This gave me a chance to look at the newly renovated passenger terminal at Tauranga airport.
Within the terminal the recently unveiled mural of aviation pioneer Oscar Garden by local artist Mr G took my eye.
Garden flew DH60M Moth G-AASA from the UK to Australia between 17October and 4Nov1930.
After later service with TEAL, Garden lived for some time in Tauranga.
The Moth was shipped from Australia to NZ and became ZK-ACK firstly with the Waikato Branch of the Auckland Aero Club and then with the Waikato Aero Club when that was established in 1933.
ZK-ACK survived to be impressed on the outbreak of war as NZ510 and was eventually downgraded to instructional status as INST37, Written off the books at Hobsonville 11June1946.
The Waikato Aero Club was founded in 1937 (not 1933) with the first General Meeting being held on 5 October. I'm not sure from where this perpetual error originated but it is wrong. John Danaher, a former RNZAC president many years ago showed me RNZAC documentation confirming it was 1937. My father's log book has Auckland Aero Club endorsement stamps with Harry Lett's signature up to August 1936 and a Waikato Aero Club stamp in August 1938 signed by T P Sheehan.
ReplyDeleteIn October 1967, I was at Hamilton Airport when the terminal building was opened. An Airtourer was flown to Tauranga to collect Harry Lett to have him as guest of honour. He may have unveiled the plaque alongside the terminal building, I think marking 30 years of the Aero Club. Along with the son of another foundation member I had a free ride over the city in Cessna 172D ZK-CDS.