Mosquito Visit To New Zealand in 1945?

[Dave Homewood]

Did this happen?

FLIGHT FROM INDIA

MOSQUITO FOR EXHIBITION

By courtesy of Air Marshal Sir Keith Park, Commander-in-Chief for Air, South-east Asia, two New Zealand airmen are flying a Mosquito of the latest operational type from India for exhibition in New Zealand. It is the first flight made by a fighter aircraft from India to New Zealand, and the journey, of 8000 miles, is mostly across water. The plane is expected to arrive in a few days.

The airmen making the flight have both brought distinction to the R.N.Z.A.F. The pilot, Squadron Leader K. O. S. Newman, D.F.C., and Bar, of Broadwood, Hokianga, North Auckland, has given outstanding service on photographic duties in the South-east Asia Command, and he has as navigator on this trip Wing Commander T. de Lange, D.F.C., of Auckland. As R.N.Z.A.F. liaison officer in the Southeast Asia Command, Wing Commander de Lange flew 25,000 miles recently to acquaint himself with New Zealand personnel and conditions on the Burma front, and he is returning for discussions with the R.N.Z.A.F. The two airmen will be away from their command for about a month.

A twin-engined high performance monoplane built of wood, the Mosquito is the fastest aircraft of its type in operational service in the world, and its unusual qualities have proved it invaluable on a variety of missions. Bombing raids on Berlin were among their particularly successful assignments, and their long-range fighter and reconnaissance patrols were remarkable achievements.

The flying characteristics of the Mosquito demand particular aerodrome facilities, and it will be able to land only at Whenuapai, Ardmore, Ohakea, Woodbourne, and Wigram. The public will be able either to see the landings or to inspect the aircraft at those stations, and a flying itinerary has been arranged to include all the main cities and towns from North Auckland to Invercargill. It is a comprehensive programme, and the machine will be taken over each centre first at 2000 feet and then at 1000 feet.

EVENING POST, 15 AUGUST 1945

[davidd]

This aircraft never arrived in NZ, although I have no idea why this flight did not eventuate - perhaps you will soon come across the explanation in those newspapers Dave H! Incidentally the un-named journalist who penned this brief article seems to have fallen foul of S/L Newman's nick-name. His full name was Kosuth John Newman,"Kos" for short. He was well-known here in NZ in 1942 as a test pilot, both at Harewood, and Hobsonville, taking up Hudsons and Kittyhawks alike for their first test flights in New Zealand before he travelled to the Northern hemisphere where he met with fame if not fortune. He was killed in a motor vehicle accident in NZ, in (I think) the 1960s. I also seem to recall that his log books are floating about somewhere - I have information taken from them, although sadly not about that Mosquito story.
David D

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks David, yes I have been searching the subsequent newspapers and found nothing yet.

I wonder where those logbooks are now, I'd love to find them. And also Theo Maclean de Lange's logbooks would be very interesting too.

[Dave Homewood]

Hmm, I just discovered that I posted the article above previously, ten years ago. And I also posted this follow up at the time:

VISIT POSTPONED
Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 47, 24 August 1945, Page 4

MOSQUITO FROM INDIA

The opportunity which had been arranged for the people of New Zealand to see Great Britain's most famous utility service aircraft, the Mosquito, has been postponed as a result of the end of the war with Japan. It was announced a week ago that two distinguished ' New Zealand airmen, Squadron Leader K. O. S. Newman, D.F.C. and Bar, of Broadwood, Hokianga, North Auckland, and Whig Commander T. de Lange, D.F.C, of Auckland, as pilot and navigator respectively, would fly a Mosquito of tlie latest operational type from India to New Zealand and would exhibit it in flight throughout the Dominion. Because of Japan's capitulation the trip is considered inadvisable in the meantime, but it is hoped it will be made as soon as conditions permit.

I can't find anything more so have no idea if the aircraft made it to NZ eventually. Or maybe the first Mossie to come to NZ was an RNZAF one in 1946??