AIR TRANSPORT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21963, 6 March 1946, Page 6

AIR TRANSPORT

SPECIAL_FLIGHTS NORTHOLT TO N.Z. NEW ZEALAND CAPTAINS (Special Correspondent.) ( 2 pm ) LONDON. March 4. From London to Whenuapai or Ohakea in under 50 hours is the ambition of the crews of two Lancastrians of the R.A.F. Transport Command. The two aircraft will take off from Northolt at an interval of 20 minutes at 1 a.m. GMT. on March 6. They expect to reach Whenuapai at about 2 a.m. or 3 am G.M.T. on March 8 and return to Northolt by 10 a.m G.M T. on March 12. The purpose of the flight is not to break records but to complete the training of four Transport Command crews urgently required to take up duties with the service, carrying \ .1.1. s or very important passengers. Two crews will fly in each aircioft. taking turn about. ’The captains will be all New Zealanders, Squadron-Leaders J. Adams, D.F.C., A.F.C.. and A. J. Bradshaw Flight Lieutenant C. D. Milne, all of Christchurch, and Flying Officer W. R. Birdling, D.F.C., of Whangarei. Dominion Officers Except for Squadron Leader Bradshaw, they will all command English crews. Sauadron Leader Bradshaw has an all-New Zealand crew comprising Flight Lieutenants E. King. D.F.C.. of Lower Hutt. who is second pilot, C. G. B. Knight, D.F.C., of Picton. who is wireless operator, A. R. Hill, of Auckland. who is navigator. Pilot Officer A. C. Hilliam, of Auckland, who is flight engineer, and Flight Sergeant W. J. A. Ball, of Auckland, who is flight clerk. Squadron Loader Bradshaw’s and Flight Lieutenant Milne’s crews will fly in the same aircraft. Indicating the high qualifications required by Transport Command of the crews flying V.l.P.’s, Squadron Leader Adams, although he recently flew Mr. P. C. Webb to New Zealand and Mr. p' Fraser to England, has not yet 200 hours’ flying time in Lancasters or Lancastrians, and he therefore is making this flight, which will bring up the Lancastrian flying hours of all the crews to the required minimum. Wing Commander K. Crichton, of Wellington, who is officer in charge of the administration at R.N.Z.A.F. headquarters in London, will fly in one aircraft and will hold consultations with the Air Department in Wellington.

Route and Projected Times

The route of the flight and the scheduled limes of departure, all G.M.T. but which the crews hope to clip, arc: Leave Northolt for Shaibah at 1 a.m. on March 6. Shaibah for Negombo at 3.30 p.m. Negombo for Learmouth at 4 a.m. on March 7. Learmouth for Sydney at 6 p.m. Sydney for Whenuapai at 4 a.m. on March 8. The return flight over the same route is expected to begin at 1.15 a.m. on March 10. Squadron Leader Adams, who was an original member of No. 75 Squadron, has flown approximately 7000 hours since he joined Transport Command. Squadron Leader Bradshaw, who operated with R.N.Z.A.F. squadrons and at Guadalcanar on anti-submarine patrol, has over 6000 hours’ living. Flight Lieutenant King operated in Lancasters over Germany. Flight Lieutenant Knight was the first man decorated in the R.N.Z.A.F. The present bad weather conditions in England may delay the flight by 48 hours.