Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 22, 2018 12:32:35 GMT 12
I have discovered that on Sunday the 3rd of September 1939, there were airshows held at both Wigram and Mangere.
I have not discovered much about the Mangere event other than it was run by the Auckland Aero Club, it promised to have flying displays and there were rides available in their Staggerwing.
I have found more on the Wigram event however and it was run by the Canterbury Aero Club but had RNZAF involvement. A few of the names would become more well known later.
It's really interesting to think that both famous airfields hosted airshows that day and then that evening the country went to war, and most of the pilots involved were suddenly mobilised into the RNZAF. Mangere itself instantly became an RNZAF station and all the aeroplanes were impressed.
I have added them both to my Airshow Archive here:
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Airshow_History_1930s.html#39
I have not discovered much about the Mangere event other than it was run by the Auckland Aero Club, it promised to have flying displays and there were rides available in their Staggerwing.
I have found more on the Wigram event however and it was run by the Canterbury Aero Club but had RNZAF involvement. A few of the names would become more well known later.
It's really interesting to think that both famous airfields hosted airshows that day and then that evening the country went to war, and most of the pilots involved were suddenly mobilised into the RNZAF. Mangere itself instantly became an RNZAF station and all the aeroplanes were impressed.
I have added them both to my Airshow Archive here:
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Airshow_History_1930s.html#39
