MEN WHO KEEP N.Z. DAKOTAS FLYING IN MALAYA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23314, 25 July 1950, Page 3

MEN WHO KEEP N.Z. DAKOTAS FLYING IN MALAYA

(By Air Mail from N.Z.P.A. Correspondent.) SINGAPORE, July 11

Behind the exceptional record of the New Zealand Dakota aircraft flying from Changi under operational control of the Royal Air. Force are the unspectacular but devoted efforts of some 22 technical ground staff members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, under a single engineer officer. These men, engine and airframe fitters, electricians and radio mechanics, are responsible for the serviceability of the three Dakotas, and have already earned the freelyexpressed admiration of senior officers of the R.A.F.

Major inspections, falling due after 400 hours’ flying, are done in New Zealand. the aircraft being flown back to the Dominion for that purpose.. But other inspections, at 50-hour intervals, are done by the small New Zealand detachment in the open, often in blistering heat or drenching rain, as the aircraft stand in their dispersal area near Changi's long runway. Only the cleaning of the aircraft—and they are probably the best-kept planes flying in this area—is passed over to native labourers. and this is done under a New Zealand airman’s cold and critical eye. Ground Crews Kept Busy

With only three aircraft available, and with a generous share of transport duties being allocated to the New Zealanders, the" ground crews are kept busy ensuring that the Dakotas are constantly serviceable. Flying times‘ arc carefully adjusted to avoid inspections “piling up.” and so far there have been few cases in which the New Zealanders have had to turn down an assignment because of unavailability of aircraft. Instead, it is the exception rather than the rule for any of the three to be standing idle. During most daylight hours, and sometimes by night as well, all three are away, cither airborne over distant jungles and seas, or safely down at some remote aerodrome, Hong Kong's Kai Tak, Labuan. Car Nicobar or somewhere in northern Malaya.

A happy system of give and take has been devised. Only in such a small detachment would it operate, but here it works well. In brief, when airmen are required to work, whether it be before dawn, after dark, in heat, in rain or on Saturdays and Sundays, they work; when work is finished, they are dismissed. whether or not the official tin-ishing-hour has arrived. rrimitive Working Conditions

Working conditions in the aircraft dispersal area have, up to date, been primitive. A tent and a covered motortruck have served as workshops, storerooms and offices, but a new building is now nearly ready, and will be in use in a week or' so. It was put up, in brick, with 'surprising speed by a labouring gang made up almost entirely of coolie women. These patient Chinese, wearing odd-shaped shovel hats of bright red, never heard of a 40-hour week, dirt-money or walking delegates, but they put up the squadron’s new building at a rate that would cause a major crisis in trade union circles.

Tanned and fit, the airmen arc in the main young, single men. and few had wartime experience. But like their wartime counterparts who served all over the world, they sec humour in the antics of the various natives with whom their work brings them into daily contact. Among the squadron’s souvenirs is a note, addressed to the officer commanding, Flight Lieutenant L. J. McLean, by one Abdul, a cleaner. “Sir, I is Abdul,” the note began. “Cannot to work today. I have a little sick to my head. I will come back to work again when I have better. Thank Sir.” Yet most of the airmen were frank enough to admit that while the note had its shortcomings, it was considerably better than any of them could write in Malay, Tamil or even Cantonese.

who arc revisiting old haunts. They are Mr. Bruce Stevens, now of Waitoa. and Mi. Harry Carey, Putaruru. Both men were leading Rugby players during their residence in Tokomaru Bay.— Mr. and Mrs. Keith Oates and their infant son have returned to Kowhai Valley. Tokomaru Bay, after a holiday in Hawke’s Bay.—A recent week-end visitor to Gisborne was Miss Helen L. I-lalliday, Orongoruru.—Making good progress after his recent operation. Constable Henry ,T. Forsey. Tokomaru Bay. is a patient at Te P'uia Hospital. —After a holidav spent in Auckland. Mr. and Mrs. Stan Conolo have returned to Orongoruru,

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