UNION AIRWAYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23202, 28 May 1937, Page 4

UNION AIRWAYS

AUCKLAND-WELLINGTON SERVICE THREE NEW MONOPLANES FASTEST MACHINE IN NEW ZEALAND (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, May 27. Two of the three Lockheed Electra monoplanes ordered by the Union Airways, Limited, for the air service it is proposed to inaugurate shortly between Auckland and Wellington will "arrive from the United States to-morrow by the Limerick. The third machine is being brought to New Zealand by the Waiotapu, which is due to arrive from Pacific coast ports on June 26. In view of their dimensions, the two aeroplanes on the Limerick are being carried as deck cargo. They were only partly dismantled before being placed aboard and the large fuselages with the centre section of the wings are on deck. The other equipment, which was removed from the machines before they left the United States, is in cases in the Limerick's hold. The machines will be lifted in slings from the deck and lowered over the side on to waiting barges which will then be towed to the Royal New Zealand Air Force base at Hobsonville, where the monoplanes will be assembled. Test flights will be made in each of the three machines by Moye W. Stephens, jun., a member of the staff of the Lockheed Corporation, who arrived in New Zealand from the United States a fortnight ago. Mr Stephens was accompanied by Mrs Stephens and Mr A. Adam* aviation officer of the firm of Brown and Dureau, Limited, of Melbourne. They were flown from Wellington to Auckland to-day by Mr Walker, of the Vacuum Oil Company, Pty., Limited, in the Wellington Aero Club's Waco biplane. The monoplanes will be tested from the Mangere aerodrome, where a new hangar has been erected for the Union Airways. At the conclusion of the tests Mr Stephens will instruct the pilots on the staff of the Union Airways in the use of the machines, which are fitted with a complete range -of modern equipment, including con-stant-speed airscrews and retractable undercarriages. The"" monoplanes will then be put into service between Auckland and Wellington. Faster by a considerable margin than any other aeroplane yet seen in New Zealand, including the panAmerican Clipper and Miss Jean Batten's monoplane, the Lockheeds are all-metal craft powered by two supercharged motors. They carry 10 passengers and two pilots, and cruise at 180 miles an hour, the maximum speed being 205 miles an hour. The aerodromes which the Lockheeds are likely to use between Auckland and Wellington have been inspected recently by Mr Stephens, arid after his flight to Auckland he expressed himself as well satisfied with the landing grounds and hangars available along the route.