WITHOUT MISHAP

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 201, 25 August 1945, Page 6

WITHOUT MISHAP

AIR UNITS , RECORD

Dakota Transport Squadron Wins Cup In India N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 2.30. NEW DELHI, Aug. 24. Over 1,000,000 miles were covered in 7500 hours' flying without a mishap by a Dakota Squadron of No. 229 Transport Group of the

Air-Marchal Sir Ralph Cochrane

Royal Air Force, India. By this achievement the unit has just become the fourth holder of the Group Airmanship Cup presented to them at a special .parade on Delhi airfield by Air-Marshal Sir Ralph Cochrane, K.8.E., C.8., A.F.C., Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Royal Air Force Transport Command. The squadron operates daily services from Delhi round east-west coasts of India to Ceylon, and in the first six months of 1945 recorded 2,000,000 miles' flying in 14,500 hours.

Only two minor incidents occurred during this period and there were no mechanical failures on aircraft in flight. The commanding officer is Wing-Commander Alfred Harding, D.F.C., of Wellington. All transport squadrons of this group maintained an exceptionally high safety standard. When the Japanese surrender was announced the groups in the services had completed a year free of fatal accidents, a year in which 8,500,000 miles and 61,000 hours were flown.