AIRCRAFT WORKS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4820, 7 August 1939, Page 5

AIRCRAFT WORKS

INCREASE IN AREA.

DE HAVILLAND CRAFT. ORDER FOR 100 PLANES. In consequence of the decision of the Government, upon the advice of the British Air Mission upon aircraft manufacture in the Dominions, to place an order for 100 training planes with the firm of De Havilland (N.Z.), Ltd., the factory at Rongotai is to be much larger in floor area and output capacity, and though this inevitably means that there will be a delay of some weeks at least in the erection of the building, consequent upon change in plans and working methods this delay will be overhauled by the greater capacity in output. With the addition of a bay at the southern end the De Havilland factory will now have a floor area 100 by 250 feet, much larger than that of the main hangar at Rongotai or any hangar in the Dominion other than the huge floor spaces of the hangars at the main bases of the Permanent Air Force.

The Government’s order is for Tiger Moths, with full equipment, including blind flying instruments and hoods, for the training of entrants to the Air Force (Permanent and Territorial) and Reserves. Since the present programme of Air Force expansion was embarked upon canditates for the Air Force have been given their initial tuition by instructors of various approved aero clubs, but the still greater expansion intended could not be met with the club and Government loan machines at present in operation. Furthermore!, the policy of dispatching New Zealand’s entrants to the Royal Air Force (Britain) is next year to be changed. Up till now only a small proportion of R.A.F. entrants received training in New Zealand, but sailed directly after acceptance for England. The Flying Training School at Wigram is being enlarged and a second Air Force School is being established at Woodburne, Marlborough, and when the quarters and the new field at Marlborough are available, all entrants to the Royal Air Force will receive eight months’ training in Air Force training craft, the number of which is also being increased.