BRITISH WARSHIPS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 13 April 1939, Page 8

BRITISH WARSHIPS

MODELS FOR DOMINION BOMBING AEROPLANES LOAN BY BUILDERS LONDON, 2nd March. Two interesting models, lent to the New Zealand Government, by Messrs Vickers-Armstrong, Limited, for display at the Centennial Exhibition, are being taken to the Dominion in the cruiser Achilles. One is of the cruiser Cumberland, which has served on the China Station for several years, and the other is of the submarine Otway. Both models are correct in every detail.

Both the Cumberland and the Otway have associations with the Royal Australian Navy. The Cumberland is one of the Kent cruiser class d.csigned by Sir Eustace Tennyson d’Eyncourt, and built in 1928. Two of her sister ships are the Australia and the Canberra.

The Cumberland carries eight Bin guns and six 4in anti-aircraft guns. She carries an aeroplane launched by catapault. The model made by Vickers Armstrong, who built the Cumberland at their Barrow yards, is painted cream, the China station colours.

OTHER MODELS FOR THE EXHIBITION

The Otway, together with the Oxley, was originally built by Vickers-Arm-strong at Barrow in 1927 for the Royal Australian Navy, which presented both craft to the Royal Navy in 1931. There are three submarines of this class, the third being the Oberon, built at the Chatham Dockyard. In addition to these models, VickersArmstrong are also loaning three models, of aeroplanes to the New Zeaalnd Government for the Centennial Exhibition. I One is of the Vickers-Armstrong longrange bomber, 30 of which have been ordered for the Dominion and which are expected to be flown out in June. Another is of the Vickers-Wellesley medium type bomber, and the third is of the Vickers super-marine Spitfire, the fastest fighter in the world, i Preparations for their representation iat the exhibition are now being made iby the Department of Overseas Trade land the Port of London Authority. The j theme of the Department’s Pavilion will Ibe transported by sea, air and road. ATTRACTING VISTORS TO DOMINION Preliminary advertisements for tours to and in the Dominion during the exhibition have met with an immediate response, and it is hoped that large numbers of visitors v/ill be attracted to New Zealand from the United Kingdom. Advice has been received in London that centennial celebrations will be held at Capetown during the same time as the New Zealand centennial, and the suggestion has been made that there should be some co-operation between the two Dominions for the events.