NEW LOCKHEED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23127, 27 August 1938, Page 14

NEW LOCKHEED

FIRST FLIGHT IN DOMINION DEPARTURE FROM RONGOTAI [ IIY TELEGRAM —OWN CORR7CSPONDENT] WELLINGTON, Friday The new Lockheed Elcctra for the Union Airways services landed in Wellington from the Hauraki on Monday and assembled at Rongotai made a short test flight round and about the aerodrome this morning and headed directly for Palmcrston North. The machine, which is not yet named but will be christened either Kaliu (hawk) or Ivopara (bell bird) at Palmerston North, had been in the air before, for prior to being packed for shipment from the United States to New Zealand it was fully flight tested at the factory aerodrome at Burbank, California. This morning's test, therefore, was merely a matter of checking up the engines and controls, first on the ground and then in the air. The motors were run up during the morning and at 11 o'clock a final ground run was made. Commander G. J>. White took the controls and had with him Commander A. G. Gerrand, service manager for Union Airways, Mr. L. Maugham, chief engineer, and several members of the Palmcrston North engineering staff, who had assisted in tho assembly of the aeroplane. From the tarmac she swung to the north-west corner of the aerodrome, turned into the south-easterly breeze, paused for a second or two as the pro"pellers reached high revolution at the take-off power of the motors, and was away. A couple of circuits were made at from 1000 to 1500 ft. for the testing of tho controls within gliding distance of the aerodrome. Commander W liite then headed out to sea. turned and came hack at full throttle, "shooting up" the aerodrome at well over 200 miles an hour. Over the head of Evans Bay the nose was lifted and tho air liner climbed rapidly on a straightaway for Palmcrston North. It Avill he some days before the machine will go into service, for the radio equipment, which was already installed in the earlier Lockheeds t is to be installed locally.