ewen
Warrant Officer
Posts: 39
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Post by ewen on Mar 19, 2014 23:33:28 GMT 12
In my never-ending search amongst old photographs, I have come across some more shots of ZK-AMA. These seem to be post-war at Auckland: Hi, amazing what old threads you dig up while researching. Just wanted to add that this one in particular would have been taken between September 1939 and the end of March 1940. It was used on a popular 'first flight cover' sent on the Aotearoa's inaugural service; Cheers, Ewen
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 20, 2014 13:15:44 GMT 12
This just in from Paul Sheeham: "Hi Dave, In the Section, 'New Zealand's Civil Aviation – Yesterday and Today' there is a subject 'The End of Aotearoa' on Page 1. For many years there has been speculation as to the exact place the aircraft was positioned in Mission Bay Between August 1948 and October 1950. Well here's a photo I found from the Whites Aviation Collection at the Alexander Turnbull Library website a few months ago. I think this will dispel any questions as to the site. The aircraft was pulled, tail first from the sea and came over the park to the left of the clump of trees where the dinghy is on the beach. It was then turned on an angle and towed backwards across Tamaki Drive and positioned onto the site. Perhaps you could put this photo on the website – I think it will start some interesting debate!! Best regards Paul Sheehan, Melbourne"
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Post by AussieBob on Mar 20, 2014 23:16:34 GMT 12
Here is what it looks like today
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Post by Peter Lewis on Mar 21, 2014 20:43:02 GMT 12
Great. Removes any further argument about the location. Mrs Green's dairy is the building on the corner. Just wanted to add that this one in particular would have been taken between September 1939 and the end of March 1940. Ewen That verifies the date for that photo pretty accuratly.
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ewen
Warrant Officer
Posts: 39
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Post by ewen on Mar 21, 2014 22:02:31 GMT 12
Only as the photo must have been taken between when the Aotearoa arrived in Auckland (on the eve of WW2) and her first official trans-Tasman mail at the end of April 1940.
More useless info; she did carry other mails, including many on her Pacific survey flights (including Fiji's first external delivery), but most were 'per favor' and not officially sanctioned.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 22, 2014 10:07:08 GMT 12
I have to say I like the look of 1950's Mission Bay a lot more than 2010's.
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ewen
Warrant Officer
Posts: 39
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Post by ewen on Apr 30, 2015 0:00:41 GMT 12
This was the closest thread I could find to one on ZK-AMA. Today, the 30th of April, is the 75th anniversary since TEAL inaugurated the first regular trans-Tasman service in ZK-AMA under the command of Captain Burgess. Here is one of the 41,000 articles of mail carried on that flight. It has the purple boxed cachet, as all these sent Auckland to Sydney do, and shows the original spelling for the flying boat; AO-TEA-ROA This was a controversial spelling and the papers led a campaign to have the spelling amended. Short Bros agreed and the name was changed to AOTEAROA before the delivery flight from Southampton to New Zealand. Here is an excerpt from the Auckland Star, page 11 on the 13th of May, 1939; Congratulations to Air New Zealand
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Post by Swingtail on Jan 1, 2018 12:55:33 GMT 12
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