LANCASTERS TO FLY FROM LONDON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 55, 7 March 1946, Page 3

LANCASTERS TO FLY FROM LONDON

TO NEW ZEALAND IN FIFTY HOURS (Special Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) London, March 4. London to Whenuapa! or Ohakca in under 50 hours is the ambition of the crews of two Lancastrians of R.A.F. Transport Command. The two aircraft will take off from Northolt at an interval of 20 minutes at 1 a.m. G.M.T. on March 6. They expect to reach Whenuapai at about 2 p.m. on or 3 a.m. G.M.T. on March 8, and return to Northolt by 10 a.m. G.M.T. on March 12. The purpo.e of the flight is not to break records, but to complete the training of four Transport Command crews urgently required to take up duties with service carrying Vips, or very important passengers. Two crews will fly in each aircraft, taking turns about. The captains will be ail New Zealanders Squadron-Leaders J. Adams, D.F.C., A.F.C., and A. J. Bradshaw, Flight-Lieutenant C. D.

Milne (all of Christchurch); and Fly-ing-Officer W. R. Birdling. D.F.C., Whangarei. Except for Bradshaw they will all command English crews. Bradshaw has an all New Zealand crew, comprising Flight-Lieutenants E. King, D.F.C. (Lower Hutt), who Is second pilot; C. G. B. Knight, D.F.C. (Gisborne), who is wireless operator; A. R. Hill (Auckland), who is navigator; Pilot-Officer A. C. Hilliam (Auckland), who is flight engineer; Flight-Sergeant W. J. A. Ball (Auckland), who is flight clerk. Bradshaw's and Milne's crews will fly in the same aircraft. HIGH QUALIFICATIONS

Indicating the high qualifications required by Transport Command of crews flying Vips, Adams, although he recently flew Mr. Webb to New Zealand and Mr. Fraser to England, has not yet 200 hours’ flying time in Lancasters or Lancastrians. He therefore is making this flight, which will bring up his Lanca_trian flying hours of all crews to the required minimum. Wing-Commander K. Crighton, of Wellington, who is officer in charge of administration at R.N.Z.A.F. headquarters, London, will fly in one aircraft and will hold consultations with the Air Department in Wellington. The route of flight and the scheduled times of departure, all G.M.T., but which the crews hope to clip, is; Leave Northolt for Shaibah, 1 a.m., March 6; Shaibah for Negombo at 3.30 p.m.; Negombo for Learmouth at 4 a.m.; Lea'mouth for Sydney at 6 p.m.; Sydney for Whanuapai, 4 a.m. on March 8. The return flight, over the same rc’ate, is expected to begin at 1.15 a.m. on March 10. Squadron-Leader Adams, who is an original member of No. 75 Squadron, has flown approximately 7000 hours since he joined Transport Command. Bradshaw, who operated with R.N.Z.A.F. squadrons and at Guadalcanar on anti-submarine patrol, has over 6000 hours’ flying time. King operated in Lancasters over Germany. Knight was the first man decorated in the R.N.Z.A.F. The present bad weather conditions in England may delay the flight by 4S hours.