PIONEERS IN FLYING.
Sir, —Mr. Vernon J. Roberts is wrong when he credits Messrs. Walsh Brois. with being the first amateurs to build and fly aircraft in New Zealand. The first flight to be made in New Zealand was made by Mr. A. W. Schaef, on the beach at. Lyall Bay, Wellington. This Wellington photo, graphcr spent all his spare time in building what was to bo the first New Zea-land-built aeroplane. Even the propeller was made by this enthusiast, the only part of the machine not of New 2'ealand origin being, of course, the motor. Several people saw Schaef's first flight, including a representative of the Evening Post. Another Wellington man, Fisher, also built a Bleriot type monoplane, just after Schaef's flight. This machine was also, bar the motor, a pure New Zealand product, and made several straight flights at Tauherenikau racecourse, Featherston, Reg. White being the pilot. Both Schaef and Fisher worked single-handed, each on his own machine, and neither of them had ever seen an aeroplane when he tackled the job of making one for himself. Early Bird.
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New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20536, 10 April 1930, Page 14
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181PIONEERS IN FLYING. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20536, 10 April 1930, Page 14
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