Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 7, 2006 13:27:23 GMT 12
Today, thanks to Trademe and Chris Rudge, I finally secured a copy of the 1938 programme for the 'Roayl New Zealand Air Force Display' which was held at Rongotai airport, Wellington.
What a detailed and interesting magazine it is. It's not just an airshow brochure, but a full magazine, and has lots of wonderful period adverts for aircraft manufacturers, plus a number of articles about the RNZAF and RAF. It also has a full run-down of the display, which included a long performance by the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band, then at 2pm (4th June, 1938) the flying began. The airshow was the RNZAF's first large scale public demonstration to show what they had been training in all those years for.
Here's a brief of the synopsis of displays - the programme is more detailed.
Event 1
A PUPIL ARRIVES AT THE FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL, WIGRAM
Simulatiion of a test flight for the pupil in an intermediate type, the Avro 626, to test his ability. The instructor's comments wrere broadcast over the tannoy via "radio-telephony"
Event 2
TEST OF INSTRUMENT FLYING
Aircraft type not specified but probably 626 again I'd think. The pupil flies under the hood, while the instructor holds his hands above his head to show crowd he's not flying it.
Event 3
HEIGHT TEST
Demonstration of flying to 20,000ft as this is done often at Wigram for checking weather. The pilot was accompanied by a Met Officer from Wigram and they broadcast from time to time the weather conditions as they climbed.
Event 4
PHOTOGRAPHIC TRAINING
Again type not specified, possibly Vildebeest, but the aircraft flew low along the spectators and took a series of photos of them! they'd be neat to see. I guess they may have been published later in a newspaper?
Event 5
ARMAMENT TRAINING: ATTACK ON GROUND TARGET
Two Vildebeests diving at a white circle marking and firing live rounds from front guns, then pull up and the rear gunners fired too! Wicked!
Event 6
THE WELLINGTON TERRITORIAL SQUADRON TAKES OFF
Nine Baffins in Vic formation
Event 7
ARMAMENT TRAINING: ATTACK ON AIR TARGET
Two Grebes attack a Vildebeest. It states the Grebes had camera guns to guage accuracy!
Event 8
INSTRUCTION IN FORMATION FLYING
This doesn't specify types but I know it was three Vildebeests in formation, and they even looped together at the show! It states at the end of the display the planes dropped supply containers by parachutes!
PART II - UNIT TRAINING
Event 9
DEMONSTRATION OF ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE
If weather permitted a Fairey IIF was to tow a sleeve taregt and the Royal NZ Artillery who were on the edge of the aerodrome would fire at it (obviously over Lyall Bay! The IIIF would be at 6000ft, and target 6000ft behind the plane
Event 10
DEMONSTRATION OF BOMBING TACTICS BY THE WELLINGTON TERRITORIAL SQUADRON
Using small practice bombs they demonstrated high bombing as a squadron from 6000ft, then two squads demonstrated dive bombing, and finally the third flight of three did low bombing. The targets for dive and low bombing was a rock near the centre of Lyall Bay
Event 11
ATTACK ON MOTOR BOAT
A high speed motor boat was to enter the bay, and be attacked by three Baffins
Event 12
THE POWER OF THE MODERN BOMB
A simulation again in the harbour where one baffin drops six practice bombs, but live charges each equiv to the power of a 250lb bomb will be exploded from land by the 2nd Field Company, NZ Engineers, just under the water to look like real bombs exploding.
Event 13
FLY PAST
A massed flypast consisting of
2 x Gloster Grebes
3 x Avro 626's
7 x Vickers Vildebeests
9 x Baffins
It stated that after event 13 the IIIF would have another run for the AA gunners too!
WOW!! Why don't they have airshows like that now? Live guns, bombing raids, aerial combat. Great stuff.
What a detailed and interesting magazine it is. It's not just an airshow brochure, but a full magazine, and has lots of wonderful period adverts for aircraft manufacturers, plus a number of articles about the RNZAF and RAF. It also has a full run-down of the display, which included a long performance by the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band, then at 2pm (4th June, 1938) the flying began. The airshow was the RNZAF's first large scale public demonstration to show what they had been training in all those years for.
Here's a brief of the synopsis of displays - the programme is more detailed.
Event 1
A PUPIL ARRIVES AT THE FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL, WIGRAM
Simulatiion of a test flight for the pupil in an intermediate type, the Avro 626, to test his ability. The instructor's comments wrere broadcast over the tannoy via "radio-telephony"
Event 2
TEST OF INSTRUMENT FLYING
Aircraft type not specified but probably 626 again I'd think. The pupil flies under the hood, while the instructor holds his hands above his head to show crowd he's not flying it.
Event 3
HEIGHT TEST
Demonstration of flying to 20,000ft as this is done often at Wigram for checking weather. The pilot was accompanied by a Met Officer from Wigram and they broadcast from time to time the weather conditions as they climbed.
Event 4
PHOTOGRAPHIC TRAINING
Again type not specified, possibly Vildebeest, but the aircraft flew low along the spectators and took a series of photos of them! they'd be neat to see. I guess they may have been published later in a newspaper?
Event 5
ARMAMENT TRAINING: ATTACK ON GROUND TARGET
Two Vildebeests diving at a white circle marking and firing live rounds from front guns, then pull up and the rear gunners fired too! Wicked!
Event 6
THE WELLINGTON TERRITORIAL SQUADRON TAKES OFF
Nine Baffins in Vic formation
Event 7
ARMAMENT TRAINING: ATTACK ON AIR TARGET
Two Grebes attack a Vildebeest. It states the Grebes had camera guns to guage accuracy!
Event 8
INSTRUCTION IN FORMATION FLYING
This doesn't specify types but I know it was three Vildebeests in formation, and they even looped together at the show! It states at the end of the display the planes dropped supply containers by parachutes!
PART II - UNIT TRAINING
Event 9
DEMONSTRATION OF ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE
If weather permitted a Fairey IIF was to tow a sleeve taregt and the Royal NZ Artillery who were on the edge of the aerodrome would fire at it (obviously over Lyall Bay! The IIIF would be at 6000ft, and target 6000ft behind the plane
Event 10
DEMONSTRATION OF BOMBING TACTICS BY THE WELLINGTON TERRITORIAL SQUADRON
Using small practice bombs they demonstrated high bombing as a squadron from 6000ft, then two squads demonstrated dive bombing, and finally the third flight of three did low bombing. The targets for dive and low bombing was a rock near the centre of Lyall Bay
Event 11
ATTACK ON MOTOR BOAT
A high speed motor boat was to enter the bay, and be attacked by three Baffins
Event 12
THE POWER OF THE MODERN BOMB
A simulation again in the harbour where one baffin drops six practice bombs, but live charges each equiv to the power of a 250lb bomb will be exploded from land by the 2nd Field Company, NZ Engineers, just under the water to look like real bombs exploding.
Event 13
FLY PAST
A massed flypast consisting of
2 x Gloster Grebes
3 x Avro 626's
7 x Vickers Vildebeests
9 x Baffins
It stated that after event 13 the IIIF would have another run for the AA gunners too!
WOW!! Why don't they have airshows like that now? Live guns, bombing raids, aerial combat. Great stuff.
