captain_bazza wrote: Wasn't the runway shorter then? Also, remember the Sunderland that did a low flyover during the opening of Rongatai and touched the runway. It landed safely, but immediated settled in the water. A Sunderland also hit a reef in the Waitangi (Chathams) lagoon, was holed and partially sank. The main fuselage (dunno about the wings) was still on the island when I was there in '68, but I never got a chance to see it. I think a family was using it for storage on their (nearby) farm.
Prior to SAFE, flights to and from Chats were by RNZAF Sunderland, later RNZAF BF170s ( ?!) and even earlier, Catalinas were used.
Cheers Bazza
Yeah, the runway was a little shorter back then.
Saw the Sunderland scrape its belly on an aviation video a friend of mine has.
OUCH !!!!
Lawrie.
