TOCUMWAL Aerodrome was a graveyard for much of Australia's aviation history.
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Robert Brown, who has devoted more than 16 years to creating the impressive Tocumwal Historic Aerodrome Museum, said back in the 1950s and 1960s, aircraft from all over Australia were destroyed for parts and aluminium content.
Aircraft including Anson, Beaufort, Beaufighter, Boomerang, Boeing B29, Oxford, Meteor, Mosquito, Mustang, Liberator and Wirraways were stripped, smelted down and burned or sold for scrap metal for $300 each.
Mr Brown said it was a "bitterly regretted tragedy" and any planes that were recovered and restored were now priceless.
When Mr Brown moved from Melbourne to Tocumwal in 1989, he became aware of the history of the Tocum-wal Aerodrome during World War II, much of which was top secret.
"It was the largest aerodrome in the southern hemisphere with 608 buildings, 7000 Americans serving, followed by 12,500 RAAF and WAAAF personnel as well as home to 54 B-24 Liberator bombers and ancillary aircraft," he said.
"We formed a committee in 1995 and set about recording the history, holding reunions and providing valuable information."
Mr Brown contacted many RAAF veterans who served at Tocum-wal during and after World War II which resulted in the collection of their stories and memorabilia and more than 400 photographs.
"People went through shoe boxes under the bed and discovered old box camera photos and they came from everywhere," he said.
The museum, located at the back of the Tocumwal Information Centre, traces the story of those days.
Mr Brown has organised reunions featuring ceremonies honouring RAAF and WAAAF veterans, aerodrome tours and warbird flying exhibitions.
He has placed monuments, plaques, signs and replicas at significant aerodrome sites.
"One of our aims is to educate school groups about Australia's wartime history and the importance of Tocumwal in Australia's wartime strategy," he said.