TWO AEROPLANES COLLIDE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21142, 28 March 1932, Page 10

TWO AEROPLANES COLLIDE.

ALL OCCUPANTS ESCAPE. ACCIDENT AT HOBSONVILLE. Extensive damage was caused to two aeroplanes, a Hawker Tomtit and .a Moth, both belonging to the New Zealand Air Force, as a result of a collision at Hobsonville air base on Friday afternoon. Tho two machines were landing, and collided with considerable force, tho wings and fuselage of both being damaged.

Each of the two pilots had a passenger with him, but none of the four officers was hurt, all escaping without even a scratch. The four officers were flying again on Saturday, although it will be some time before either of (he two machines is ready for the air again. The Tomtit was brought from Canterbury, having been flown to Auckland for use during tlie refresher course, which will conclude on Wednesday. It is an allmetal biplane, one of two imported to (lie order Ihc Government about <1 year ago. The type, which has been "adopted by the "Royal Air Force for instruction in " blind" flying, has a hood which can lie raised over the rear cockpit, so that the pupil has to fly solely by instruments, while the instructor, in the open front cockpit, can see where the machine is headed, and make any necessary alterations (o the course. r l lie 'loinfit,' which is powered with a single Arm-slrong-Siddeley Mongoose lIIA engine, has a succd of 124 miles an hour at 1000 ft. The undercarriage of a. third machine, another Moth, was damaged very slightly while landing on Saturday morning. Repairs were rnade and (lie machine was in the air again later in the day.