GLOBEMASTER TRIP

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28448, 30 November 1957, Page 3

GLOBEMASTER TRIP

Journalists’ Flight Over Plains Fourteen Christchurch journalists and a photographer were the guests of the United States Air Force yesterday afternoon on a Globemaster flight over North Canterbury. The flight was offered in appreciation of newspaper coverage of the Air Force’s operations this season. The word had hardly gone round to release safety belts gone round to release safety belts after taking off from Harewood when all the best windows were commandeered for taking photographs. The 190-mile flight went as far north as Waipara and Waikari, circled towards the clouded ranges and returned to Harewood by way of Oxford. Rangiora and a circuit of Lyttelton Harbour. Reporters who knew Canterbury well on the ground took full advantage of the freedom of the big cargo deck to view the plains from all angles. They were soon lost “I think this is Springfield.” said one. over what was undisputably established to be Oxford. There was plenty of action to be seen on the ground from 3500 feet: the Waimakariri and Ashley rivers were streaming towards the sea, muddy from the recent floods; a topdressing aircraft was working far below on the banks of the Waimakariri; the main roads were busy; tractors were working on the rain-freshened lowlands and sheep were clustered on the brown hills surrounding the North Canterbury homesteads: the 11.272-ton Hinakura was stirring great pools of mud as it berthed’at Lyttelton. The scenes were objects of an hour’s chase over the gently rolling deck to get the best views and pictures. Some passengers were outnumbered by the cameras thev carried. The professional cameraman took fewest pictures of all.

On the flight deck, among the red-lighted dials, navigation instruments and controls, were the pilot. Colonel William G. Forwood, and co-nilot. Captain Victor G. Stianchi. There, they and the other three men of the crew shared the space and seats with an inquiring press party making the most of an occasion that they would not have to report. Earlier, they had been instructed in the use of sea survival gear and the drill for an emergency, just as if it had been a party about to go on a flight to the Antarctic base at McMurdo Sound. The navigation system was also explained.