May 1978
"A Club to be known as the Marlborough Aero Club ... to promote, encourage, and develop the study, research and practice of aeronautics." 50 years ago, these words were included in a motion which was carried with great enthusiasm at a public meeting in Blenheim. It was on the 4th of July, 1928, that the Marlborough Aero Club's organisation was formally constituted, and on July 15, this year, the club will complete its first 50 years of service to Marlborough,and New Zealand.
In this originally researched article written especially for WINGS, David Duxbury outlines the New Zealand association with this controversial aircraft, both in the skies over occupied Europe and in the South Pacific.
The torchlight penetrates your dream, and you gradually, reluctantly awaken to the Patrol Corporal's voice. "Wake up, Flight-Sergeant. Wakey-wakey, Flight. Dawn Patrol, Flight."
Three air arms met in Auckland recently to take part in Operation Bullseye , a bi-annual airdrop fly-off between New Zealand and Canadian aircraft, on this occasion being joined by another Hercules, of the RAAF.
AN ERA in NZ airline operations has finally come to a conclusion with the sale by Mount Cook Airlines of its last DH89 Rapide ZKAKY, and the offering for sale of its last DC3 ZK-BEU. The bowing out from airline ownership of these two veterans marks the end of an association with NZ air routes that spans over 40 years for the Rapide as a type, and over 31 years for the DC3.