Sandra Coney’s new book, On the Radar, was launched by Air Vice-Marshal Peter Stockwell, Chief of Air Force, in Auckland last night. Coney wrote the book to find out more about the Piha Radar Station, which served during WW2 and was the location of some globally important radio astronomy discoveries in the late 1940s. After the war, the station served as a training place for territorials and Compulsory Military Training before being disbanded in the late 1950s.

The book goes into the Maori and early settler history of the site, as well as its wartime role, and traces what happened to the buildings when it was dismantled after the War. Peter Stockwell commented that he had learned through reading the book that when he stayed in the mess at the Air Weapons Range at South Kaipara, he was actually in the old Piha radar station mess. He complimented the author on gathering together this little known history but also for producing a great read.

Brendan Lamain, Wing Commander Chris Clarke, Base Auckland, the author Sandra Coney, WW2 radar mechanic Ian Sexton, Air Vice-Marshall Peter Stockwell, Chief of Air Force and Squadron Leader Brent Iggo.