NEW ZEALAND TO JAPAN BY DAKOTA

Chronicle (Levin), 7 May 1946, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND TO JAPAN BY DAKOTA

-Press Associat-.on

SPEEDY MAIL SERVICE FOR TROOPS

By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, May 6. * One of tlie world 's longe'st air routes on wiiicli the same aircraft and crew complete tbe whole journey without relief, is now being llown. weekly on a regular service basis by crews and planes of No. 41 (Traysport) Squadron uf the R.N.Z.A.F., between Auckland and Iwakune, Soutliern Ilonshu, Japan. The return journey which . is sprpad uver three weelcs, involves flying 12,44S miles and the aircraft will enable mail froni the Dominion, two tons at a timo, to be deUvered to ihe New Zealanders in the British Coininonwealth Force of Dccupation, in eight days. Four round trips have alreadv been conipleted by Dakotas of the squadron and three other aircraft are now moving over the route from Auckland. Tliev fly in tuni to Norfolk island, Brisbane, Cloncurry, Darwin, JMorotai, Laoag in Northeru i'liilippines, Nalia at Okinawa, and Lwakune. On each tlight both crews and aircraft experience a change in teniperature approaching 100 degrees, ranging from the winter cold of Japan to tJie tropical heat at Morotai. Schedules have been well niaintained in spite of the long distance involved and various difficuilies along the route. One aircraft was delayed for four days at Okinawa because of a typhoon which inisscd tlie island but which came neai enough to briug a wind that ripped irou ] roofs from buildings and niade'it neces | sary for the Dakota to be weighteu j ilown witli sandbags to keep it on the I ground. Ncarly two tons of mail lias j I'ccn carried 011 each uorthboiuid airj crafl, prov'uliiig a t'ull load for tln I Dakotas. It is mainly a letter mai. ! witli an occasional urgent parcel, bu. j tlicre have been 110 passengers fo: j.lajian and 110 freiglit. On the soutli ! ward runs, the aircraft have been les.^ ' ,iea\ 1 1 v laden, the usual quantity o. : mail carried being about JOUU llis. Pas sengers brouglit liack to New Zealan.t j so far have includod army guards seiu 1 from tlie Dominion witli Japanese pris1 ijners of wai- being repatriated. Tlie;. ; were eneountered at Alorotai and weri 'given a passage in two of tlie squadron 's Dakotas. The stnmgth of No. 11 'Squadron 1ms recently been reduced lo 1 ihe basic number of crews required adei quately (0 maintain tlie service between New Zealand aud Japan. The crews liave been handpicked be1 cause of possiblc difficullies aiul major responsibilities involved in flying to so rcmote a destination. Boforc being sont over tlie route each crew is briefed thor ouglily by tlie oflicer conunanding, Wing '.'ommander L. H. Parry A.F.O., who i commaiided the su'rvey flig'ht, and by ' siguals aiul navigation Jeaders. The oneliug occupies up to an liour and a. , lialf. The subjects on which the crews j are given Ihe latest information include radio, navigation aids, airiiuinship, Uietcorological detail, and air field peruliaritics. Fvery efl'ort is lnade to l-eil tlie crew members everything i>ossibie about the route and likelv coiiditions bcfore they begin the flight, and tlie eareful preparatiou has been re ilecled in the unevenU'ul natnre ot' Ihe i journeys so far made.