NEW WARPLANES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23401, 18 July 1939, Page 16

NEW WARPLANES

AUSTRALIAN ORDERS ENGLAND AND AMERICA HOME-MADE MACHINES FIRST BATCH DELIVERED [from our own corrkspondknt] SYDNEY, July 11 Nearly 100 wnrplanos, all of the latest typo, are on order in England for the It oval Australian Air Force, which this week also accepted' delivery, of three Wirraways, the first warplanes made in Australia. The machines ordered in England include about 20 Short Sunderland flving-boats—the exact number has not been officially disclosed —50 Bristol Beanforts—the type that will be made in Australia under the mass-produc-tion scheme—and probably 14 secret high-speed fighters, of wMiich no details have been revealed. The Sunderlands are ready for immediate delivery, and officers and men of the Air Force are to leave within the. next week to fly them out to Australia. Delivery of the Beanforts was originally promised for the end of 1!).'?!), but, according to the Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Menzies, only some of them will be here by then. The order is to be completed next .year. The secret fighters are not yet in production in England, and a delivery date for the Australian order has not yet been fixed. It is hoped that all will be here next year. Successful Acceptance Flight In addition to these orders, ;30 Lockheed Hudsons are due from the United States, the first batch being expected next month and the complete order by Christmas. The three Wirraways handed over to the Air Force are the first of the 150 ordered by the Federal Government from the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in Melbourne. All are to be completed by next year. The handing over of the first three was made a ceremonious occasion, at which the Minister of Defence, Mr. G. A. Street, and the Minister .of Supply, Mr. R. G. Casey, represented the Government. The three handed over, and two others, were lined up on the tarmac on the factory's landing field, and after they had been inspected, one was flown in an acceptance flight by the . Air Force Director of Training. He put -it through exacting tests, which loft no doubt that the machine had fulfilled the highest expectations. "It is a delightful machine to handle and an improvement on its American prototype, the NA 33," he said. Tribute to Australian Workmanship The other Wirraways were then flown solo, and finally four were flown in formation. "This is a memorable and historic occasion," said Mr. Street, as he watched the "Wirraways, trim and powerful, roaring overhead in perfect formation. "The production of these machines is a great tribute to Australian workmanship, and is a great technical achievement in a country which hitherto has had no industry ot this type." Mr. Casey added his praise. "The fact," he said, "that scarcely 13 months after the manufacture of the first components, tlie 'factory should be in a position- to make delivery of three fully-equipped aeroplanes is ■striking eviden'ce of the skill and enthusiasm •of all concerned with the inauguration of the Australian aircraft industry."