R.N.Z.A.F. LOAD FLYING HAS GROWN MIGHTILY

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24600, 23 June 1945, Page 6

R.N.Z.A.F. LOAD FLYING HAS GROWN MIGHTILY

AVIATION

Within the short space of two or three years, air transport in the R.N.Z.A.F. has developed from nothing into • an organisation that has directed aircraft over millions of miles without one accident involving passengers or crew. It is indeed, a great record, and one which proves better than anything else ever could that aviation is an established fact In the early days of the R.N./iA.r., men used to “jump” rides to Proved mnrklv from one place to anotner. Then it became obvious that air transnort would have to be put on an organised basis. A Communications Flight was formed at Rongotai. A Douglas Dakota arrived from the United States, and it formed the nucleus of a Pacific Transport Squadron" Organisers and Leaders The Pacific'service has now grown into two squadrons and the original Communications Flight at Rongotai, which is really a feeder and air taxi service, has grown into a squadron. Several men have taken a prominent nart in the development of air transport in the R.N.Z.A.F. Wing Commander E. A. Gibson, 0.8. E., now Deputy-Director of Air Transport, is one He possessed invaluable knowledge of the Pacific through his prewar association with airfield surveys. The remarkable efficiency ox RNZ.A.F. transport is, in no small measure, due to his enthusiasm and knowledge. Other well-known men also pulled their weight in those early days. Wing Commander F. J. (‘‘Popeye”) Lucas, D.F.C. and Bar, was the captain of the Dakota that made the Pacific survey flight. He subsequently went oversea again, and only recently returned to New Zealand. His enthusiasm carried air transport forward a big step. With one Dakota, No. 3501, he operated a transport squadron. When the first Dakota arrived irt New Zealand no one knew very much about it. Wing Commander Lucas; then a squadroifleader, took it up with Wing Commander E. W. Tacon, D.5.0., D.F.C. and Bar, A.F.C., and they really flew it from the book of instructions. But the Dakota, flew and it is still flying. It is now being used for dual instruction. That just shows what a reliable aircraft it really is. Wing Commander Lucas left on his first survey flight on April 13, 1943, just a little over two years ago. His co-pilot was Lloyd Parry, now a wing commander, and D. Newall was navigator. The wireless operator was Flight Lieutenant E. R. Robson and the flight engineer Sergeant (now Flying Officer) F. W. Mayer, A.F.M. All routes from Whenuapai to Pacific bases were surveyed without any untoward incident. After that, working his one-air-craft transport squadron to the limit, Wing Commander Lucas did a trip to Espiritu Santo and back inside 24 hours. As it only had one aircraft, the Pacific transport service could not v be recognised as a squadron. In fact, it was a sideline. There was no establishment for the aircraft, iind it was operated and maintained by men who happened to be available. But after three months, more Dakotas arrived and the squadron started to take shape. Wing Commander Lucas went oversea. Wing Commander J. C. Adams. D.F.C., A.F.C., became the commanding officer of No. 40 Transport Squadron. Air transport had begun in an official manner. With the shortage of shipping and the need for hurrying men and supplies to the Pacific forward area, air transport plays an ever-

(Specially Written for "The Press.”) [By L. L, WHITE.]

increasing part in New Zealand's effort. Other names have come to the fort’' No. 40 Squadron is now under the command of Wing Commander R. A Kirk, up, who was a commercial airline pilot before the war and also belonged to the Canterbury Aero Club. The second Pacific Transport Squadron. No. 41, is commanded by Wing Commafider * 3 H. C. Walker, A.F.C., another commer- ' cial airline pilot. He competed in the > Centenary Air Race between EnglaTjj and Australia with Squadron Leader > M. C. McGregor, ■ "Thoroughness and Efficiency” On the maintenance side, there have ■ : also been men who have played a great ■ part in the efficiency of the transput services. Their thoroughness and effl- " cency could not receive a better menu- I ment than that provided by the millions of'accident-free miles flown- hnf’ the squadrons. Servicing work is now \ done by a maintenance wing: it-.j* all a matter of strict routine; but its development owes much to the know- ' ledge of Squadron Leader J. R. To&mi who has almost completed 21 years OP' Air Force service. The Royal Ait Force lent him to the R.N.ZA.F., and t under his experienced supervision, tht‘ ; Dakotas, Lodestars, and Hudsons of thO S transport service have, right from tho V ] beginning, run like clockwork. j The transput squadrons also have • their own engineer officers. Flyiae Officer D. E. Wood started with No.jr’! , i Squadron. His connexion with avil- : : tion engineering dated from ■ Wap**; After seeing service elsewhere with * the R.N.Z.A.F., he is back again with* ) No. 40 Squadron, ‘ The Sturdy Dakota '•*<> Dakotas are gradually, but none the less surely, replacing other aimaffifsit the transport squadrons. It hk| ‘ a civilian aircraft in military iuflffiffi, * and many persons who should khow say. it is the best aircraft ever tiwfo in the United States. In fact, lfcf| |o good that it has not changed .vciy much in the last 12 .years, Th|tig | long time in the history of an :aircraft. It was originally known ag&e DC3 and was powered Wright Cyclone engines. It two 1200 h.p. Pratt Whitney|M|(*S» but its outward appearance fc-epn. ~ , tially the same, even thougJteajft. ii called a C 47. The makers of the Douglas D£bta state in their instructions that ItmMi . a “complete overhaul" at 12,000 heart. The.designer has claimed that IhktUfc . of the machine is 25,000 hours. vJHs doubtful if any of the Dakotas used by the R.N.Z.A.F. have dqneflasu more than 2500 hours. The internal R.N.Z.A.F. tramport squadron, No. 42, has, from its iacqa-i tion. been under the commafld_fiP|l Wing Commander J. D. Hewett,';AJ£jfet|l Chiefly- using de HavUland DbuliSi*! aircraft, it links the R.N.ZA.F. -in Nwßiil Zealand with the Pacific servic*|#|SM Transport as it is in the RJiasrafflH to-day has no brilliant «tory° acHiß nected with it. Instead, it ha&WWWM ,down to automatic routine, 'come and aircraft go, and' ae* 1 NtflUBH has the routine become that after uhh roar off ons airfield they settle du.wßE on another with very such regularity as a railway traln into a station. Air transport iftppaj R.N.Z.A.F. has been reduced to. tpi|| tables and schedule and meticuloufwj® tention to routine. "'lm The present total annual volunje mm flying of the R.N.Z.A.F. squadrons provides some capacity ton miles, and . handled includes approximat^M 60.000. passenger ; miles aMi9(pfi4|B 2.000. mail and freight ton nuJjea' lS