DEFENCE AERODROME

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 August 1939, Page 10

DEFENCE AERODROME

| PROGRESS AT WOODBOURNE. .1 —— [PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] BLENHEIM, August 22. The building of the new defence aerodrome at Woodbourne has been ! pushed ahead to (he stage when it is j possible to realise the dimensions of ' the undertaking and the part it will ' play both as a training school for pilots and an important link in New Zealand’s first line of defence. Contracts representing £04,000 of the £-100,000 that the huge scheme will eventually absorb have been let, and a number of them have been in progress for months. The staff accommodation buildings are practically completed, and the first of the permanent personnel will arrive in a few days. The framework of on of the giant hangars, each of which covers an acre, is now in readiness for the outer covering of corrugated iron. Several large sections of another arc already in place, and the remainder have been cut out and bolted and laid out on Ute ground ready for lifting into position. Each hangar comprises 15 great trusses, and as one can be lifted daily it should be a matter only of a week or so before the second framework is erected. Although some delay was caused because the contractors were unable to secure the necessary supplies of iron, the whole undertaking is progressing satisfactorily and should be completed within the scheduled time. This factor is important, as the first Latch of men who will be stationed at the aerodrome will arrive at Blenheim cn September 1. Accommodation has to bo available by that. date for 50 men and 14 officers. It is believed that no aeroplanes will be commissioned at the aerodrome until next April. The intervening period will be devoted to thorough preliminary training and other preparatory work.

AREA EXTENDED. Within recent weeks arrangements have been completed by the autheriI ties for the taking over of a further 17 acres of land on the opposite side !cf the middle of Renwick road. This will be laid out as an extension of the. adjacent 35-acre building block on I tho aerodrome proper, to be constructed with another dorimtory wing, which will be erected when required. .With more land available, provision has been made for tennis courts to be I laid out on the newly acquired area. I Quarters for married officers and men I will constitute a small settlement, for I 2G wooden houses of varying design i will be erected. Tenders fur two have} | already been let. Work c-n the re-j mainder will be started at ‘in early j date. | The 200-acre aerodrome. made: famous by Sir Charles Kingsford-j Smith, who departed from it on the! return flight to Australia in 1928, has, undergone a transformation, so that it i bears no similarity to the great undulating pasture from which the eld j Southern Cross rose oil the long hop i to Sydney. The whole area has been I levelled, ami there has been :i.n excel-1 lent strike oi grass, in ?| i( . ;i]ue Hie' bombing squadron .-irt.ix»run way.v I will b<: in perfect eom.lit urn. \ l;.h«>nr.l: i provision was originally iii.Hp 'or th' I erection ot f'mr hangar . i: era ./‘■quejitly decided to iiiiii) t ; • m im , meantime in two. in \i< re el lie ■: I lorgemeni of Hie whole sclu me, which ' now provides for an establishment m i a>i equal size to Wigiam. it is in-' tended ro proceed with the eousideration of the remaining two. No tender :or tots we'm has so far m en let.

Accommodation for the ranks of the aerodrome's personnel arc more advanced than is the case with the quarters for the officers. Two dormitories for lite men have practically been completed, and should he in readiness for occupation in about a week. An inspection indicates that the men will be furnished with living quarters oi the highest standard, incorporating all conveniences available in the modern home. Each dormitory con-j tains accommodation for SO men, -10 i in each wing. In the connecting link! between the wings are located shower, rooms, wash basins, lavatories, and an electrical plant lo beat the large | quantity of water necessary There is) ."mi i'- window space, and the quarters’ ;.■:<• sunny and well ventilated. i RECREATION BUILDING. | 'l'.<■ lonmlations arc in for the i i •'■) ■ ai ion building, which will com-i i'iiiso ;• commodious ball, with facilities for screening films, billiards, rinding rooms, and a. canl?->n. At the rear of the officers' block will he hos-rii.-i' qimricr--. Hid by !u feet. Op- ] ;<;c <r;s will he a < micretc building

I housing a modern tire-lighting tender and equipment, with a motor ambulJ ance. [ Other buildings either under eonI struction or to be started in the near future comprise a. non-commissioned officers’ dorimtory and mess room which will be required under the i larger scheme, a structure devoted to I the study of navigation, photography, jam! armament, a miniature rifle range I and a machine-gun range. Behind ( the hangars will be placed various i stores and a structure in which a link I trainep for blind flying instruction will be housed. Work is also in pro- | gross on the 70-foot octagonal rein- [ forced concrete water tower, in which • loo,thio gallons of water will he stored, I and from which the pressure necesisary to operate the elaborate sewcr/ge and water scheme-will be secured. As all construction is in timber, the ' whole of the building is bisected by I four and six-inch water mains and hydrants, from which hoses run. in the event of lire.