AERIAL HIDE AND SEEK

Evening Star, Issue 22457, 30 September 1936, Page 1

AERIAL HIDE AND SEEK

MOCK BOMBING ATTACK PRACTICE [Pek United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 29. A mild form of aerial hide and seek was played over Wellington for an hour to-night by an aeroplane of the Royal New Zealand Air Force from the Wigram aerodrome, and the searchlights of the Royal New Zealand Artillery at Fort Dorset. The game in the sky was entertaining to the watchers, but had a serious purpose from a service point of view, being instructional practice with some of the anti-aircraft equipment at night. The plane represented an enemy bomber over Wellington, arid the artillerymen had to find it with sound indicators and then show it up with searchlights so that it could have been attacked with anti-aircraft guns. The aeroplane kept on a fairly regular course within a given area, although this was unknown to the ground observers.

Anti-aircraft equipment was installed at the fort a few months ago as part of the programme of improvement of coastal defence. This is the first antiaircraft exercise held in Wellington, but. a. practice was held some weeks ago at Auckland. A test more approximate to service conditions will be held to-morrow night, and on Friday afternoon a parade of anti-aircraft guns, searchlights, and other equipment will be held through the streets of Wellington.