AIR FORCE DAY AT WIGRAM

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26986, 11 March 1953, Page 10

AIR FORCE DAY AT WIGRAM

FLYING DISPLAYS ON SATURDAY

FORMATION FLIGHT BY 25 AIRCRAFT

A mass formation flight of 25 aircraft, and a miniature air race in which four aircraft with top speeds ranging from 120 to 450 miles an hour will take part, will be among the attractions of the flying display arranged for Air Force Day on Saturday at the Royal New Zealand Air Force station, Wigram. The aircraft in. the race, which will be a handicap event, will be an Auster, a Devon, a Harvard, and a Mustang. They will make three circuits of a sik-mile course visible from the aerodrome and, if the handicapping is effective, should finish together. From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. the station will be open to the public for inspection. In one hangar there will be a display of aircraft equipment, including emergency wireless sets, parachutes, rubber dinghies, and the instruments used for flying in bad weather. Another display will feature aircraft armament such as machineguns, cannon, rockets, and .bombs. All sections of the station, such as the bar- ' racks, hospital, electrical and wireless school, gymnasium, and' library, will I be open for inspection. There will be two sections in the flying display, each lasting half an hour. The first will start at 1.45 p.m. with the fly past ’in formation of 2!aircraft led by an Auster light aircraft. It is expected that there will be 16 Harvards, six Devons, and three Mustangs in the formation. A demonstration of the characteristics of the Auster, 1 Harvard, and Devon will follow, and a Mustang fighter will then make high-speed runs over the aerodrome and give an exhibition of aerobatics. Three Harvards will do batics in formation, and then all the aircraft will fly past again and *land in a stream.

During the break until the next section of the display, which will start at 3.45 p.m. with the race, the station band will play, there will be a display of physical training, and controlled flights by model aircraft. After the race the display will end with an Army co-operation exercise. One Army group with Bofors light antiaircraft guns and other armament will defend a position against another group. The attackers will call on the Air Force for assistance. Two Harvards will drop supplies by parachute, and then the guns and crews will be strafed by two Mustangs and divebombed by eight Harvards so that the attackers can move in and capture the position.