Tales of flying boat’s Otago landings sought
YOU may have noticed, at the bottom of page 3 yesterday, a small story and photograph about a rare World War 2 Sunderland flying boat which has now gone on display at Auckland’s
Museum of Transport and Technology (Motat) after years of restoration.
Given my interest in historic aircraft and events has been well canvassed in previous Wash columns, the item certainly caught my eye, explaining how the Sunderland was one of only four left in the world which retains its original military configuration.
But, as we have also noted before, there is no accounting for coincidence and, sure enough, an email duly arrived from ‘‘John’’, a Wash reader, who noted:
‘‘We enjoyed a family holiday to Queenstown in early 1963 — probably January, February. A Sunderland flying boat landed on Lake Wakatipu, moored overnight and took off the next day. A great sight. I wonder if any readers may have a photo. Certainly I had 35mm slides which are no longer in my possession.’’
This sent me scurrying, as has become my habit, to the ODT archives and what should I discover but in this month 60 years ago a Sunderland flying boat landed in Otago Harbour for the first time.
Today’s photograph appeared on the front page on September 23, 1957 with a story which recorded how the RNZAF Maritime Operation Conversion Unit aircraft, from Hobsonville, piloted by squadron leader E.J.E Tompkins had splashed down near Port Chalmers soon after 11.35am the previous day, a Sunday.
The 29 tonne, fourengined aircraft ‘‘knifed gently’’ into the lower harbour, watched by hundreds of spectators lining the wharf, and was towed by a pilot boat to its mooring ‘‘about 600 yards from the dry dock’’.
Soon after the aircraft’s crew of nine, plus four passengers, were greeted by wing commander M.J. Millener, commanding officer, Taieri, on the launch Survecho and taken ashore.
The Sunderland was scheduled to leave for Bluff on the 23rd, and then, the following day, fly to and land on lakes Wanaka and Wakatipu before returning to Bluff.
The reason for the aircraft’s visit, according to the ODT, was to ‘‘survey possible landing areas for use by flying boats in an emergency.’’
This reference is related to a longrunning issue in Dunedin when strenuous efforts were made over many years to establish Otago Harbour as a base for the transtasman flying boat service, which began in 1940.
It is a topic which was well covered by author Jim Sullivan in his 2012 book Flight Path Dunedin, A History of Aviation in Otago, so I won’t repeat the details except to say it was an illfated saga harbourwise and eventually overtaken by the building of the airport at Momona.
So, my thanks to ‘‘John’’ for raising the subject today and I’d love to hear from anyone who has memories or photographs of the flying boat’s arrival and landing, especially on the lakes at Wanaka and Queenstown.
Retirement advice
John was just one of many readers who contacted me yesterday to kindly pass on advice, as requested, for my pending retirement, which will see this column published for the final time on Friday, October 6.
He wrote: ‘‘A piece of wisdom passed on to me — that the most important part of retirement is your ‘health’. Without your health you are not able to do all the other things that life presents and you want to do.’’ Then there was this from Lenore
Whyte: ‘‘I have found that pretty much what you need for retirement is a sense of humour and an inquiring mind, so you will cope admirably. I still remember the day I turned 65. Labour was in power at the time, and a friend called about 9am with a tray of muffins. ‘I thought you might need something for morning tea in case Helen calls,’ she said. I wish you all the best for a great retirement, and thank you for the times you have put a smile on my face in the morning.’’
Bill Robertson also emailed: ‘‘I am a retired Dunedin resident, in Auckland on a holiday. I’m currently sitting in a hotel room reading The Wash on my cellphone and thought I would drop you a note about retirement. Yesterday I spent a lovely day on Waiheke Island courtesy of my Gold Card and today free train trips care of Auckland Transport. Retirement life is good, thanks to my Gold Card.’’
And Lindsay, of Waikouaiti, made me smile with this: ‘‘Dear Dave. Love The Wash. Have a long and enjoyable retirement. Just after I retired a gentleman arrived at my gate with a hot meal. I thought ‘retirement will be great’ until the gentleman asked for directions to the correct address!’’
Once again, my thanks to everyone who has been in touch lately. It has been a most humbling response and I have plenty of retirement advice to publish next week when the column resumes.
Caversham road works
Further to my concerns earlier this week about visibility issues at the corner of Playfair St and South Rd, during the redesign work, I note the tall barriers which were causing the problem have been replaced by road cones.
The DCC’s transport delivery manager Josh von Pein sent this response to my query: ‘‘A traffic management plan is in place for the roadworks . . . with a temporary speed limit of 30kmh. We expect people to take care through road works and follow signs and directions from crew.
‘‘To meet health and safety requirements, fencing is used to protect pedestrians while kerb and channel work is done. The trenches on the corners were filled today [Wednesday], so the outer fence on the Mitchells Tavern corner has been removed. The inner fences are still in place to protect the worksite.’’