Kiwi Bush Pilots In The Pacific Region?

[Dave Homewood]

I was wondering, after the Second World War was over, did any of the Kiwi pilots who'd flown up in the Pacific realise that there was now a load of airfields on islands around the Solomons, New Hebrides, PNG, etc, that would probably enjoy to be connected by air, and go back up there postwar to become bush pilots?

Or did that sort of thing not happen till much later?

Were any Kiwis involved? Or did the Aussies and French and others have that sewn up?

Are there any older, early days Kiwi bush pilots from the Pacific still around nowadays?

I am not even sure if this was a thing, so curious to know if and when it happened, and who?

[davidd]

I am thinking of F P (Fred) Ladd and his involvement with Fiji Airways. However my knowledge of anything happening in the Solomons, New Hebrides, Tonga, Samoa in the 1950s/60s is about nil. Probably mostly the territory of the local European communities and expats?

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks David.

[oj]

There were 98 Biggles books published, but by title, I cannot see any "Biggles in the Pacific".
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biggles

[scrooge]

Biggles in the South Seas (1940)

[oj]

Yes I saw that, but Dave said after WW2.

[chinapilot]

Interesting question, Dave.

From a personal perspective, when I was in PNG in 1970-74, there were no ex RNZAF WWII pilots and only a few ex RAAF. Most of the operators there had only really expanded in the early '60s.

Fiji in the mid-'70s - apart from Fred Ladd's already mentioned involvement in the '50s, charter companies really only expanded there in the 1970s with new strips in the outlying islands being built and an increase in tourism.

Much the same for the Solomon Is, New Hebrides, Cook Islands and Samoa at the time.

Of course, I stand to be corrected, but directly after the war, there would not have been many charter opportunities in the South Pacific - flying was still expensive, and there wasn't the tourist market or population base to make money. Hundreds of airfields but no viable use and aviation closely guarded by the 'colonial' powers.

Pre-war, there was an intense network of shipping throughout the whole area which came back post-WWII and this must have been difficult to compete with as every town and plantation seemed to have its own wharfe in that era.

SE Asia was a different proposition with the post-war economy and huge population base. Many 'pilots of fortune' then but haven't heard of any ex RNZAF ones.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Ian.