Camera hidden in plus fours;

Press, 28 April 1983, Page 13

Camera hidden in plus fours;

PA Auckland Almost 50 years ago an enterprising New Zealand photographer outfoxed airport security during the London-to-Melbourne air race with a box camera hidden in his plus fours. The photographer, Frank Stewart, died 12 years ago but his photographic record of the race is still intact and is being sought for a Dutch television documentary. A Dutch entry won the handicap section of the 1934 race, described by the documentary makers as one of the most memorable races in commercial aviation history. .

Dutch Television NOS is making the documentary to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the event in October next year. During research for the programme, the television team discovered that Mr Stewart accompanied the New Zealand entry and took photographs throughout the flight. They advertised in New Zealand newspapers for information about Mr Stewart. His son, Mr Clyde Stewart, an Auckland photographer, has said that he still had all the negatives of the photographs taken by his father during the trip. Mr Stewart also has lan-

tern slides used by his father during lecture tours after the race. He said that his father, at the time a commercial photographer, took part in the race through his friendship with a former Royal Flying Corps officer, Captain James Hewitt, who ran a flying school at Orakei. To join the crew of the entry from the City of Auckland, a de Havilland Rapide called Tainui, flown by Captain Hewitt, his father had to sit tests and become the official radio operator. Flying Officer Cyril Kay, later to become an air vice-marshal, was the navigator.

Mr Stewart said that at some of the airports used during the race the taking ; of photographs was prohi- * bited. His father concealed ; a box camera in his plus fours to get it past security and take photographs. The Tainui crew were doing well in the race until their plane clipped a fence while taxi-ing at Cloncurry in Queensland. Mr Frank Stewart formed a partnership with another New Zealand aerial photography pioneer, Mr Leo White. Stewart and White later became Whites Aviation, where Mr Clyde Stewart worked until his recent retirement.