MILITARY AVIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24403, 14 September 1940, Page 12

MILITARY AVIATION

NEW ZEALAND DEVELOPMENT THIRTY YEARS' HISTORY SERVICES IN LAST WAR The development of military aviation in New Zealand during the past 30 .years was dealt with by Squadronleader T. W. White, officer commanding the Royal New Zealand Air Force Station, Bongotai, in an address given in Wellington on the history of the New Zealand Air Force. He said New Zealand had been a. genuine pioneer in military aviation "Awav back in 1912," he said "General Godley reported that preliminary had been made for the training of officers and n.c.o. s in flying. Lieutenant Burn .went.to Upavon for training, and was eventu-ally-reported missing in. Mesopotamia. Deathless fame wias won; by many of our men who Were in the' front rank of the war aces. "After the war there came the startling offer of 100 gift planes from the British Government, but problems of expenditure and organisation proved difficult. Early in 1921, however. 33 gift planes did arrive here. An Air Board was then in being, with Captain T. M. Wilkes as secretary. Looking back it is remarkable how accurate were the forecasts of that time as to what would be needed for our defence purposes. "In the Defence Report of 1922 the modest beginnings of an identifiable aviation corps made their first appearance. This reads oddly nowadays In the list of the strength of the New Zealand Permanent Forces there are these items:—Aviation: Two officers, two other ranks,,

First Base at Wigram

"But 1923 was the banner year, for then the New Zealand Permanent Air Force became an individual unit in the forces, and the first official air base was established at Wigram. 16 years after Sir Henry Wigram's first prophecy. The next 10 years show progress, but it was spasmodic. Still, great work was done by the Air Force pilots, flying in all weathers and landing on lonely beaches during the Murchison earthquake. That was in 1929, and two years later splendid work was done again in the Hawke's Bbv dissstcr. " It is certain that the visit of Groupcaptain the Hon. R. A, Cochrane, A.F.C., R.A.F., was a milestone in the advance of our Air Force. He came to New Zealand in November. 1936, and formulated a forward policy which the Government vigorously implemented. He was retained as the first Chief of the Air Staff, and swift action became general. The expenditure on Air Force development in less than two years was greater than the total previous expenditure on aviation in all the years from the beginning. '"The work in aerodrome construction was little short of amazing; records in earth shifting were made and broken every day. Modern hangars were constructed, some of them equal to anything in the world. A factory was established for the production of training aeroplanes. A large Air Force Reserve of men was created. An adequate stock of bombs was made available. The railway workshops scheme for training flight mechanics and flight riggers was in active operation. Special Aptitude "In the last Great War over 700 New Zealand airmen took part. New Zealanders, then as now, definitely showed that they have a special aptitude for aerial warfare. New Zealanders have taken part in almost every important air operation since the war began—the first raids on Kiel and Wilhelmshaven. the long-distance leaflet raids to Prague and Vienna, the nine-hour raid on Sylt, and lately the long-distance raids, over Germany and occupied France, Norway, and other occupied territories. A reconnaissance flight over Norway by a New Zealand crew was the longest flight of the first year of the war. no fewer than 2000 miles on its outward and homeward journey. -J----"It is only years of planning that have enabled us to do everything asked by Britain. The air expansion scheme of 1937 was so capable of expansion and so well devised that New Zealand is able 1 to participate in the Empire training scheme with full effectiveness. By January of next year, that is to say. in less than six months from now. New Zealand will have a peak output of 2882 nilots. observers, and air gunners; 880 of these will be fully trained here and 2002 will be partially trained and sent to Canada for advance work.