Solent Loses Tip Of Wing

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31054, 9 May 1966, Page 1

Solent Loses Tip Of Wing

(New Zealand Pr«» Association) AUCKLAND, May 8. A Solent flying-boat on an overland journey to the Museum of Transport and Technology was shorn of a wingtip this morning.

Cutting through the wing-tip about a foot from the end made it just possible for an Auckland City Council bulldozer to haul the Solent between two power poles beside Meola road, Westmere. The Incident, which kept Meola road closed for about 90 minutes, was the second unforeseen happening of the Solent’s last journey, which began early on Saturday morning at Hobsonville. The Solent, which logged 14,500 flying hours with Tasman Empire Airways, Ltd., was towed without trouble down the harbour towards the Meola road spit

But with the hull very light because the four big engines had been removed, a

gust of wind eaught the flying boat and it grounded. It was refloated at high tide on Saturday night and hauled ashore on to steel mesh matting. When the tow began again at 10 a.m. today, a steel tkid at the rear replacing the tail wheel, all went well until the power poles were encountered.

Once the probem was resolved the rest of the journey went smoothly and the Solent, resting on a special site recently allotted by the City Council to the transport museum, is now an eyecatching distraction for Meola road motorists.

It is planned to replace the engines, which are being brought from Hobsonville by road.