Air pilots - New Zealand

Date: 31 May 2004

From: MOTAT: Aviation memories oral history project

By: Mackley, Winston Brooke, 1915-2005

Reference: OHInt-0767-08

Description: Interview with Captain William Mackley, born in Lower Hutt in 1915. Describes starting his training as a pilot with the Auckland Aero Club in 1937, in DH60 Moths, Tiger Moths and Miles Magisters. Refers to joining the Air Force when war broke out and leaving for England in May 1940. Talks about flying Wellingtons from Hywell, then transferring to Abingdon and flying Whitleys. Mentions taking an instructors course in Canada, then returning to Nelson and flying Hudsons. Discusses moving to Catalinas which he flew through the Pacific, then to Sunderlands. Mentions the roles of Sunderlands in the Air Force after the war for moving troops, and how two were transferred to NAC (National Airways Corporation) and modified for passenger transport. Talks about joining NAC after World War II and flying Sunderlands and DC3s on its Pacific service, a service that had been set up by the Air Force to transport public servants and officials. Comments on the animosity between NAC and TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways) over the Pacific service and the politics of aviation development in New Zealand. Talks about the basic conditions at the airfields and the social aspects of overnight stays in Samoa and Rarotonga. Describes navigation by dead reckoning using a sextant for sun shots and mentions there was little night flying at the time. Comments on the services to Norfolk Island and the Chatham Islands. Refers to being a copilot and wireless operator on Lockheed 10As and to pilots being interchangeable between aircraft until they became specialised. Comments that navigation procedures within New Zealand were not very precise but improved gradually with better equipment. Discusses transferring to TEAL to fly Electras and becoming a training captain on the Electra. Outlines aviation safety issues today, commenting that less experience is needed to fly planes now, computerised controls, and flight time limitations being "the curse of the business". Talks about getting a job in the Air New Zealand office after he retired as a pilot, and becoming involved in the Flight Safety Foundation, an international organisation. Reflects on changes in the airline industry in 1986 and the Air Safety League of New Zealand. Explains how human factors have become a dominant issue in air safety and mentions accidents that have happened because of difficulties between crew members. Abstracted by - Karen Linauskas Interviewer(s) - Bill Rayner Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-014162, OHC-014163 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 Electronic document(s) (50 Kilobytes). 1 electronic scan(s) of original black and white photographic print(s) (824 Kilobytes, jpeg). 1 interview(s). 2 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5123, OHDL-000234. Digital scan of black and white print of photograph of Captain "Dan" Arthur Carlaw and Captain Bill Mackley (interviewee) on flight deck of Sunderland ZK-AMK. NZNAC Regional Service prior to last flight 1/6/1950 to Hobsonville for layup and eventual breakup. (Image includes details written on the back of the photograph) Photographer unknown. Captain Mackleys collection Search dates: 1915 - 2004

Date: 28 January 1983

From: Dominion Post (Newspaper): Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post and Dominion newspapers

Reference: EP/1983/0391-F

Description: Stuart Tantrum carrying his son Wayne on his shoulders. They are standing beside a replica of a Royal Aviation Factory SE5 biplane fighter aircraft of the First World war, built by Stuart. Photographed by an Evening Post staff photographer on the 28th of January 1983. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s) 35mm negative strip comprising 3 images. Physical Description: Cellulose triacetate film negative, 35mm

Date: Nov 1947-29 Apr 1991

By: Ford, John Desmond, 1937-2012

Reference: PA-Group-00950

Description: Photographic prints, a photograph album, and some clippings, relating to Calibration Flight. Images taken between 1947 and 1991 by a range of photographers and in many locations. Collection probably compiled by Captain John Ford and includes photos of Ford. Images include: - Calibration Flight staff testing navigational aids using a theodolite - aircraft - pilots and staff - Calibration Flight headquarters - aerial shots Source of title - Title supplied by Library Quantity: 80 colour original photographic print(s). 20 b&w original photographic print(s) proof prints, with 126 images. 1 album(s) Album(s). 103 b&w original photographic print(s). 74 colour original photographic print(s). 8 b&w copy photographic print(s). 6 colour copy photographic print(s). Physical Description: Photographic prints, photograph album Provenance: Donor is the wife of Captain Ford.

Date: [ca 1954]

From: Ford, John D (Captain), 1937-2012: Papers relating to career in Calibration Flight

Reference: MS-Papers-11824-003

Description: Contains brief personnel files for twelve employees of Calibration Flight. Each file has an attached photo, brief outline of relevant experience and some personal information including date of birth and next of kin. Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Typescripts, photographs

Date: March 1939

From: Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs

Reference: WA-AVH-04-13-G

Description: Photograph taken by Whites Aviation or predecessor. Shows pilot A G Gerrand with aircraft 'Korimako' and children. Title taken from original enclosure. Arrangement: Original box labelled " Union Airways DH86 Express |North Island 1936-1939". Union Airway's Gisborne to Auckland service travelled via Tauranga and Opotiki. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Glass negative, 1/4 plate.

Date: [1943-1992] - 2018

By: Cox, Bryan Barker, 1925-

Reference: ATL-Group-00465

Description: Comprises 12 log books relating to pilot Bryan Barker Cox and one log book for Bryan Cox's brother John Grant Cox. Logbooks contain details of flights flown, flight dates, other pilots or passengers onboard and some volumes also contain photographs, certificates and ephemera. Two log books relate to the Second World War. The remaining eleven logbooks relate to Bryan Cox's career as a flight instructor in New Zealand. Also includes a "Pacific Scrapbook" compiled by Bryan Cox between 1943 and 1947. Scrapbook includes a contents list, includes photographs (most captioned), small photocopied maps, charts and instruction manuals, casualty lists, and some photocopied pages of the scrapbook (inserted). Includes a video recording featuring Bryan Cox and Phil Rowse [Rouse]. Cox speaks about his experiences and involvement in 'Black Monday', a fatal Royal New Zealand Air Force operation in the Pacific on 15 January 1945. Directed and produced by Cameron Sly as part of a research project at Mt Roskill Grammar School for the 75th anniversary, 15 January 2020. The "Pacific Scrapbook" was published in 1997 as: "Pacific scrapbook 1943-1947 : a pictorial history of a young New Zealand Corsair pilot in the Pacific and Japan and of Allied co-operation in the Pacific War" by Bryan Cox. Bryan Cox wrote the book 'Too Young to Die: The Story of a New Zealand Fighter Pilot in the Pacific War', Random House New Zealand, 1988, on which 'Black Monday' is based. Quantity: 13 volume(s). 1 digital video disc(s). Physical Description: Hard bound logbooks; and an unbound large scrapbook of loose sheets with pasted on photoraphs, photocopies, DVD, and printed ephemera, with handwritten text Transfers: Donated at the same time were 40 issues of [Journal] / The New Zealand Fighter Pilots Association / [edited by] Bryan Cox. The range covered issue [No.1, 1986?] to No. 43, September 2006. These were transferred to the NZ&P collection. Missing from the donated range were nos. 2,3, and 8..

Date: 22 Feb 1947

From: Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs

Reference: WA-05431-F

Description: Photograph taken by Whites Aviation. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Cellulosic film negative, ¼ plate

From: MOTAT: Aviation memories oral history project

Reference: OHDL-000235

Description: Digital scan of black and white print of photograph of Captain "Dan" Arthur Carlaw and Captain Bill Mackley (interviewee) on flight deck of Sunderland ZK-AMK. NZNAC Regional Service prior to last flight 1/6/1950 to Hobsonville for layup and eventual breakup. (Image includes details written on the back of the photograph) Photographer unknown. Captain Mackleys collection Quantity: 1 electronic scan(s) of original black and white photographic print(s). 824 kilobyte(s).

Date: 29 Aug 1939

From: Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs

Reference: WA-11215-G

Description: Unidentified family group photo and group in the background. Photograph taken by Leo White. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Glass negative, 3.25 x 4.25 inches

Date: [193-?]

From: Raine, William Hall, 1892-1955 :Negatives of New Zealand towns and scenery, and Fiji

Reference: 1/2-045010-G

Description: Aircraft on the ground at Rongotai Aerodrome, Wellington, circa 1930s. From left: DH60G Gipsy Moth, Waco, and Simmonds Sparten. The Simmonds Sparten has "Evening Post Gift Plane" painted upon it. Airmen unidentified. Photograph taken by William Hall Raine. Source of descriptive information - Notes on file print. Rongotai Airport identified by cataloguer from PAColl-7985-47. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Glass negative

Date: [ca 1920s -1999]

By: Ian Mackersey Productions Limited

Reference: ATL-Group-00760

Description: Comprises correspondence, filming schedules, newspaper clippings, negatives and photographs, research notes, scripts, and video tapes relating to the production of a documentary film and biography of Jean Batten. Title supplied by Library. The Museum of Transport and Technology holds the Ian Matheson Estate - Collection. Ian and Caroline Mackersey of Ian Mackersey Productions Limited, collected and created this material in the making of the documentary film and publication of the same name, 'Jean Batten – The Garbo of the Skies'. Quantity: 183 folder(s). 81 digital photograph(s). 48 videocassette(s) Betacam. 2 album(s). 2 10" reel(s). 1 videocassette(s) VHS. 1 compact disc(s). Provenance: Donors are the children of Ian and Caroline Mackersey.