Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 7, 2024 22:42:03 GMT 12
This article from the New Zealand Herald, dated 2 September 1925. marks the beginning of service for the Avro 504K's that were built for the NZPAF. One of these still flies today with The Vintage Aviator.
WIGRAM AERODROME.
ASSEMBLING NEW MACHINES.
SUCCESSFUL TRIAL FLIGHT.
GENERAL OVERHAUL PLANNED
[By telegraph — own correspondent.] CHRISTCHTJRCH, Tuesday.
The first of the six new Avro aeroplanes sent to the Wigram aerodrome had its first trial flight this morning. The test was satisfactory. The work of assembling the remaining five machines is now in hand and by the time the refresher course opens in February the whole six will be in commission.
The arrival of the new machines brings the total number of aeroplanes at the aerodrome up to 19. This number is made up as follows:— Avros, 9; DH.6, 1; DH.9, 5; DH4, 2; Bristol, 2. With the present, staff of mechanics a new machine can be erected in three days.
Between now and February the whole 19 aeroplanes will be overhauled and brought up to date. A service DH.9, one of the largest machines in New Zealand, will be sent to the Dunedin Exhibition as a portion of the defence exhibit.
During the last course, which took place a fortnight ago, the reserve pilots spent 100 hours in the air, and not one came down through engine trouble. Speaking of this to-day Captain L. Isitt, officer in charge of the aerodrome, paid tribute to the work of the mechanics. He mentioned that it was seldom that engine trouble was ever met with.
The new machines are painted a silver grey and present a pretty sight in the air. Some of the older machines have already been painted this colour, and as each is overhauled it will receive a coat of silver grey.
The new machines are of the latest design and are of the same type as those used for standard training by the British Air Force as well as Continental countries and in Japan. They were first used as the standard machine in Great Britain in 1916.
WIGRAM AERODROME.
ASSEMBLING NEW MACHINES.
SUCCESSFUL TRIAL FLIGHT.
GENERAL OVERHAUL PLANNED
[By telegraph — own correspondent.] CHRISTCHTJRCH, Tuesday.
The first of the six new Avro aeroplanes sent to the Wigram aerodrome had its first trial flight this morning. The test was satisfactory. The work of assembling the remaining five machines is now in hand and by the time the refresher course opens in February the whole six will be in commission.
The arrival of the new machines brings the total number of aeroplanes at the aerodrome up to 19. This number is made up as follows:— Avros, 9; DH.6, 1; DH.9, 5; DH4, 2; Bristol, 2. With the present, staff of mechanics a new machine can be erected in three days.
Between now and February the whole 19 aeroplanes will be overhauled and brought up to date. A service DH.9, one of the largest machines in New Zealand, will be sent to the Dunedin Exhibition as a portion of the defence exhibit.
During the last course, which took place a fortnight ago, the reserve pilots spent 100 hours in the air, and not one came down through engine trouble. Speaking of this to-day Captain L. Isitt, officer in charge of the aerodrome, paid tribute to the work of the mechanics. He mentioned that it was seldom that engine trouble was ever met with.
The new machines are painted a silver grey and present a pretty sight in the air. Some of the older machines have already been painted this colour, and as each is overhauled it will receive a coat of silver grey.
The new machines are of the latest design and are of the same type as those used for standard training by the British Air Force as well as Continental countries and in Japan. They were first used as the standard machine in Great Britain in 1916.
