Retirement Of Wing-Commander J. D. Hewitt, Civil Aviation Pioneer

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 18, 3 February 1948, Page 5

Retirement Of WingCommander J. D. Hewitt, Civil Aviation Pioneer

One of the pioneers of civil aviation in New Zealand, Wing-Com-mander' J. D. Hewitt, A.F.C., R.N.Z.A.F., has been placed on the retired list, according to a notice in the current issue of the Gazette. During two wars and in the period between them his chief interest has been aviation, and he has become widely known throughout the Dominion.

A former pupil of the Wanganui Collegiate School, Wing-Command-er Hewett served over France-in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War, winning the Croix de Guerre, with palms. He then served in India for a year and joined the New Zealand Air Force in 1924. Early in 1934 he took command of No. 1 Squadron, and later in the same year with Flying-Of-ficer C. E. Kay (now Air Commodore Kay, 0.8. E., D.F.C., R.N.Z. A.F.) he piloted the de Havilland Dragon Rapide aircraft in the Melbourne Centennary air race. The aeroplane was the sixth to reach Australia, but trouble at an- intermediate aerodrome delayed its arrival at Melbourne. In November, 1934, he and Flying-Officer Kay flew the aircraft from Sydney to Palmerston North. Recognised as one of the most competnent and reliable of New Zealand’s pioneer airmen, WingCommander Hewett was recalled to the active list of the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the Second World War, serving in a variety of capacities.