimba 1953."

Coincidence or what?

**WJT** · 21-12-2008, 19:59

K: More follow-up:

"They're the post war R.A.N.F.A.A. names.

The wartime R.N.F.A.A. names, by direct reply from Lee Howard, were :-

Nowra was HMS Nabbington to 151145, then HMS Nabswick to 180346, when
the R.A.N.F.A.A. took over, and it became H.M.A.S. Albatross.

Bankstown was HNS Nabberley until 310346, and

Schofields was HMS Nabthorpe to 151145, them HMS Nabstock until 080646,
and then became HMAS Narimba."

**PNK** · 21-12-2008, 21:30

An FAA plan is available here:-

http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive....ields_Plan.jpg

**kookabat** · 21-12-2008, 23:25

White hangar used to house an airship, back in the mid 80s I think. It's just sitting there empty now.

Airfield built 1946 I think. The old technical site is now a TAFE college (Technical And Further Education) - I've actually done an advanced driving course on a tiny bit of one of the runways...

Two out of three runways are still there (kinda), the site STILL has not been sold... having just lost Hoxton Park, I'd dearly love to see this one operational again. Don't think it will ever happen though.