Seaplane being towed at Hobsonville seaplane base..

Description:

A Fairey Aviation Company Fairey IIIF is being towed from a hangar by an Austin car at the Hobsonville seaplane base. Alongside the hangar is F. D. Mill's Sunbeam super sports (?) which was raced at Muriwai. Historical note: During 1929 two of these aircraft were fitted with floats and one of them was transhipped aboard the cruiser 'Dunedin' to Western Samoa in January 1930 in relation to a local uprising there. The aircraft, which was fitted with a Lewis gun, was in the area for two months and flew a total of 90 hours. During shipment back to NZ in March 1930 the aircraft was seriously damaged and was later written off. (Source: Portrait of an Air Force, p.12, pub. Grantham House, 1987; Aircraft of the RNZAF p.31-32 pub. Heinemann, 1987).

Display date:

1920-1929; 1930-1939

Collections:

F. Douglas Mill Collection

Content partner:

Auckland Libraries

Availability:

Not specified