ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND

Chronicle (Levin), 9 November 1946, Page 4

ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND

— Press AnRnr.irtf.rnn

Bv Telearavh-

A UCK LAND, Nov. 8: Their silver fuseiages flasliing in the siinlight and the liuge twin engines making an linfaiiiiliar whinfe, the fo'ur Mosqui'to aircraft Which are to form the foun'dation of the new No. 75 Squadron of the peacetime B.N.Z.A.F., thundered.over Auckland, this afternoon and followed each other in to land at Whenuapai eseorted by a Lincoln bomlier of the ILA.A.F. Tbe. Mosquitoes, which have lieen bought from the Australian Governnieiit, were flown aeross the Tasmaii in two stages by New Zealand pil'ots. Leavihg Brisbane on Wednesday, the aircraft flew to Norfdlk Island, continuing their fiight to Whenuapai this morning. Taking off from Norfolk the ilosqui'toes ranged tiiemselves ih pairs on eitlier si'de of the bomber. and the (i00 mile fliglxt to Auckland ended short ly after midday. The first •aircraft to land was piloted by Squadron Leader, E. M-. McKay, the New Zealander rvho flew the Gloster Meteo'r jet plane over New Zealand earlier in the year. He WaS in cdmmand of the deliver.y fiight and his naVigator-wireless opcrator was Fiight Lieutenant S. ilartin. The pilots who flew the other three planes from Austr'alia were Squadron l.eader J. D. Robins, D.F.C., Fiight Lieutenant A. Ueorge, D.F.C., D.F.M., and Fiight Lieutenant I. Breckon D.F.C. and bar. The navigators who occupied a second seat beside the pilots in the small eoekpits, were Fiight Lieutenants M. Kidson, D.F.C., A.F.M., and J. M. Ste^shenson and Fiight Bergeant S. Greig. The Mosquitoes were refuelled at Whenuapai and after lunch three of them and the Lincoln tobk oft' for (Jhakea where the Mosquito squadrons will be based. The Anachine flown by Fiight Lieutenant Breckon was unable to acconipany the others owing to a meclianical fault wliieh ivas discovered when the aircraft landed from Norfolk.