MORE AEROPLANES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 275, 19 November 1937, Page 8

MORE AEROPLANES

PURCHASES BY N.Z. AIR FORCE SEVENTEEN MACHINES I Per Press Association. ] CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 18. The increasing attention being paid by the Defence Department to building up the Royal New Zealand Air Force is indicated by the decision of the Government to purchase another 17 Blackburn Baffin aeroplanes. In making this announcement to a representative of the Press, the Minister for Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, said that these machines would be additional to the 12 already on order. The 17 machines which it had just been decided to purchase were recently placed under offer to the New Zealand Government by the British War Office. They were to be us 2d for the training of territorials in tie various Dominion centres. They had done very little flying and were reported to be in excellent condition. They were very similar in performance to the Vickers-Vildebeest bombers at present in the Dominion.

The Minister added that the new machines were mostly suitable for training purposes, reconnaissance and anti-submarine work. The first shipment of the original order of Black-burn-Baffin aeroplanes would arrive in New Zealand next month. Delivery of the remaining machines now on order would be effected some time next year, when the total number of this type ol aeroplane available for the training erf territorials wou'd be brought up to 29.