U.S. BOMBERS TO VISIT N.Z.

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27374, 12 June 1954, Page 6

U.S. BOMBERS TO VISIT N.Z.

UNITS FROM FAR EAST AIR FORCE

SUPERFORTRESSES TO FLY OVER CHRISTCHURCH (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, June 11.

Three 829 Superfortresses of the United States Far East Air Force, on a goodwill mission to New Zealand, will fly over Christchurch early next Wednesday afternoon, probably between 2 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. They will be in flight between the Royal Australian Air Force station at Laverton, near Melbourne, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force station at Ohakea, where they will be based during their stay in the Dominion. Accompanying the Superfortresses will be a C 124 Globemaster, one of the biggest military transport aircraft in the world, which £an carry 200 troops with field equipment. A C 54 Skymaster will arrive at Ohakea ahead of the other aircraft.

829 Superfortresses, which weigh 70 tons, have a range of 4600 miles, carrying 10,0001 b of bombs, and a speed of 400 miles an hour. The three that are coming to New Zealqpd will take off from Laverton at 9 a.m. New Zealand time, and are expected to land at Ohakea at 5 p.m. after flying'over Christchurch and Wellington. There will be 75 United States Air Force officers and men in the party. On Thursday, about 30 officers win visit Wellington for the day. One or more will lectilre to officers of the R.N.Z.A.F. Headquarters staff. They will be entertained to lunch by the United States Ambassador (Mr R t M. Scotten), and in the afternoon they will be entertained by the Air Board.

Exercises off N.S.W. Coast At 7 a.m. on Friday, the five aircraft will leave Ohakea for Australia. The Superfortresses will take part in air defence exercises off the coast of New South Wales on June 19 and June 20. These exercises, which have been named “Operation Flying Link,” are the first in which the three signatories to the Anzus Pact—Australia, New Zealand, and the United States—will combine.

N .‘w Zealand Air Force and Army officers will take part in the exercises as observers. They will be stationed in the operations centre at the R.A.A.F. station, Richmond, and in early-warn-ing radar establishments at points along the coast. In the exercises, the Superfortresses will act as part of the “enemy” force, which will attack the industrial areas of Sydney . and Newcastle. Canberra jet bombers, four-engined Lincoln bombers, and Beaufighters will make up the attacking force. Citizen Air Force squadrons from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide, will defend the cities in co-operation with coastal radar stations and Army antiaircraft batteries. After the exercises, the American aircrafv will return to their base at Okinawa.

REQUEST FOR FLIGHT OVER GREYMOUTH

(From Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, June 11.

The Mayor of Greymouth (Mr F. W. Baillie) has asked that the American Superfortresses expected in New Zealand next week should fly over the town on their way to Christchurch. He has been advised by the Minister of Defence (Mr T. L. Macdonald) that his representations about flights over West Coast towns are being considered.