STORY OF DOUG AIRLINERS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25365, 12 December 1947, Page 8

STORY OF DOUG AIRLINERS

NATIONAL FILM UNIT PRODUCTION Sequences for a National Film Unit film, which will show the conversion of Dakota transport aircraft used by the Royal New (Zealand Air Force in the Pacific into the Douglas airliners that operate the National Airways Corporation’s services between Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, were filmed by one of the unit’s cameramen, Mr S. J. Wemyss, at Harewood yesterday. The film will be 1000 ft in length, and\ will cover the arrival of Dakotas at Auckland after service in the Pacific, their conversion into civil airliners at Melbourne and Sydney,-Iffe training of pilots at Palmerston North, and the embarkation of passengers at Harewood. In the shots taken at Harewood in the morning and afternoon a number of Christchurch citizens, including “Miss New Zealand” (Miss Mary Wootton), were cast as passengers. The leading roles were taken by two of the corporation’s pilots. Commander R. C. Barclay, and Second Officer V. C« Mygind, and the airliners Pakara and Popotea. The Pakara, which has not received its New Zealand certificate of airworthiness, was used for the scenes showing the passengers embarking, and in the afternoon interior shots were taken while the Popotea was flying over Christchurch.