AIR FORCE BASES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 38, 24 November 1939, Page 6

AIR FORCE BASES.

SURVEY FROM THE AIR. MINISTER FLIES IN AOTEAROA. AUCKLAND, November 23. The Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) will have his first flight in the Tasman Empire Airways flvingboat Aotparoa to-morrow morning. In the course of a routine training flight, the Aotearoa, under Captain Burgess, will give the Minister an opportunity of seeing the Royal New Zealand Air Force base at Hobsonville, and the new station under construction at Whenuopai from the air. Accompanied by his secretary (Mr F. M. Sherwood) and Flight-Lieut. Buckeridge, of the Civil Aviation Department, Mr Jones will embark on the Aotearoa at the Tasman Empire Airways base at 9 o’clock. The flying-boat will be flown to Hobsonville, and after circling to enable the Minister to examine both stations from the air it will alight on the upper harbour near the Hobsonville jetty. The Minister and his party will then go ashore to make a more detailed inspection. While the Aotearoa is at Hobsonville opportunity will be taken of studying the hauling-out area, which will be used when the flying-boat is taken ashore next week for cleaning of the hull and floats and for general inspection.

Tentative arrangements have been made lor the flying-boat to be flown to Hobsonville next Wednesday and taken from the water for inspection for the first time since she arrived in New Zealand. The massive undercarriage, comprising the frame with two large wheels to support the hull and a. smaller wheel to go under the tail will precede the Aotearoa to Hobsonville, being taken there on a barge. When the flying-boat arrives the ■cradle will be set in position and fixed to the craft, which will then be drawn from the water by means of a special winch. The new hangar intended for use on such occasions, is almost completed at the top of the Hobsonville slipway. The hull and floats will be thoroughly cleaned and coated with a special preparation designed to keep them in good condition. This will take the greater part of the day, after which the Aotearoa will return to her base, ready for further training flights.