SUNDERLANDS ON WAY TO N.Z.

Southland Times, Issue 25514, 7 November 1944, Page 2

SUNDERLANDS ON WAY TO N.Z.

INVERCARGILL MEN IN CREW OF ONE CRAFT

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, November 6. The outstanding record of Royal New Zealand Air Force transport squadrons operating between New Zealand and the South Pacific was referred to by the Minister of Defence, Mr F. Jones, today when he announc* 1 that a valuable addition to the squadrons is now on its way to the Dominion. Four Sunderland flying boats were recently allocated to the Royal New Zealand Air Force and they are being flown out from the United Kingdom by New Zealand crews. They will be used to supplement the existing Royal New Zealand Air Force air transport organizations. “The increasing scope of the Pacific theatre is requiring a corresponding extension of the system of supply,” the Minister said, “and the arrival of the Sunderlands will represent another milestone in the development of the Royal New Zealand Air Force in this area. “Already transport squadrons based on Whenuapai have flown nearly 4,500,000 miles to maintain the important supply of personnel and equipment to Pacific establishments. This service has been operating since April 13, 1943, and it has been brought to a stage at which these big transport craft handle their commissions with almost clockwork efficiency. In addition to personnel the aircraft carry all types of equipment and stores and are used, when necessary, to transport casualties.” An example of the importance of the service was to be found in the figures for a month’s operations recently when more than 100 tons of freight and 1220 passengers were carried.

BAD FLYING WEATHER “These trips are not by any means always uneventful,” said Mr Jones. “The Pacific can provide some of the world’s worst flying weather and it is a commentary on the skill and experience of our men that the squadron’s record is such a fine one.

“The Short Sunderland is the military version of the Empire flying boat,” Mr Jones added, “and it has established a magnificent reputation in the British Coastal Command since the outbreak. It has been consistently and outstandingly successful on anti-submarine patrols and convoy escort. The peacetime performance of its four engines gives a cruising speed of 150 miles an hour, with a much higher top speed. Its normal range is 1780 miles, but the overload range is nearly 3000 miles. Modifications can make it excellently suited to transport purposes.” Mr Jones said the Sunderlands were being flown to New Zealand by Royal New Zealand Air Force crews who had completed their tour of operations in the Northern Hemisphere and they were being maintained by their own crews throughout the 16,000 miles flight. The crews are as follows with captains given first in each case:— NO. 1 BOAT.—Flight Lieutenant B. E. Layne, Hamilton; Flying Officer T. E. Neave, Kurow; Pilot Officer J. D. Garrett, Riccarton; Flight Lieutenant P. C. K. Morrison, Auckland; Flying Officer E. R. Ruffles, Auckland, and two Australian flight-engineers, Warrant Officers L. W. Cox and Gunnourie and a Bristol Company engineer, Mr Jones. NO. 2 BOAT.—Flight Lieutenant J. S. Shepherd, Dunedin; Flying Officer L. A. E. Schwabe, Gisborne; Flying Officer A. Holdsworth,’Christchurch; Flying Officer N. E. Dawson, Hamilton; and three Australians, Flying Officer T. P. Bruhan and Pilot Officers A. J. Taylor and C. S. Mitchell. NO. 3 BOAT.—Flight Lieutenant H. K. Patience, Khandallah; Pilot Officer T. J. Ladd, Te Awamutu; Flying Officer C .J. Berry, Christchurch; Pilot Officer E. W. Buchanan, Sandringham; Warrant Officer G. N. Roberts, Parnell; Flight Lieutenant N. A. Ward, D.F.C., New Plymouth, and two Australians, Flying Officer J. Russell and Flight Sergeant P. F. Sheridan.

NO. 4 BOAT.—Flight Lieutenant J. C. L. Pettit, Wellington; Flight Lieutenant D. F. Blackmore, Christchurch; Flight Lieutenant R. E. Stevenson, Invercargill; Flying Officer A. G. Sutherland, Invercargill; Warrant Officer D. A. Anderson, Invercargill, and two Australians, Pilot Officer F. Kerrison and Flight Sergeant G. Fry. The officer commanding the flight. Wing Commander D. W. Baird, A.F.C., of Wellington, and the technical signals officer, Flying Officer J. A. Fraser, of Auckland, are also in the fourth boat.

AIRCRAFT SET FOR NEW ZEALAND

War Transport FlyingBoats For Pacific

(8.0.W.) RUGBY, November 5. In flights of two, with a few days’ interval between them, four transport type Sunderland flying boats have set out on the first stage of the 16,000 mile flight to New Zealand. They have been given to the Royal New Zealand Air Force for war transport purposes on Pacific routes and are the first aircraft ever to be flown by New Zealand service crews from Britain towards the Dominion.

Mostly drawn from a New Zealand flying boat squadron operating from West Africa, the crews spent many weeks here taking delivery of the new aircraft, testing and modifying and putting painstaking finishing touches on the preparations for the journey. Their enthusiasm suffered a disappointing blow a few hours before the take-off of the first two Sunderlands when their senior captain, Wing Commander D. H. Baird, A.F.C., of Wellington, injured his arm and was obliged under medical orders to withdraw from that flight.

The flying boats are carrying letters to New Zealand to mark the occasion. Among them is a message from the Secretary of State for Ah’, Sir Archibald Sinclair, to the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser.

Fitted for comfortable, long-distance travel within the limits of war-time standards, the aircraft are of the type used by Coastal Command in the war against U-boats, except that they have no gun turrets. Inside, each is divided into-roomy seating compartments, including a cabin designed for high priority passengers, known in the service as “Vips”—very important personages. The route of the Sunderlands is taking them by fairly easy stages across the South Atlantic and the United States, thence down the network of Pacific bases to New Zealand. The flight is being spread over a few weeks.