AIR PAGEANT TO-BAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20235, 20 April 1929, Page 15

AIR PAGEANT TO-BAY.

FLEET OF MACHINES READY.

FOUR ARRIVE FROM SOUTH.

CITY FLIGHT THIS MORNING. Four aeroplanes arrived from the South yesterday to compete in the aerial pageant at Mangere to-day. They made the trip from Hawera in hours, with a strong following wind. The Air Force Moth, piloted by Captain J. L. Findlay, and the Marlborough Aero Club's Moth in charge of Captain M. C. Chandler, landed on the Mangere aerodrome, and the Bristol tighter, piloted by Captain H. B. Burrell, proceeded to the llobsonville aerodrome. The Canterbury Club's Moth (Captain J. C. Mercer) missed the landing of the other two Moths and overshot the aerodrome. However, he made a comfortable landing in a field about two miles away, obtained directions, and alighted an hour later at the hangar. Up to yesterday afternoon 10 machines were reported to be ready. The pageant will be postponed only in the event of extremely bad weather with heavy, lowlying clouds. The road is metalled to the aerodrome gates, 16 miles from the city, and the landing ground is particularly well drained. Several aeroplanes will fly over the city in formation between 9 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. to indicate that the weather is favourable for the pageant.

First Events in Morning. The heats for the 12-miles race will be run in the morning, the first commencing at 11 a.m., and a large crowd will no douht he present for this. The major programme will commence at 2 p.m., but since progress through the gates must necessarily be slow, motorists are advised to allow plenty of latitude, and not to consider only the bare time necessary for driving the distance, with due regard for speed limits.

The Auckland Aero Club issues the fol lowing instructions:—

The public are warned against trespassing on the landing grounds. This will not be permitted under any circumstances, and boats on the harbour are warned not to approach within a quarter of a mile of the ammunition dump. In addition to pedestrian entrances, four gate entrances have been provided, «the first three being for the public and the last, the usual entrance to the aerodrome, for club members, who will be recognised by a sticker on the windshield of . their cars.

It is particularly requested that one person in each car should have the correct amount of change to purchase tickets for his party, including parking charge. All public car entrances lead to the same enclosures, the parking in which will be controlled by experienced men from the Automobile Association, and anv instructions issued by these men must be promptly obeyed. The aerodrome and all fences will be controlled by mounted police and a troop of the Auckland Mounted Rifles. The prizes won at the pageant will be presented this evening a t Dixieland Cabaret. The Aero Club was advised yes--siday that the New Zealand representatives of tiie British oil firm of C. C. Wakefield and Company, Limited, would .present a silver cup later for award to the best trained club pupil in each year. A gold medal will be retained by each holder of the cup. How to Identify Machines. Although urine Moth machines' are among the entries identification should be easy jii most cases at consideaible altitudes. The fuselages are all regulation sliver, but the noses of the machines have in several cases been painted in contrasting colours. This should identify the machine when even the large letters* under the wings cannot be picked out. The Auckland Aero Club's three machines have been finished in green, red and black. Major Iv. Caldwell and Captain 1). Harkness will in turn use the green machine, Captain E. Dickson and Captain J. Seabrook the red Moth, and Major G. A. C. Cowper will pilot the black aeroplane. The Hawke's Bay Clul/s Moth will be operated by Captain T. White. It can be easily identified by the dark green nose and the letters A.A.B. This machine is a Cirrus Moth, the model produced prior to the introduction of the Gipsy Moth. The Marlborough Club's Moth is all silver, but the letters A.A.A. distinguish it. Captain J. C. Mercer will pilot the Canterbury Club's Moth, another all-silver machine, identified by N.Z.A.Y. The Air Force Moth, in charge of Captain J. L. Findlay, bears the regulation red. white, and blue hull's eyes under the wings. Mr. D. Mill's' Modi has a blue nose, and the Hamilton Airways' Moth is yellow finished. The Bristol Fighter. Avro-Avian and Blackburn Bluebird are distinctive.