Air Force’s Part In Royal Visit Arrangements

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30056, 14 February 1963, Page 16

Air Force’s Part In Royal Visit Arrangements

Seven aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force will be used during the coming week-end on flights connected with the Royal visit

Tomorrow a DC6 from Whenuapai and three Bristol Freighters from Ohakea will fly to Dunedin where they will remain overnight. They will take off on Saturday after the Queen leaves Dunedin.

Aboard the freighters will be baggage and the Royal car. The official party will travel in the DC6 while the Royal tour organisers will be brought to Christchurch by Devon aircraft.

After unloading cargo and passengers at Christchurch airport the DC6 and the two freighters will return to their North Island stations. On Monday the DC® and a freighter will return to Christchurch. Both are due to land before ’ll a.m. After the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have left the airport for Australia in a Qantas Boeing 707 the DC®

will make -two trips to Wellington with the official party and tour organisers. The freighter will also make two flights to Wellington carrying baggage belonging to the party and the Royal cars. Two DC3’s from Ohakea will fly from Christchurch to Wellington. One will take the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake). The other will take the military chiefs of staff.

At 11 am. on Monday two Sunderland aircraft will take off to sea from Evans Bay, Wellington, to patrol above the flight path to be followed by the Royal Boeing. The two flying-boats will patrol over the Tasman as far as the responsibility of the R.N.Z.A.F. goes, where a similar patrol from the Royal Australian Air Force will take over.