ROYAL AIR FORCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23594, 2 September 1938, Page 10

ROYAL AIR FORCE

TWO AIRSPEED OXFORDS LATEST ADDITION TO DEFENCE SUCCESSFUL TEST FLIGHTS (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Sept. 1. Successful test flights of two Airspeed Oxford aeroplanes, the first twin-engined machines purchased by the Government for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, were made at the Hobsonville air base to-day. The machines, modern training monoplanes, were tested by Wing-com-mander Hodson, officer commanding the flying training school at Wigram, and Squadron-leader Olson, officer commanding the Hobsonville base, and a large crowd comprising officers and men attached to the station as well as many Public Works Department employees watched the two monoplanes as they were put through their paces. The first of five identical craft ordered by the Government, largely for the training of pilots on twinengined types, before the arrival from England of 30 Vickers Wellington bombers now on order, the two Oxfords were assembled at Hobsonville under the supervision of Mr W. F. Locke, aeronautical engineer attached to the staff of Airspeed (1934), Limited. The third machine is due to reach Auckland late this month, and the others in the near future. All five will be stationed at Wigram flying training school of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The final inspections of the two machines were made by Mr Locke before they left the hangar. The first to be tested was then wheeled out on to the tarmac, where the motors were started, wanned and run-up by Mr Locke, who then handed over to the testing officers. He accompanied them on the first flight. Slim and graceful and considerably faster than the other defence aircraft at present in New Zealand, the Oxford made a fine picture as she took off. The first ship to undergo the flight tests was eagerly watched by everyone on the station as she was taxied down-field for the takeoff. Following a series of brief runs on the ground no attempt was made to lift the monoplane into the air with undue haste, yet she came off quickly and rapidly gained height. The undercarriage could be seen retracting as the craft was outlined against a low cloud, and in a moment she was back over the field, the twin motors roaring happily and the monoplane making high speed downwind, resembling the familiar Lockheed Electra but on a smaller scale and with single tail and bulbous gunturret to distinguish her. The Oxford was flown on a roughly circular course about Hobsonville. Each time she passed over even experienced flying-men turned their eyes skyward to catch a glimpse of the latest addition to the aerial defence of the Dominion, The two Oxfords will be flown to Wigram r on-stop, probably on Saturday, The crews will comprise Wing-commander Hodson and Flight-lieutenant Cohen and Squadron-leader Olson and Pilotofficer Robertson. The journey is expected to occupy under four hours at a cruising speed of 150 miles an hour.