Colourful aviator left impression Stanley James Blackmore 1900-1983
Last week’s article covered the first few decades of Stanley Blackmore’s life, and the beginning of his fascination with aviation. Equally fascinated, the press followed Blackmore’s feats and incidents, and his aviation business.
Having gained his pilot’s licence in 1930, Blackmore featured in every aviation event going, it seems.
New records for flights were set by him and others. In January 1933 Blackmore flew a Desoutter monoplane to Raglan beach from Te Rapa aerodrome in just 14 minutes, and later set a shorter time.
By October 1930 he was performing spectacular stunts, and in 1931 this saw him charged with trick flying. It was the first case of its kind, with proceedings being taken under the Aviation Act, 1908.
Evidence was given that Blackmore’s aeroplane flew at an unusually low altitude over central Hamilton.
The plane ‘‘banked twice, and rose sharply to a high altitude.
The engine was cut off and the plane dived.
It then rose sharply in a partial loop . . . descended sharply sideways and went into a complete loop’’. Blackmore pleaded not guilty, that what he was doing was ‘‘crazy flying’’ not ‘‘trick flying’’.
The magistrate found Blackmore guilty, but fined him only £1 of a possible £50 ‘‘as the case had been brought as a warning’’. Blackmore had a few close shaves. In February 1931, when his wife and two-year-old son were with him he aborted a landing on Mt Maunganui beach, but a wheel touched a breaker and the plane capsized upside-down in two metres of water.
The occupants were rescued with only bruises and shock.
In August 1931 when returning to Te Rapa, his Desoutter stalled.
Blackmore landed on a low hill beside the racecourse but the wind carried the plane up the hill, through a wire fence and into someone’s garden; his ‘‘skilful handling’’ prevented the plane from crashing into the house and no-one was injured.
Far worse occurred in November 1934 when his plane and another collided in mid-air in a ‘‘dog fight’’ during the Te Aroha Aero Pageant; the other pilot, Clarence Waite, was killed but somehow Blackmore escaped with a broken nose and slight concussion. Blackmore gained control over his practically tailless machine and circled erratically over the crowd to reach the landing field. Again, his skill was praised.
Twice in February 1933 Blackmore dealt with forced landings: once because of a blocked fuel pipe, he landed the Desoutter safely in a paddock riddled with rabbit holes.
He fixed the problem (he was a skilled mechanic) and took off successfully. Another was more dramatic – he landed on the Waipa Racing Club’s course but ‘‘. . . a Jersey bull came bellowing towards them.
Its behaviour was not a little menacing and the pilot and his passenger lost no time in getting back into the machine.’’ (Waikato Times February 8 1933)
Blackmore’s career included a string of ‘firsts’ – first to undertake an air ambulance role, in picking up Edward Buckeridge from Aotea Harbour in 1933; first air search, looking for a missing Rangitaiki Plains fisherman in July 1941; and the first pilot to be charged for landing on a beach without permission, on Waihi Beach in 1934.
His flying career is tied up with the histories of Hamilton’s two aerodromes: Steele’s at Rukuhia and Bryant’s Te Rapa airfield. His flying career is also tied up with the history of Rotorua Airport: Blackmore, with his wife Thelma, their son and daughter, moved to Rotorua in the mid-1930s.
He took over the assets of the Waikato Aviation Company in 1935 and became its managing director.
The name was changed to Blackmore’s Air Services Ltd in 1947; when Blackmore retired the company was sold to James Aviation, in 1951. Blackmore’s offered sightseeing, air taxi and air ambulance flights daily.
Blackmore was a licensed instructor, and during WWII he trained several pilots for the NZRAF.
Stanley Blackmore died in 1983 and was buried at Rotorua Cemetery.
He was one of Hamilton’s and Rotorua’s first and most colourful aviators.
Note: The National Library holds many related images, in the Whites Aviation collection. Thanks to the Heritage teams of Hamilton Libraries and Rotorua Library.