AVIATION NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 23737, 8 February 1939, Page 14

AVIATION NOTES

By CONTACT The weather recently has interfered with flying activities considerably. Although the week-end before last was showery a fair amount of flying was carried out. Mr F. J. Adams gave dya to a large number of the club and civil reserve trainees, several going. so o again after being out of the air or quite a while. Many pilots were out flying and quite a few short trips wer made, especially to Bluff, while th Sanders Cup races were being held. Pilots making cross-country nights were B. Thompson to Gore in. ADM; D. Cross and J - 1° Dunedin and return in ZK-ADM, it. Leask and passenger to Stewart Island and return in ZK-AGF; F. J. A a with two passengers to Stewart Island and return in ZK-AEV; A. Mclntosh with two passengers to Bluff, ureu Beach, Winton and return in ZK-Ab V , F. J. Adams with F. Poole, J. Carrick and B. Macalister to Bluff; A. Mclntosh with two passengers to Colac Bay and return in ZK-AEV; G. Folster to Bluff and return in ZK-AEV; E. Stewart Winton and return in ZK-AGr. On Tuesday afternoon Group captain the Hon. R. A. Cochrane arrived by air and the same evening gave an interesting address to members 0* the Southland Aero Club and many others. He discussed mainly the aerial defenc of New Zealand, the present expansion of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the air power of New Zealand being built up, by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the four Territorial squadrons, the Civil Reserve of Pilots and the aero clubs throughout the country. „ Two machines were at Gore on Sunday morning a week ago when a iair amount of flying was carried out. Mr F. J. Adams gave dual to several club trainees and pilots. Pilot W. Cynnmgham made a cross-country flight to Lumsden and return. Mr Adams was again at Gore on Thursday evening when he gave dual, while several pilots made flights of varying duration. The machine ZK-ADB which has been down for annual inspection is now almost ready for the air again. and should be flying this week. Pilots will be pleased to see the three Moths in the air again as aeroplanes were hard to get during week-ends.

INTERNATIONAL SHOP-WINDOW British aeroplanes and aero engines dominate the Paris aeronautical salon, which is now in its closing days. The Royal Air Force stand, with its two eight-gun fighters and models of many of the new war machines now in service with the Royal Air Force, is constantly thronged, though it is located away from the main floor. At the foot of the column supporting the Supermarine Spitfire fighter is a placard which announces laconically that its level speed—“depasse 563 km./ h”—exceeds 350 miles an hour. Facing it is its contemporary in production, the Hawker Hurricane. Alone, these two aeroplanes would establish British technical leadership; supported by the manufacturers’ exhibits in the main hall, they are irrefutable evidence of the skill of the British designer and the excellence of British craftsmanship. No other aeroplane on view at the salon which has gone through flying trials can get within 40 miles an hour of the Spitfire’s speed. A booklet written in French which is being eagerly accepted by thousands of visitors to the stand, recalls that, at the end of the Great War, Great Britain had the greatest air force in the world, comprising 14,000 serviceable aeroplanes. She was building at the rate of 3500 aircraft a month—more than 100 a day. The Royal Air Force comprised 187 squadrons and 300,000 men. Today, after years of unilateral disarmament, Great Britain is again building mighty air power. Illustrated tables on the stand show that the Air Estimates have risen" from £17,000,000 in 1934 to about £200,000,000 in 1939. By 1941 there will be between 5000 and 8000 British fighter aircraft alone, in addition to immense numbers of bombers.