A GAME IN THE AIR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22999, 30 September 1936, Page 10

A GAME IN THE AIR

ANTI-AIRCRAFT EXERCISES FIRST PRACTICE IN WELLINGTON (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Sept. 29. A mild' form of aerial hide and seek was played over Wellington for an hour to-night by an aeroplane of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, from the Wigram Aero'drome, and the searchlights of the Royal New Zealand Artillery at Fort Dorset. The game in the sky wgs entertaining to the watchers, but had a serious purpose from a service point of view being instructional practice with some of the anti-aircraft equipment at night. The plane represented an enemy bomber over Wellington, and the artillerymen had to find it with sound indicators and then show it up with searchlights so that it could have been attacked with anti-air-craft guns. The aeroplane kept on a fairly regular course within a given area, although this was unknown to the , ground observers. Anti-aircraft equipment was installed at the fort a few months ago as part of the programme of improvement of coastal defence. This is the first anti-aircraft exercise held in Wellington, but a practice was held some weeks ago at Auckland. A test more approximate to service conditions will be held to-morrow night, and on Friday afternoon a parade of anti-aircraft guns, searchlights and other equipment will be held through the streets of Wellington.