OPEN DAY AT WIGRAM

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26671, 4 March 1952, Page 3

OPEN DAY AT WIGRAM

SPECIAL DISPLAY BY AIRCRAFT

ARRANGEMENTS FOR SATURDAY

A special display of flying by three vampire jet aircraft, a Bristol Freighter, a North American Mustang, ■♦• Douglas Dakota, and three Harvards, will be given at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Station. Wigram, on Saturday afternoon, as part of the observances for Air Force Day in Christchurch. Air Force Day was formerly held as near as possible to the anniversary of the Battle of Britain, but as poor weather conditions were generally expected it was decided, to hold the observances during the summer months when the weather was likely to be better. All Sections of the station of interest to the public will be open on Saturday afternoon, and a display of special amenities will be made in No. 1 hangar. The station will be opgn to the public from 1 p.m. until 4.30 p.m. One hundred personnel from the unit and the unit band will parade through Christchurch on Friday as a prelude to the open day, and a rehearsal of the flying programme will also be held at Wigram on Friday. The flying rehearsal will be watched by a staff officer from Air Department, and he will stipulate the form of the display on Saturday. Separate week-ends have been allocated the ■ various stations for their open days throughout New Zealand. The first was held at Whenuapai on February 23. After the display at Wigram on Saturday, Taieri will hold an open day on March 15, Woodbourne on March 22, and Ohakea on March 29.

The display will be free to the public, and special buses will run to Wigram. Notices indicating the direction of and location of the various sections will -be displayed on the statiom

A section of the aerodrome in the north-west corner will be allocated as a free car parking area, and soft drnlks and ice creams will be served from stalls on different sites on the aerodrome. A loud-speaker system will give details of the flying programme and other attractions to be offered during the afternoon. “We are providing receptacles for bottles and cartons and we seek the public’s co-operation in keeping the station tidy.” said the station commander, Group Captain B. S. Nicholl, yesterday. Broken glass and even ice cream cartons could do irreparable damage to aircraft, and it was hofted that the public would co-operate, he said.

If the weather is too bad to hold the flying display an announcement will be made by radio between 11 a.m. and noon on Saturday.