FIGHTING 'PLANES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 280, 22 August 1919, Page 9

FIGHTING 'PLANES

NEW ZEALAND FOUR READY FOR FLIGHT AN ADVISER'S VIEWS ON THEIR USE The four "aeroplanes sent to New Zealand by the Imperial Government aro expectcd to be ready for lliglit within the noxt fortnight. The machines, comprising two Bristol 'Fighters and two D.H.i's, aro to reach tho aerodrome of tho Canterbury Aviation Company, at Sockbum, this week, and will bo assembled by tho nieohnnies there. Colonel A. V. Hettington, the Government's Air. Adviser, stated'yesterday that ho intended to fly the machines, but ho did not expect to bring them to Wellington or any other city owing to the lack of landing ami housing 'facilities. "Perhaps I had better explain tlie conditions under which these machineb were brought out,"' he said.- "Before leaving England J. asked tho Imperial Government to allow me to take these machines out; it was .decided, that the Air Ministry should bear the whole cost; and the machines, etc., were to remain tho property of the Imperial Government. They are not purtof tho gift machines offered to the New Zealan<> Government. The machines with spares, otc„ which are worth upwards or ,£20,000, were not intended for any speuial demonstration, but rather lor tiib personal uso of myself and ptaff. 'No* as an export I say candidly, that it would be impossible, to fully <leiiionstr-i\to the possibilities of aerial travel _ with these machines, as there are no suitablo landing places or aerodromes otlier thai, at Christchurch itself. They are purely war machines, primarily designed foi speed and climb, with littlo thought for slow landing; consequently, tho spac» required is very much larger than v.'ould be needed for slower ones ob those do. sip-nod for gommercial or'peace-time use. Tno slower machines at present in usb at Auckland and Christchurch can land safely while going at the rate of 2b miles per hour, whereas, the landing 6peed of tho D.H.i's and Bristol Fightters is between 55 and DO miles an horn—considerably .more than the nveraga top speed or motor-cars on tho best oi roads. When it is also borne'in 'mina that tho under carriage and wheels art. of tho lightest construction, only a littlo stouter than ordinary motor-cycle whcols, it will be understood that good, level grounds with open access aro csseiu tial. The possibility of landing without damaging tho machine at Wellington i» therefore roniote until an aerodrome b made; another-difficulty is tho ahsencb of hangars, and it is not proposed to expose the machines to weather and rain itndulv, as I have to account to tho Air Ministry for them. A similar difficulty would be experienced at Auckland, and at oven" other place. , Consequently, too much should not be expected of theso machines in tho first instance, and I trust tho public will not be unduly -disappointed if they are not seen at "Wellington . until' an aorodrome is available."