THE AIR FORCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 183, 18 May 1939, Page 7

THE AIR FORCE

EXPENDITURE OF £3,698,590. STATIONS AND MODERN BOMBERS. OUTLINE BY MINISTER. __ i (Per Press Association). DUNEDIN, May; 17. The development programme for the Royal New Zealand Air Force for the years 1937-38 to 1940-41 involves an expenditure to .£3,698,590. This was mentioned in an interview to-night by the Minister for Defence (the Hon. F. Jones). This programme, the Minister said, included the conversion of two Air Force stations at Wigram aerodrome, Christchurch, and at Hobsonville, Auckland, into a modern training school and a stores and repair depot respectively; tho construction of new stations at Ohakea . and Whenuapai for the medium-bomber squadrons of Vickers Wellington aircraft, and the building of a third station, at Blenheim for a single-engined bomber squadron.

In addition to these developments, Mr Jones continued, the programme included 1 considerable increases in the buildings and equipment of the Territorial Air Force, units of which were located, at the four main centres — Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. This involved the provision of city headquarters for these units, hangars for the squadron aircraft, and accommodation for the permanent personnel employed with the units. Provision also had 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 the service aircraft to he used at these centres.

The Minister outlined progress at Wigram aerodrome on the lines of the statement published to-day. He added that at Hobsonville an expenditure of £282.000 had been approved.

Medium Bomber Stations. “The first of the two new mediumbomber stations to be developed lias been at Ohakea, to which station the first flights of the Wellington aircraft will he posted,” the Minister continued. “The estimated cost of this station is £507,000, and it is expected that it will he ready for occupation by August of this year. Satisfactory progress has been made in the preparation of the flying field, 170 acres of which will be fully grassed by early spring of this year, and the construction of the major buildings is nearing completion. The hangars, of Avliich there are two, each hangar measuring 220 feet by 160 feet, are of the concrete arch construction, which is unique in- the Southern Hemisphere. The estimated cost of theso two hangars, complete with annexes,‘is £160,000. Barracks blocks for the airmen, .which will cost approximately £84,000, are expected to be completed by August of this year. The officers’ mess, which will cost £27,000, will be completed in July, and a contract lias recently been let for the erection of 31 houses for married personnel who live on this station.

“At Whenupai, the second medium bomber station, considerable progress has now been made with the development of the flying field and the erection of two concrete hangars and air men’s barracks. In the case Of this station, foundation difficulties have caused an increase in the cost of the major buildings, the price of the two hangars having risen by another £40,000. The .estimated date for the completion of this station is June, 1940.”

Territorial Air Squadron. The Minister said' - that each of the territorial air squadrons at Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin was being provided with largo timber hangars of the standard type, measuring 265 feet by 3.40 feet. The cost of inis programme, including the provision of buildings for the territorial flights at New Plymouth, Hastings and Invercargill, amounted to nearly £200,000. The buildings at New Plymouth, Hastings, and Invercargill would he 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 tho 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 shortly. Four subsequent flights of six machines would be brought to New Zealand during the next 12 months, and these aircraft would be stationed at Ohakea and Whenupai. More than 100 aircraft of the single-engined biplane type would arrive in the Dominion during the next 12 months, and these would he used both for training and reserve purposes.