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STRONG AIR FORCE

DEVELOPMENT WORK

MINISTER REVIEWS PROGRESS

100 PLANES THIS YEAR

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

DUNEDIN, May 17

The fact that the development programme for the Royal New Zealand Air Force for the years 1937-38 to 1940-41 involved the expenditure of £3,698,590 was stated in an interview tonight by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones).

This programme, the Minister said, included the conversion of two small air force stations at the Vigram Aerodrome, Christchurch, and Hobsonville, Auckland, into a modern flying training school and a stores and repair depot respectively, the construction of new stations at Ohakea and Whenuapai for medium bomber squadrons of Vickers Wellington aircraft, and the building of a third station at Blenheim for a single-engine bomber squadron. In addition to these developments, Mr. Jones continued, the programme included considerable increases in buildings and equipment of the Territorial Air Force, units of which were located at the four main centresAuckland,- Wellington, Christchurch, and Duhedin. This involved provision of city headquarters for these units, hangars for squadron aircraft, and accommodation for permanent personnel employed with the units. Provision had also been made for the establishment of three detached flights at New Plymouth, Hastings, and Invercargill, which also called for the construction of small hangars for service aircraft to be used at. these centres. MEDIUM BOMBEK STATIONS. The Minister outlined the progress at the Wigram Aerodrcme and added that the expenditure of £282,000 at Hobsonville had been approved for medium bomber stations. "The first of the two new medium bomber stations to be developed has been at Ohakea, to which station the first flights of the Wellington aircraft will be posted," the Minister continued. "The estimated cost of this station is £507,000, and it is expected that it will be ready for occupation by August of this year. Satisfactory progress has been made in the preparation of a flying-field, 170 acres of which will be fully grassed by early spring of this year and the construction of major buildings is nearing completion. "The hangars, of which there are two, each measuring 220 feet by 160 feet, are of concrete arch construction, which is unique in the Southern Hemisphere. The estimated cost of these two hangars, complete with annexes, is £160,000. Barrack blocks for airmen, which will cost approximately £84,000, are expected to be completed by August of this year. "An officers' mess, which will cost £27,000, will be completed in July and a contract has recently been let for the erection of 31 houses for married personnel who live on this station. "At Whenuapai, the second medium bomber station, considerable progress has now been made with the development of the flyins field and the erection of two concrete hangars and airmen's barracks. "In the case of the Whenuapai station, foundation difficulties have caused an increase in the cost of the major buildings, the price of two hangars having risen by another £40,000. The estimated date for the completion of this station is June, 1940." NEARLY £1,000,000 IN PLANES. The Minister, said that each of the Territorial air squadrons at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin was being provided with large timber hangars of standard type, measuring 265 ft by 140 ft. The cost of this programme, including, provision of buildings for Territorial flights at New Plymouth, Hastings, and Invercargill, amounted to nearly £200,000. The buildings at New Plymouth, Hastings, and Invercargill would be provided in time for the aircraft they were intended to house. Dealing with the Government's plans for the supply of aircraft for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Mr. Jones said that the purchase of aircraft spares and equipment at a total cost of £962,000 had been approved last year, and the first Wellington bombers had been delivered to the New Zealand Government in England a week or two ago. Five more would be delivered before the end of May, and- those six would be flown from England soon. Four subsequent flights of six machines would be brought to New Zealand during the next twelve months, and these aircraft would be stationed at Ohakea and Whenuapai. More than 100 aircraft of single-engined biplane type would arrive in the Dominion during the next twelve months, and these would be used both for training and reserve purposes.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19390518.2.81

Bibliographic details

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 115, 18 May 1939, Page 14

Word Count
709

STRONG AIR FORCE Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 115, 18 May 1939, Page 14

STRONG AIR FORCE Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 115, 18 May 1939, Page 14