AIR PAGEANT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22831, 16 March 1936, Page 4

AIR PAGEANT

SOUTH ISLAND COMPETITIONS FIXTURE MARRED BY RAIN OTAGO WINS WIGRAM CUP it was the worst of bad fortune for the Otago Aero Club that the sudden change in the weather on Saturday afternoon should have marred the concluding day of the official South Island air pageant, and robbed of its more spectacular aspect what would have undoubtedly proved to be the greatest aerial event ever held in New Zealand. The morning was beautifully warm and sunny, but shortly after mid-day a gusty north-west wind sprang up suddenly and, gradually veering around to the southwest, brought with it a driving, chilling rain which continued through the afternoon. CROWDED CAR PARKS The fine weather in the morning gave promise of a great day’s sport, and from early in the forenoon spectators began to arrive at the North Taieri Aerodrome until at 12 o’clock there must have been between 200 and 300 cars parked around the southern and western sides of the landing ground. The rain came on just in time to prevent the special trains and buses from town getting the patronage they would have received, but even then an encouragingly large number of enthusiasts made the trip, and these, added to the motorists who were continually arriving by car, swelled the crowd on the ground to about 5000. By 2 o’clock there were fully 700 cars ranged in orderly rows on the parking areas, which were so situated as to allow the occupants of the machines an uninterrupted view of all that was going on. OTAGO’S SUCCESSES The Junior Landing, Bombing and Senior Landing Competitions were held in the morning. Points for the coveted Wigram Cup are allotted in these three events and the Junior Aerobatics, and the club gaining the most points holds the trophy for a year. Otago pilots won the two first competitions, but in the Senior Landing D. Benton (Otago) and F. G. White (Hawke’s Bay) tied for premier honours, and as no opportunity offered on Saturday for deciding the contest, it was flown off yesterday, D. Renton gaining first place. Thb Junior Aerobatics was also postponed till yesterday. In any case, the successes of the Otago' flyers on Saturday gave them an aggregate which clinched their hold on the cup, so that the Otago Aero Club now has the honour of having added another championship trophy to those already won by the province during the past 12 months. Another triumph for the Otago Club came in the competition for the best club turn-out. Points were awarded for general cleanliness and appearance of planes, and also for general maintenance of frames and engines, due allowance being made for the age of the machines. The possible points were 100, and it was a tribute tc the efficiency of the Otago Club’s ground engineer (Mr A. Burbidge) and Jus assistants that the four machines under his charge were awarded the four first placings, with markings of 90, 90, 89 and 85 respectively. In all, the judge examined 30 machines, and at the conclusion of the judging he remarked particularly on the condition of the Otago planes, which, he considered, reflected the utmost credit on the ground staff at North Taieri.

DARING PARACHUTE DESCENTS Taking off in threes a little after midday, the competing planes and the Air Force machines left the aerodrome on a formation flight over the city, but before tliey returned the perfect flying weather of the morning had given way to a squally north-wester which rendered conditions anything but easy for the pilots. It was doubtful at first whether the next item on the programme, a parachute descent by Mr “Scotty” Fraser, could be carried out, as the wind was now coming from the opposite direction, accompanied by heavy rain, and the, ceiling appeared very low. A trial flight by Flying-officer Campbell, the Otago Club’s pilot instructor, showed that'sufficient altitude could be gained, and up went the redoubtable parachutist to a height of about 2000 feet to make a perfect drop and give the spectators their first thrill of the day. He later made another descent, which was even better, and his skill on both occasions in slipping his parachute so as to avoid being blown over the aerodrome won him a rousing cheer from the crowd, and a prolonged fanfare from the horns of the parked motors. OFFICIAL OPENING At the conclusion of Mr Fraser's first descent the pageant was officially declared open by the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox). That day, he said, they had come to witness one of the greatest achievements of the modern mind —the transference of the playing field from the ground and the water to the realm of the air. Sixteen months ago their Australian friends had organised the greatest race in the history of the world, a race that was watched with the keenest interest by the entire human race. Over 50 starters entered and round about a dozen finished. Half a million people cheered the Red Comet, piloted by Scott and Black, as she came out of the sky at Flemington to drop her bomb across the finishing line, but a thousand million people cheered them in silent homage and admiration. Seventy-one hours from London to Melbourne, the greatest race in history from any point of view that a race .may be regarded! It revealed speed, human endurance, and the capacity of mechanism, and the best of all was that a British machine and British pilots won the race. Not the least amongst these feats of capacity and endurance was the one put up by the New Zealand men, M'Gregor and Walker —and to-day he was proud to pay a tribute to New Zealand’s own great airman, as he was proud to shake his'hand on that memorable day when, in a little single-engined machine, he came in fifth in the race. It could not Iw expected that this great event would be followed by an accession of interest in flying. This had resulted in a big step forward in commercial flying in Nqw Zealand, and the speed, safety, and comfort with which these services had been managed indicated that in a few years this mode of travel would not only be the popular but the inevitable one. SPECTACULAR AIR FORCE DISPLAY The opening ceremony over, it was a question whether it would Ire possible to proceed with the programme, but in fairness to the spectators it was decided to carry on. Three Avro machines from Wigram took the air, and as gracefully as °a trio of , huge birds went through a series of Air Force drill evolutions and formation flying. An interesting feature of this event was that the planes were controlled from the ground by wireless, and as the orders were transmitted to the aircraft they were simultaneously broadcast to the crowd. This, however, was not nearly so spectacular as the military display which followed, and in

which aeroplanes, infantry and artillery co-operated. An enemy oil dump, defended by infantry and machine gun posts, and batteries of anti-aircraft guns, was subjected to an attack from the air, and if this event did nothing else it demonstrated the amazing manoeuvring powers of the Air Force machines and the skill of their pilots. The umveildylooking Fairey lIIF bomber would swoop down to within 100 feet of the defending forces, drop its bomb, zoom up with a shattering roar, and be a thousand feet in the air again before the spectators knew exactly what had happened. Then down from the clouds would drop the Avros, and again a burst of machine gun fire and the boom of the heavy guns would indicate that at least the defenders were not going to lose their oil dump without a struggle. It was all highly exciting, and as a diverting spectacle was probably the outstanding event of the day. SKILFUL AEROBATICS

Perhaps less warlike-looking but equally impressive was a bombing attack on a tank by three Moth planes. The high wind that was blowing thoroughly tried the capabilities of the flyers, and rendered anything like accurate bombing difficult, but one of the pilots was so far successful as to score a direct hit on the commander of the tank, who incidentally was the president of the Otago Aero Club. The aerobatics could hardly be termed thrilling, as, so dexterously did the competitors execute their loops, rolls and falling leaves that the whole proceeding, viewed from the ground, looked remarkably simple. Stunting, however, always keeps the spectators on tiptoe, and it was a tribute to the skill of the flyers that there were few on the ground who were not content to stand in the rain for 20 minutes or so and gaze upwards while the planes did everything that one would imagine no plane could do. After the programme was completed the club’s planes were busily engaged in passenger flights. Following are the results: — BLEDISLOE TROPHY COMPETITION Airmanship, navigation and landing. Open to club pilots who have gained their “A” licence during the year . 1935. R. W. M'Skimming (Otago), 231 points 1 Mrs Poulton "(Canterbury), 200 .. 2 R. D. Max (Nelson), 195 3 Also competed: R. Watson (Southland). HERALD TROPHY COMPETITION Cross-country flying, air pilotage, navigation and landing. Open to clubtrained endorsed "A” or non-pro-fessional “ B ” licence pilots. J. V. Reid (Wairarapa-Ruahine, 74 points I W. Cameron (Southland), 69 .. .. 2 M. R. Greenslade (Otago), 68 .. .. 3 Also competed: R. D. Lucas (Nelson), J. Daines (Canterbury), E, Liverton (Wellington). GLOUCESTER TROPHY COMPETITION Dead reckoning, navigation, and log. Open to “B ” licence pilots. I. H. Keith (Western Federated), 86 points 1 J. H. M. Smith (Southland), 83 points 2 J. Buckeridge (Wairarapa-Ruahine), 75 points 8 Also competed; J. J. Busch (Canterbury), S. L. Gilklson (Southland), J. H. Preston (Wairarapa-Ruahine), A. J. Bradshaw (Southland). BOMBING COMPETITION K. Mitchell (Otago), 31 points .. 1 E. Liverton (Wellington), 34 points 2 S. Brown (Hawke’s Bay), 37 points 3 Also competed: J. V. Reid (Waira-rapa-Ruahine), P. C. Lewis (Auckland), F. Wallis (Southland), J. H. Dobson (New Zealand. Airwajs), C. B. Linn (New Plymouth), Mrs Poulton (Canterbury), C. Tait (Otago). JUNIOR LANDING COMPETITION Miss B. E. Black ,(Otago), 24 points 1 G. Cunningham (Wairarapa-Ruahine), 37 points .. •• •• • • •• 2 R. Watson (Southland), 4u points ~ 3 Also competed: I. N. Quinney (West Coast, South Island), G. Dalny (Canterbury). BEST CLUB TURN OUT Possible Points —100. Otago (ZK-ACI), 90 points .. .. t Otago (ZK-ABF), 90 points .. .. t Otago (ZK-ACE), 89 points .. 3 Otago (ZK-ADN) 85, Southland (ZKADB) 80. Thirty-six machin'-# were cxan.ined by the judges. *SENIOR AEROBATICS J. M. Buckeridge (WairarapaRuahine) • • • * * J. H. M. Smith (Southland) .. .. 2 Only competitors. SENIOR LANDING COMPETITION D. Renton (Otago) and P. G. White (Hawke’s Bay), 5 points (equal) 1 K. B. Robinson (Auckland), 12 points 3 Also competed; S. Poore (Canterbury), C. B. Linn (New Plymouth), E. Liverton (Wellington), H. R. Wigley (New Zealand Airways), F. Adams (Southland). A. Buchanan (WairarapaRuahine), P. Harvey (Otago), Mrs Poulton (Canterbury). The lie between D Renton and F. G. White was flown off yesterday morning, Renton securing first place. JUNIOR AEROBATICS J. R. Buchanan (Wairarapa-Ruahine) 1 P. A. Mathcson (Otago) 2 Also competed: T. C. Lewis (Auckland), F. Adams (Southland), J. Page (Canterbury).