EXPECTED AT OHAKEA TONIGHT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 56, 8 March 1946, Page 4

EXPECTED AT OHAKEA TONIGHT

LANCASTRIAN AIRCRAFT FROM ENGLAND (P.A.) Wellington, March 7. The Lancastrian aircraft which -left Northolt, England, at 1.30 a.m. G.M.T. on March 6, is expected to arrive at Ohakea to-morrow night about 10 o’clock, according to the Air Department. Il arrived at Shaibah at 2.36 p.m. G.M.T. on March 6, and was expected to leave at 4 p.m. for Negombo, Ceylon, but did not take off till 4.33 p.m. It is now due at Negombo at 6.33 a.m. G.M.T. on March 7.

If the aircraft arrives on time it will, it is believed, establish a ; cw record from England to New Zealand. Reports published in Auckland last week stated that the aircraft in which Lord Winster travelled to New Zealand set up a new record for the distance, but this appears to be incorrect, though few figures are available for the war period. Lord Winster’s aircraft took five days 21 hours to reach New Zeals Mi, but a Skymaster flown by Squadron-Leader J. Adams, who is captain of the Lancastrian expected to arrive at Ohakea to-night, brought the Minister of Mines, Mr. Webb, to New Zealand from England in four days nine hours ia December last. The actual flying time for the journey was 68 hours SO minutes. Squad-ron-Leader Adams, who comes form Christchurch, is well known in aviation circles in New Zealand.