Union Airlines - The Main Trunk Airline

Ninety years ago today Union Airways of New Zealand Limited began scheduled services and became New Zealand's first main trunk airline. This is the Union Airways story.

Everyday Airbus 320s operated by Air New Zealand and Jetstar make numerous flights up and down the country on the main trunk routes. Today, this is something we take for granted but 90 years ago today it was a day of great excitement as Union Airways of New Zealand Limited, New Zealand’s first main trunk airline, took to our skies. 

At the start of 1935 Air Travel (NZ) Ltd of Hokitika was the only airline licenced to operate scheduled services in New Zealand. But on the 5th of February 1935 the Transport Co-ordination Board sat to consider a number of applications to operate air services across the country. One of applicants was from the Union Steamship Company which filed an application on behalf of National Airways of New Zealand Ltd., which proposes to operate a Palmerston North-Dunedin service with stops at Blenheim and Christchurch, but not at Wellington. The proposed timetable provides for departure from Palmerston North at 8am and arrival at Dunedin at 1pm On the northward trip the departure from Dunedin will be at noon and the arrival at Palmerston North at 5pm

This was the start of the Union Airways’ story, a story that ironically was to end with the formation of the New Zealand National Airways Corporation, which became known as National Airways or simply NAC.

The Christchurch Press of the 6th of February 1935 reported on Union Steam Ship Company’s plans at the hearing…  When the first application was called Mr C. G. White, who represented the Union Steam Ship Company, put the managing director of the company (Mr N. S. Falla) in the box to give evidence regarding the company's proposals. Mr Falla said that the prospect of the company entering the aviation field dated back to 1913, when the company was reformed. The company had had the advice of experts, including Squadron Leader M. C. McGregor, who would be in the service of the company if a license were granted. Air services in New Zealand would have to be developed, and the company was aiming at a short, strong trunk, which could be served by branches. Mr Falla estimated that the cost of a short trunk service, with good machines, radio beacons, and ground equipment, would be approximately £100,000. The service would co-ordinate with the overnight train from Auckland to Palmerston North, and Palmerston North could also be fed from Taranaki and the East Coast.

The short trunk gave ample opportunity for other companies to arrange feeder services and would be of value to the progress of aviation throughout New Zealand as a whole. If a license were granted an expert would go straight to England to secure machines, and the service would be inaugurated without delay.

The chairman: You propose to use British machines?

Mr Falla said that the machines had not been definitely decided on, but that it was proposed that they should be British, that they should have more than one engine and ample reserve of power. Machines carrying from eight to 10 passengers were proposed.

In reply to Mr W. J. Sim, representing the Mount Cook Motor Company, he said that the trunk line proposed could be fed by air taxis from Mount Cook. The company did not propose to call at Wellington. Mr Falla said that the Wellington connexion to the south would be by feeder to Blenheim.

Mr S. E. Nielsen: What is your reason for omitting Wellington?

Mr Falla: We would avoid the risks of the weather at Rongotai.

Mr Nielsen: If Rongotai were improved would you consider calling there?

Mr Falla: We think the best way to travel by air from Wellington is to slip over to Blenheim and join the trunk line there.

Mr Falla said that at a later stage it was the company's intention to approach the Government to discuss a subsidy. "The experience of every country which so far has developed aviation has been distinctly along these lines," Mr Falla continued. "One hardly can expect the people of New Zealand immediately to take to the air, and unless the aeroplane becomes popular, with the expectation of full pay loads from the outset, no company starting a service can hope to incur other than very heavy financial loss." Mr Falla said that his company had not been blind to the possibility of a Tasman service, but that it did not regard it as being of immediate importance.

The initial hearings completed the Transport Co-ordination Board went into recess to consider the applications. They sat again on the 21st of March to consider the further submissions. The Press of the 22nd reported that the National Airways had changed its title to Union Airways, Ltd who were up against two other companies who wanted to operate main trunk services, namely, Great Pacific Airways and New Zealand Airways.

The hearing also heard of the dissatisfaction of Auckland and Wellington and other regional interests. Representing many local bodies in Auckland, Taranaki, Wanganui, and Southland districts, Mr R. H. Quilham said that a meeting of representatives of these districts on Wednesday had affirmed the principle that no trunk air service could serve national requirements unless it extended from Auckland to Invercargill. Such a short trunk as Palmerston North to Dunedin was not in the true interests of New Zealand. "We claim that the whole future of commercial and defence aviation is involved in the question now before the board," he said, "and we consider it would be wise to delay the commencement of the service rather than prejudice future developments. It is essential that a trunk service should be a genuine trunk service, serving New Zealand as a whole.”

Mr J. Tyler, city engineer of Auckland, presented a joint statement from the Auckland City Council and the Chamber of Commerce. This urged that no main trunk air route should be fixed without providing for the four principal centres of the Dominion. Any air service with its northern terminus at Palmerston North eliminated just on half of the population of New Zealand. Having regard to the fact that Wellington was the capital city, and the headquarters of most Dominion companies, it might be confidently affirmed that the most important passenger and mail routes were Auckland to Wellington, and Christchurch to Wellington.

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce wrote stating that its considered opinion was that no main trunk license should be issued which did not propose to serve the four centres. The Union Steam Ship Company wrote stating that in the event of being granted a license, it would be its intention to apply for licenses to extend the service between Auckland, New Plymouth, and Palmerston North, and between Dunedin and Invercargill, as soon as actual experience enables it to judge the particular type of machine required to deal with the prospective traffic over these additional stages. That would probably he possible after six or perhaps 12 months. Squadron Leader L. M. Isitt read reports from the director of air and meteorological services dealing with the possibility of regular operation of the route. 

Answering Mr M. C. McGregor, Squadron Leader Isitt said it would be impossible to get into or out of Rongotai aerodrome on at least 10 per cent, of days. That did not depend on the machine. Assuming that they were reasonably modern, it came down to a question of visibility. An alternative aerodrome within a radius of 30 or 40 miles of Wellington was essential.

On the 11th of April 1935 the Transport Co-ordination Board Union Airways Ltd granted an air service licence to Union Airways Ltd for a daily service on the Palmerston North-Blenheim-Christchurch-Dunedin route commencing in September while Great Pacific Airways (N.Z.) Limited was granted an air service licence for route a daily service between Auckland and Dunedin, via New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Christchurch and Timaru, commencing in December.

The following day the NZ Herald reported, The board held that to permit more than one service over the whole route at present would involve wasteful competition and would cause such loss to the competitors as would eventually result in deterioration of the services concerned, thus prejudicing the safety factor. Referring to the equipment of aerodromes, the board observed that much work had yet to be done before services could be commenced, and even if licences were granted it was by no means certain that all aerodromes on the longest route could be ready on the date suggested by each applicant... As regards the carriage of mails, the board stated that the view of the Postal Department was that the service intended to be provided between Palmerston North, Christchurch, and Dunedin by the Union Steam Ship Company was the only one that interested it. The department maintained that letters were usually written during the day and posted at the end of business hours in the afternoon.

While still discussing the question or mails, we ought to note the possible future importance of New Plymouth as a mail centre, if it becomes the landing point of the trans-Tasman service. While it is a matter not specifically mentioned in the Act, we are convinced that the control of any company undertaking a trunk service within New Zealand ought to remain in New Zealand. Taking all the factors into consideration, we have come to the conclusion that some service beyond that which is proposed by the Union Steam Ship Company is desirable. It is true their service could be extended at a later date, and it is likely also that, whatever applicant is granted a licence, the entire service cannot be commenced from the outset. We feel, however, that the Union Steam Ship Company's proposal in its initial stages is not quite sufficient, because, except by feeder services, it is out of direct touch with half the population of the country, and particularly the two largest centres. Its aim is primarily to be a mail service, and many difficulties are involved in its future extension.

The main service must be one that can fly from Auckland as far south as possible. Treated as a service only from Palmerston North to Christchurch or Dunedin, the Union Steam Ship Company's proposal is a valuable one, and we see no objection to a licence being issued to it for this particular route, in addition to the main licence, which must go elsewhere, and thus both passengers and mails will be adequately provided for. "We propose, therefore, to grant a licence to Withers' intended company, upon its incorporation, the precise terms of the licence to be stated. Withers must satisfy the board that the control of his company is in New Zealand. The machines to be used must be of British manufacture and of a type to be approved by the board. The service will, in the first place, be on the route proposed by the applicant from Auckland to New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Christchurch, Timaru and Dunedin. The Union Steam Ship Company, if it so desires, may have a licence on similar terms for the route from Palmerston North to Christchurch and Dunedin. "It maybe that, in these circumstances, Palmerston North will be sufficiently provided for by the Union Steam Ship Company, without being made a calling place for Great Pacific Airways. This can be settled later. "The state of the aerodromes on each route is an important factor effecting all the applications before us. It may happen that the services licensed by us will be ready to operate before the landing grounds proposed to be used are fit for the purpose… The board commented drastically on the Rongotai aerodrome, and stated that until a ground, at least for emergency purposes, was available, remote from the dangerous climatic conditions which prevailed at Wellington, a regular call could not be made.

The Otago Daily Times reported on the 13th of April that Union Airways plans for the air service are practically complete, and it is anticipated that the service will commence in October or November. Four well-known New Zealand pilots are to be engaged by the company. Squadron-leader M. C. McGregor, instructor to the Manawatu Aero Club, has been appointed manager of the service. He will leave for England on Tuesday next to select the planes to be used. He will proceed via America in order to inspect wireless equipment. Though the exact type of machine to be used has not yet been decided upon, the service will be started with three twin-engined British planes, each capable of carrying eight or ten passengers, and a smaller service machine operating a short trunk line which can be fed by branches. The company is providing a capital of £100,000 for the fast machines, wireless equipment for both beacon and telephone, and ground organisation. The services will be co-ordinated with the Limited express from Auckland… The flying will be done on the "airline" system, with the use of directional beam wireless, for which beacons are to be erected at Palmerston North, Blenheim, Christchurch and Dunedin. The ground organisation will call for the service of a considerable personnel. Possibly three or four men will be stationed at Palmerston North, besides attendants at other centres on the route. Two large hangars, each with a floor space of 4200 square feet, are to be erected at Milson Aerodrome for the company's planes. On top of the administrative block and offices will be built a control tower.

On the 2nd of May, with £60,000 paid up out of a nominal capital of £100,000, Union Airways of New Zealand, Limited, was registered. The share capital comprised 1000 shares of £100 each. with the Union Steam Ship Company, Limited, at that time, having subscribed 592 shares.

July the 22nd saw the announcement that Union Airways had purchased three four-engined de Havilland DH86 Express airliners with the delivery of the first two machines expected in early September the third in October. The 14 seat-Express aircraft had a crew of two and accommodation for 12 passengers with baggage and mail space of 590 cubic feet. Powered with four 200 horse-power Gipsy-six engines it cruised at 145-150 miles an hour and had a maximum speed of 170 miles an hour.

In early August 1935 the Union Steam Ship Company’s chairman, Mr N. S. Falla, on behalf of Union Airways, announced the purchase of another aircraft, a Miles Falcon monoplane. The Evening Post reported, The machine is a single-engined cabin monoplane of low-winged design. It has accommodation for a pilot and two passengers; the latter are seated side by side behind the pilot. It will be used by Union Airways either as a service machine or in emergency as an air taxi. The Falcon’s wing-span is 35 feet; its weight empty 1300 pounds/loaded 2300 pounds; and it will carry a payload of 560 pounds.

The first two de Havilland Express aircraft arrived at the Port of Lyttelton on the 28th of November 1935. The following day the Press reported that the smaller cases holding the parts of the first two airliners were packed were so large that a traction engine and a heavy trolly had to be used to transport them from the Christchurch rail yards to Wigram. The size of the larger cases necessitated their being conveyed by road over Evans Pass and through Sumner. The aircraft were then assembled by the staff of Union Airways, Ltd., under the direction of Squadron Leader M. C. McGregor.

On the 8th of December 1935, Union Airways’ first de Havilland Express, ZK-AEG, Karoro, made its first flight in New Zealand at Wigram under the command of Mr B. A. Blythe. The Press reported the event… She is the largest, heaviest, and most powerful aeroplane that has ever flown in this country; she has flown faster than any other aeroplane that has ever been seen here; and, most important of all, she is the first large modern aeroplane imported to operate a commercial service.

Early in the afternoon two of the five-ton canopy doors of the new Air Force hangar swung up, and Karoro made her first appearance on the aerodrome, not under her own power, but looking as ashamed of the tractor that towed her as a full-rigged ship of the tug that brings it into harbour.

When the last adjustments had been made, the Karoro's tanks were filled from the special electric fuelling plant installed by the company near the aero club hangar, a lead was run to the self-starting plant from a storage battery on the ground, and everyone stood clear. Modern aeroplanes are still so unusual in New Zealand that it seemed strange for the propellers to be turning over slowly without any swinging or turning of handles. But they did not have to turn for long. The engines had not run since their tests in England, but they had not forgotten how, and in a few seconds the four of them were singing cheerfully. One stopped and a minor adjustment had to be made, but that was quickly done.

As soon as the engines were warmed up, the Karoro taxied about. With very effective brakes and outboard engines, she could be turned in no space at all. Then she was taken to the leeward end of the aerodrome and turned into the wind. The handful of people who remained watched with interest to see how far she ran before taking off. They did not have long to watch, for the tail was up and then the wheels off the ground in a very short distance. A hundred yards further Karoro put her long, graceful bow into the air and made for the sky. In a wide sweep, gaining height, she circled the aerodrome, impressing everyone with her speed and beauty.

The Express type owes some of its speed to its highly-tapered wings, which also contribute to its good looks in the air. The four engines and the undercarriage are thoroughly streamlined, and from directly in front, the machine looks very clean. The best view, however, is from directly underneath or when the aeroplane is banking, lor it is then that the taper of the wings shows up best. Mr B. A. Blythe, who was flying the machine, the same type that he has been flying for Jersey Airways, in England, robbed the people of the aerodrome of their view, by heading through the low clouds. Some time later he reappeared, and Mr J. J. Busch, commercial pilot of the Aero Club, tried to get near enough to the Karoro to get a photograph, but the 100 miles an hour of the Fox Moth he was flying was amusingly inadequate.

This time the Karoro, engines working fairly hard, came low across the aerodrome—three tons of aeroplane in a hurry. The 800 horse-power of the four Gipsy Six engines was produced with less noise than one might have expected, but with enough to make the "fly past" impressive. She was probably flying at about 170 miles an hour. Another circuit of the aerodrome, and the Karoro approached for the landing. The flaps on the upper wing were seen to drop, and the glide grew steeper. Main wheels and tail wheel touched simultaneously, and the brakes brought the Express to a quick stop.

Next, the full load of the machine was made up in lead ingots and she took off, using a little more of the aerodrome this time, climbed, and disappeared again. Three or four more landings and the tests were complete. No one, whether the officials, pilots or ground engineers of Union Airways - who knew that the machine had exceeded the makers' specifications - could have been disappointed by the flights; but perhaps the man most pleased was Mr M. C. McGregor, service manager of the company.

Meanwhile work continued on the assembly of the second de Havilland Express aircraft, ZK-AEF, Kotuku, and it made its first flight on the 30th of December 1935. The final Express, ZK-AEH, Korimako, made its first flight on the 7th of January 1936. Meanwhile pilot training and route proving flights had begun. The 10th of December saw ZK-AEG visit Blenheim for the first time, flying from Wigram and return. On the 15th ZK-AEG flew to Dunedin and return on its first visit. On the 9th of January 1936, ZK-AEF, Kotuku, became the first de Havilland Express to visit Palmerston North having flown north from Christchurch via Blenheim.  

In the meantime the single engine Miles M3B Falcon Six service and air taxi aircraft arrived by ship at Wellington on the 18th of December 1935. Registered ZK-AEI it made its first flight on the 20th. The Evening Post reported that the Falcon showed herself as the fastest aeroplane which has so far flown in New Zealand, for her air speed, said Squadron-Leader M C. McGregor. It reached up to 190 m.ph after the first test flights, and minor adjustments had been made. Squadron-Leader. McGregor took Mr N. S. Falla deputy chairman of the board of directors of the Union Steam Ship Company, on a flight over the city, and later left for Palmerston North, with Mr J. Mangham, chief ground engineer for Union Airways, as passenger. The journey was made in 35 minutes. This model of the Miles Falcon has a 200 h.p. Gipsy Six engine, of the same type as those of the four-engined DH86 ‘liners which will operate between Palmerston North and Dunedin, so that all engines are interchangeable.

Miles M3B Falcon Six ZK-AEI at Palmerston North

On the 15th of January 1936 pre-service inauguration flights for the Union Airways service were carried out in both directions in de Havilland DH86 Express ZK-AEG, Karoro, under the Commander A G Gerrand and Second Officer A V Jury on the northbound flight with C M Duthie being the Second Officer on the southbound flight. The Second Officer also fulfilled the role of wireless operator.

The Karoro departed Dunedin at 8.30am and arrived at Wigram at 10.00am. The party from Dunedin included the Rev. E. T. Cox, Mayor of Dunedin; Mr W. B. Cunningham, manager of the Dunedin branch of the Union Company; Mr R. Halstead, general manager of John Mill and Company; Mr F. Tyson, manager of the Dunedin branch of the New Zealand Shipping Company; Mr W. Shepherd and Mr J. P. Marlow, officials of the Dunedin Aero Club; and Mr H. M. Smith, of the Dunedin Star. After arriving at the Canterbury Aero Club's section of the airfield the passengers disembarked for a cup of tea before proceeding north.

At Christchurch Messrs. Cunningham, Halstead and Tyson disembarked and their places were taken by Mr Clive Crozier, president of the Canterbury Aero Club; Mr P. R. Climie, secretary of the club; Mr R. K. Palmer, who made a running commentary on the flight over the air; and Mr W. Glasgow.

From Christchurch the Press reporter gives a vivid account of the first return flight to Palmerston North.

A convincing demonstration of the safety, speed, comfort, and convenience of air travel was given yesterday when the Karoro, one of Union Airways four-engined express liners, flew from Dunedin to Palmerston North and back via Christchurch and Blenheim. The passengers were guests of the company. They travelled at a speed at which they have never travelled before and in great comfort, and they saw more than they would have been able to see had they travelled by any other means of transport. Actually the machine flew at a speed of about 140 miles an hour, and what that means will be shown by the times of arrival and departure.

It is 10.16am when the pilot, Mr A. G. Gerrand, opens the throttles and the Karoro leaves the ground at Wigram less than a minute later. There are eight passengers in the cabin, and as we circle before heading north the co-pilot, Mr A. V. Jury, comes aft from the cockpit and instructs us in the use of the straps and the ventilators which play cooling air into our faces. 

The weather was overcast with a slight drizzle when we took off, but four minutes later we catch a glimpse of the sun gleaming on the surf on the coast out to starboard. Seven minutes after leaving we pass over the mouth of the Waimakariri and follow the coast about 100 yards out to sea. At 10.30am we definitely leave the mist and rain as the beach gives way to bluffs near Motunau. Misty clouds still swirl round the hills, but out to sea where we are it is clear. There is an oily sea beneath and the motors drone monotonously on as considerably more than two miles of land slip by every minute. 

At 10.43am we pass the mouth of the Hurunui and the sunshine becomes stronger. We see the many shelter belts round the homesteads of North Canterbury. Another river mouth, the Waiau, comes into view and we are struck by the untidiness of the rivers here. When they meet the sea they do not run in cleanly but, rebuffed by the shingle bars across the mouth, spread out and straggle. Now, where motor-cars would be tediously winding through the Conway and Hundalee the Karoro sails gloriously out to sea and flies straight for her goal. At eight minutes before 11 o’clock we see the Conway River and the flat land near its mouth where the emergency aerodrome is to be made. Four minutes later the Kaikouras come into view away on the port bow, and we note the snow still obstinately clinging in the higher valleys.

We pass over the tip of the Kaikoura peninsula at 11am, 44 minutes after leaving Christchurch. Here is the Hapuku river, with another untidy mouth. Midget cars wind along the coast road. We look quickly out of the starboard and then out of the port windows in our anxiety to miss nothing of this glorious panorama. The Marlborough hills are capped with misty clouds. To starboard we see the sharply defined line where the muddy waters of the Clarence meet the sea. We lose the sun again at 11.10 o’clock, wisps of cloud flash by the windows and the North Island is lost in a heavy bank of cloud. Underneath now we see the abandoned workings on the South Island main trunk railway line as we turn inland, leaving Lake Grasmere away to starboard.

We see what road travellers cannot know, that here there are many steep little hills and peaks. As we pass over the Awatere, meandering in several muddy streams over its wide bed, the North Island appears from its cloud. Blenheim appears slightly to starboard and we pass over the outskirts and out to the aerodrome. The wing flaps come down, and at 11.33am, one hour and 17 minutes from Christchurch, our wheels rumble on the perfect surface of the Woodbourne aerodrome. 

While the Karoro is being refuelled we are refreshed with tea at the company’s building, and at 11.44am we are taxiing over the aerodrome on our way to Palmerston North. There are now 12 in the cabin. We catch a glimpse of Mr Jury fitting the headphones over his head to receive reports on the weather ahead. If necessary he will also receive the Karoro’s position from the directional wireless. It is not needed on this flight - we are in brilliant sunshine - but it is comforting to know that if rain and clouds blotted out all landmarks the Karoro would fly on her course just as surely.

At 11.52am we are over the sea again. We leave Port Underwood slightly to port and have fascinating glimpses of Queen Charlotte Sound. Away to the starboard the clouds have formed themselves into forbidding cliffs over Wellington but below the sea is a deep blue and the wave-tops flecked with dazzling white. We pass the entrance to Tory Channel. and see the tide swirling in. Then come the Brothers, with speck of a lighthouse on the northern island; away to port is Cape Jackson, one of the heads of Queen Charlotte Sound, and off it we can just see the seas breaking off treacherous Walker Rock. We can look right along the top of the South Island to Stephen Island. Off the mouth of the sound is the ugly shape of Cook Rock, named by the famous navigator who so nearly met disaster there. A tanker is crawling sluggishly south through the straits.

De Havilland Express ZK-AEG flying southbound over Queen Charlotte Sound with Tory Channel behind opening into Cook Strait. Photo : Whites Aviation

Mana Island comes abeam to starboard and Kapiti lies dead ahead. Thus, although visibility is not of the best, we see Kapiti and Steuben Islands at the same time. At 12.16pm we pass slightly to seaward of Kapiti, where the surf pounds on the forbidding cliffs. Paraparaumu and Otaki are left behind, and we turn inland over sand dunes. At 12.30pm we are flying up the Manawatu River, leaving Foxton to port. We pass over fertile farms where great herds of cows are grazing. We feel some minute bumps, our first, but these are so slight as to cause no discomfort. We fly over Palmerston North and at 12.40pm, 56 minutes from Blenheim, 2 hours and 13 minutes flying time from Christchurch, our wheels touch Milsom aerodrome.

Meanwhile, Squadron-Leader M. C. McGregor, the service manager for Union Airways, flew the Honourable F Jones, who was both the Minister of Defence and the Postmaster-General, and Mr N. S. Falla, managing-director of Union Airways, to Palmerston North in the Miles Falcon, arriving at Milson at 11.30am.

A very big crowd gathered for the official central opening ceremony at Palmerston North’s Milson aerodrome, including parliamentary, civic and aviation authority representatives, the Hon F. Jones “christening” the three de Havilland DH86 Express aircraft Karoro, Kotuku, and Korimako. At the civic luncheon, held in the Rosco tearooms, Mr Jones talked about the development of aviation in New Zealand.

 

The three De Havilland Express aircraft, ZK-AEG, ZK-AEF and ZK-AEH presumably at Palmerston North on the "christening day", 15 January 1936. Photo : D A Walker Collection

In reply Mr N. S. Falla (the managing director of the company) expressed his thanks and those of his colleagues for the hospitality extended to them. His company greatly appreciated serving the public from this centre, which would eventually become the greatest airport in the North Island. From all sources the company had had the greatest encouragement. The function was marking an entry upon a big undertaking, but, by comparison with aviation of other countries, it could grow greatly. Speed, regularity, and comfort were to be the aims of the service, and its value would extend beyond New Zealand’s people as it would assist tourists also and could be valuable in a national crisis. The financial requirements ran to £90,000 so far, and there would be big annual costs. £40,000 to £50,000. The speaker extended thanks to the company’s technical staff, which, he said, was made up almost entirely of New Zealanders. Mr Falla commended his service to the people of New Zealand for their patronage.

The Press reporter continues his narrative of the return journey… We begin the return journey at 2.48pm, and two minutes later the city of Palmerston North is fading into the distance. Four minutes after 3 o'clock we are over the sea again. The clouds are definitely behind us and in the brilliant sunshine we have a much better view than in the morning. A white fringe of surf stretches away down the coast to Plimmerton. There is less wind, and below are mere wavelets, with an occasional touch of white. We again pass outside Kapiti and in a moment the glorious coast from Jackson’s Head to D’Urville Island is again in view, with Stephen Island standing out boldly. We pass the Brothers at 3.21 p.m, and six minutes later the coast of the South Island is close on the starboard side. The rocky coast from the sound mouth to Port Underwood is magnificent, and in the haze to the south we see Cape Campbell. The shadows of the clouds make fantastic shapes on the water. The Karoro strikes inland just north of the mouth of the Wairau river, at 3.38pm, and we see green and brown fields slide underneath as the aeroplane heads for Woodbourne. We land at 3.43pm 55 minutes from Palmerston North.

The Marlborough Express reported on the Blenheim function on the southbound flight… Local interest in the official inauguration of the pioneer trunk air service that so effectively puts Blenheim "on the map," was indicated by the assembly of a large and representative crowd at Woodbourne Aerodrome to welcome the airliner Karoro on her homeward flight to Dunedin…  Notwithstanding the fact that the arrival of the 'plane was delayed by the protraction of the Palmerston North proceedings, a crowd of several hundreds had gathered when the Karoro, bearing an official party, appeared from the north. The airliner, which took off from Palmerston North at 2.50pm reached Blenheim at 3.42pm, having completed the trip in five minutes under the scheduled time of 57 minutes… When the machine came to rest, having been expertly taxied to a precise position over the petrol filling station, the crowd rushed forward to see the passengers alight and to admire the beautiful liner.

The visitors and the guests of the Aero Club were entertained at afternoon tea in the aerodrome building, and during this pleasant interlude opportunity was taken to mark the occasion by a series of speeches, all necessarily very brief on account of the fact that the 'plane was due to resume her southern flight with a minimum of delay. Speaking on behalf of the Aero Club as the local aviation authority and the hosts for the occasion, Mr Macnab heartily congratulated Union Airways on the inauguration of the service. "I can assure you," he said, "that those interested in aviation in Marlborough wish you every success." Mr Macnab extended to the representatives of the southern centres a warm welcome to Blenheim," and thanked Union Airways for its courtesy in enabling the Blenheim delegation to make the trip to Palmerston North to participate in an historic occasion. At Mr Macnab's instance three rousing cheers were given for the new service and the company. Mr L. L. Derbidge, the local manager of the Union Company, acknowledged Mr Macnab's remarks and presented apologies for the absence from the ceremony of his managing director. Mr Falla. He thanked the Aero Club for its generous gesture in arranging the function to mark the occasion, and said he trusted that the people of Marlborough would appreciate the service that was being inaugurated.

The importance of Blenheim “as a junction in the air services” was stressed during the function, it being stated that when the services were in full swing 12 airliners would be calling at Blenheim each day with the north and southbound Union Airways flights and Cook Strait Airways flights to Wellington and Nelson. In addition to this private traffic in and out of Blenheim had averaged 80 to 90 aeroplanes a month.

The Press reporter picks up on his final sector… We take off at 4.01pm for Christchurch. Blenheim is behind us, Cape Campbell away to port, and to starboard the cloud-capped hills. We fly through clouds, the earth is blotted out and we see only mist swirling past the windows. For a moment we fly through a strange white world. We climb above into bright sunshine, through the gaps in the white carpet we see glimpses of the sea coast far below and the ribbon of road that skirts it. The sea looks sullen. So comfortably do we travel that some of us doze in our seats. We fly along under a grey sky over a grey sea. A burst of sun greets us as the Karoro comes to the Canterbury coast. It does not last and we go out to sea to cross Pegasus Bay. The land is miles to starboard, but we are untroubled. We have implicit faith in the Karoro, in her pilot and in her four engines and their propellers which whirl unfailingly and reassuringly. We strike the coast just south of the Waimakariri. In another instant we are over the city and land at Wigram at 5.08pm. We have taken an hour and seven minutes from Blenheim, and two hours and two minutes from Palmerston North. Our flying time for the whole trip is 4 hours and 15 minutes. We have travelled far and at great speed. We are not fatigued, neither are we dusty or grimy. We wish for more and sadly watch the Karoro sail away south for Dunedin.

Further reporting in the Press recorded that, When the Karoro returned to Wigram a reception was held in the Canterbury Aero Club’s rooms. Mr Crozier thanked the company for inviting the Aero Club to be represented on the flight and wished it success in its service. The Deputy-Mayor, Mr J. W. Beanland, said that his flight in the Karoro a few weeks ago had broken down all his prejudices against air travel. Mr F. W. Hobbs, president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, said that after his flight in the Karoro recently he felt that he never wanted to travel by any other means if he had any distance to go. Both these speakers congratulated the company and wished it success. Mr A. R. Thompson, manager of the Union Steam Ship Company. Ltd., in Christchurch, said he was very pleased to hear such complimentary remarks about his company. He thanked all the speakers, and also the Aero Club for its assistance in the organisation of the new service.

A couple of photos of De Havilland Express ZK-AEG over Dunedin. Photos :Whites Aviation

The Karoro arrived back into Dunedin’s Taieri aerodrome about 7.15pm and was welcomed by about 1000 people. The Evening Standard reported, Mr I Penrose, president of the Otago Aero Club, said that in the inauguration of the new service the club saw the realisation of one of its dreams. It was a matter for congratulation that a company which had been connected so long and so successfully with sea services should now extend its activities to the air. The speaker added that Union Airways had a staff and equipment which would make this one of the safest and most reliable services the world would know.

De Havilland Express ZK-AEG at Dunedin's Taieri aerodrome

The Mayor (the Rev E T Cox) said that a few years ago they used to talk of the difference 100 years made in the speed of transport, but to-day the centuries had given place to years. The wonderful evolution in comforts and luxuries as well as the speed of liners belonged not to the century, but to the last 10 years. What took their ancestors centuries to do was. now done in a decade. The mode of travel was changed, as it were, in a moment of time. Last year the Centenary Air Race from London to Melbourne gave an exhibition of the wonders of the speed and the durability of machinery. As the Red Comet shot out of the sky at 225 miles an hour and crossed the finishing line and completed the journey in 71 hours it was felt that a new era in world travel had dawned. The speaker congratulated the Union Company on adding to its laurels the pioneering of the new service. Those who had travelled in the aeroplane had been to Palmerston North and back in about the same, time the express took to reach Christchurch. They had a most thrilling experience. He predicted a prosperous and successful future for the service.

The thanks of the company for the good wishes extended for the new venture were voiced by the local manager (Mr W B Cunningham). He hoped, he said, that the air service would be as successful as the steamer services maintained by the company in the past had been. He thanked the Aero Club for the co-operation which it had extended, and said he hoped the people of Dunedin would become air-minded, so that the service would pay its way. At the conclusion of the addresses three cheers were given for Union Airways.

With the inauguration flights completed Union Airways looked to the start of the scheduled services the following day. The Manawatu Standard reported that for crewing the flights the airline appointed B A Blyth as chief pilot with and Co-pilot C M Duthie, both being stationed at Palmerston North and Pilots A G Gerrand and G R White, with Copilots K J Brownjohn and M McLeod stationed at Dunedin. The colour scheme for Union Airways aeroplanes marked that company’s connection with its parent, the Union Steam Ship Company, being red top to fuselage, thin black line, and silver underside and wings. The uniform for pilots and officers is similar to that of the Air Force but is navy blue. It looked very smart to-day. Pilots will wear dark blue caps with UA in front, and will wear wings with UA in centre, above the left breast pocket of the tunic. Engineer officers will wear “half-wings.” The badges of rank are as follow: Service manager, three gold stripes and diamond; chief pilots, three gold stripes; first officers, two and a-half gold stripes; second officers, two gold stripes. First engineers will wear two gold stripes on blue and station engineers one gold and one blue.

The Manawatu Standard of the 16th of January printed a description of the three Express airliners… They are beautiful in appearance and in addition to revealing the finest workmanship, are reliable and comfortable. Powered by four Gipsy Six engines, each of 200 horsepower, they are capable of a top speed of 173mph and a cruising speed of 145 mph. Accommodation is provided for 12 passengers and two pilots, mails and luggage. Carrying 10,000lbs, and a payload of over one ton, the ’planes have a cockpit that is a maze of controls and instruments, the pilots sitting side by side and having before them the latest devices yet devised for aircraft, including radio telegraphy and telephone to land stations. The altimeter reads a change of 10 feet and the aviators even have a windscreen wiper like a car.

The cabin for passengers has a colour scheme of dark green and grey and conveniences are provided in a special cabin, the liner having a wing span of 64 feet, height of nearly 13 feet, length of 44 feet and total weight of nearly three tons. They are, in other words, among the largest aeroplanes (and the only four-engined ones) seen in the Dominion; also having a higher top speed than is reached even by the service machines of the New Zealand Air Force.

The long, pointed nose, the sharply tapered wings and the low-set engines on the bottom wing give the giant liners a look of speed and the company’s colours - red top to fuselage, thin black lino and silver for the lower portion and the wings - make an attractive finish. Twelve metal chairs, built of light tubing with comfortable upholstery are to be seen in the roomy cabin of the express ’plane and pipes carry air (warmed by the engines) into the area for cold-weather flying. There is also a ventilating system installed whereby each passenger can control his or her own supply of fresh air. Incidentally, seats in the cabin can be removed easily in the eventuality of ambulance cases being carried. Union Airways of N.Z., Ltd., does not, at present, propose to do any night-flying but the machines are fully equipped for operating after dark. In the nose of each liner, right at the front of the roomy baggage locker that occupies the space in front of the pilots, is a large light. It is the size of a motorcar headlight but more powerful. The pilots can dip this to illumine the ground for landing. Underneath are two plain lights for signalling to the ground and another which shines white behind, red to port and green to starboard (in marine fashion, which is also recognised in the air).

The current for all these lights – as well as for the radio installation and for the self-starters fixed to each engine - is supplied by a small wind-driven generator on the upper wing. With the advent of the De Havilland airliner service transportation in the Dominion has advanced another stage; the skyways are becoming the highways. Figures go to show that mechanical trouble during the flight is practically negligible, while a study of the performances of this particular type of machine, in conjunction with the comparatively short distances to be flown on the Palmerston North to Dunedin route, shows clearly the exceptional margin of safety that has been incorporated in the service. With one engine out of commission, the DH86 will not only maintain level flight with ease but will climb with the other three motors, fully loaded, to 13,500 feet. Even with the remote chance of two engines out of commission, this plane can not only maintain level flight to the nearest aerodrome (and there are plenty along the route), but if necessary can climb to 4500 feet.

The liners are also fitted with radio, so that with ground stations equipped at the four stopping places - Palmerston North, Blenheim, Christchurch, and Dunedin - a two-way communication can be carried out. This, of course, enables the pilots, especially in the event of a sudden change of weather or any change of wind, to receive a prior account of the conditions expected to be encountered. The chief pilots are Messrs Blythe, Gerrand and White, while the four co-pilots are Messrs Duthie, Harvie, Brownjohn and McLeod —all experienced men.

Union Airways planes have already blazed the trail for the trunk service by carrying out very successful trial flights between Palmerston North and Dunedin. Most activity has naturally been concentrated at the two terminal points, but it may be pointed out that special motor-driven fuelling plants, to enable short stops, are being installed at Christchurch and Blenheim.

The hangars here and at Dunedin are well under way and when completed these will be considered the most up-to-date commercial structures of their kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The plans provided for the latest ideas in hangar construction, and the doors alone will be a feature. At Milson drome the giant hangar has an opening span of 101 feet, and it will be possible to open the doors within a few minutes. The building is capable of housing three multi-engined machines, as well as subsidiary aircraft. An administration block is also being erected at the city airport while work is continuing on the general improvement of the landing ground.

A glance at the timetable reveals the saving of time factor with both passengers and mails. With the service operating a plane will leave Palmerston North daily (including Sunday) at 8.30am, Blenheim being reached at 9.27 and left at 9.37 o’clock. Christchurch will be reached at 10.55am and at 11.05 the machine will take off on its last hop, to Dunedin, which is reached at 12.37pm. Cook Strait Airways planes, to and from Wellington, connect with this service at Blenheim.

The meeting of the airlines, Union Airways' De Havilland Express ZK-AEF and Cook Strait Airways' De Havilland Dragon Rapide ZK-AED at Blenheim's Woodbourne aerodrome

The possibilities of the future are great. With passengers taking Auckland as the place of departure and travelling throughout the night by the express, they can alight at Palmerston North the following morning, transfer to the plane at Milson airport and arrive at Dunedin at lunch time the same day. Mails can be treated the same way. Letters posted in Auckland by 5pm or late fee 6pm, can arrive in Dunedin the following day at about 1pm. This represents a saving in time of approximately 40 hours. Replies could be posted the same afternoon or evening and go to Palmerston North by plane the following day and reach Auckland next morning. Already the establishment of an air mail between the North and South Island is being urged by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. With the air mail service proposed by Christchurch businessmen it would be possible to post a letter there at midday to catch the aeroplane leaving at 1.12pm arriving in Palmerston North at 3.37pm, connecting with the Main Trunk express and arriving in Auckland early in the morning. A reply posted at Auckland the same evening and carried by Railway express would catch the aeroplane at Palmerston North at 8.30am next day and arrive in Christchurch at 10.55am This would reduce the time taken by letters in transit to one-half. 

Ultimately linking services, road, rail and air, will distribute passengers over the North and South Islands from this air express service. Intermediate stops at Blenheim and Christchurch will allow passengers to be distributed throughout the South Island the same day, while the early arrival in Palmerston North will allow passengers to proceed north, east and west by other available transport services. It is the first main trunk air service in New Zealand and this system brings the Dominion into line with all other countries in air transportation.

Scheduled services started on the 16th of January 1936. The Kotuku, ZK-AEF, flown by Commander Blythe and Second Officer Brownjohn departed Palmerston North for Dunedin with a full load. Two passengers were flown from Palmerston North to Dunedin, two from Blenheim to Christchurch, and seven from Christchurch to Dunedin. The northbound service was operated by the Karoro, ZK-AEG, flown by Commander Gerrand and Second Officer Duthie. Six passengers were flown from Dunedin, of whom four were for Christchurch and two for Palmerston North. At Christchurch she picked up four passengers, two for Blenheim and two for Wellington via Cook Strait Airways from Blenheim.

Otago Daily Times, 15 January 1936

  

Tragedy hit the company just a month later on the 19th of February 1936. The New Zealand Herald of that date reported, Striking the anemometer mast when gliding down to land at Rongotai aerodrome this afternoon, the Union Airways' Miles Falcon private charter taxi monoplane crashed to the ground up-side-down, and the pilot, Squadron-leader M C McGregor, received injuries from which he died in the Wellington Hospital about two hours later. The only passenger, Mr C W F Hamilton, a young sheep farmer of Irishman's Creek Station, Fairlie, South Canterbury, escaped with slight abrasions to the right wrist and face and a cut above his right eye.

Mr Hamilton arrived from the South Island by the inter-island express steamer yesterday morning on a hurried business visit to Hamilton, and for this purpose he engaged the Miles Falcon monoplane, piloted by Mr A V Jury. He flew the same day from Rongotai to Hamilton, where he stayed last night. He left Hamilton with Mr Jury on the southward journey at about noon today, but at Palmerston North Squadron-Leader McGregor relieved Mr Jury as pilot for the remaining stage of the journey to Wellington, as in his opinion flying conditions were decidedly risky, and he considered it was his duty as service manager of Union Airways to undertake the flight himself.

Palmerston North was left shortly after two o'clock and making the last stage of the trip via the coastline, Squadron-Leader McGregor was about to bring the monoplane down to land when its right wing caught the anemometer mast. Heavy rain was falling at the time of the accident. The crash was heard by the officials at the aerodrome, and within a few seconds they were on the spot and had extricated Squadron-Leader McGregor and Mr Hamilton from underneath the upturned monoplane, which had crashed several yards from the anemometer mast. This mast stands near the main roadway on the Seatoun side of the aerodrome buildings. Squadron-Leader McGregor received extensive head injuries and a fracture of the base of the skull. After receiving medical attention at the aerodrome, Mr Hamilton said the weather had been pretty thick from Palmerston to Wellington, rain falling all the way.

The pilot had done one circle round the aerodrome and was about to land when the machine hit the anemometer mast - which wing or which part of the monoplane had hit the mast he could not say. "I did not see it coming," Mr Hamilton said. "There was a crash and I simply knew we had hit something. The machine fell upside-down and about a quarter or half a minute later someone lifted the wing and pulled me out." Although the machine is badly smashed, it is not considered to be beyond reconditioning. The engine was torn away from its bearings, the metal propeller was smashed, and the machine was generally badly damaged around the nose, which seems to indicate that it dived after striking the mast and then somersaulted over on its back. One wing is ripped off, but the fuselage is in fairly good order and the elevator and wheels are intact. It is customary when entering Rongotai aerodrome in a southerly wind to come in between the north-east or north-west corners. Squadron-Leader McGregor entered due south, between the golf house and the aero clubhouse - a route which is rarely used by Wellington pilots.

In February 1936 Union Airways was able to use its new hangar at Palmerston North’s Milson aerodrome even though it was still in the process of construction. On the 2nd of April 1936 an article in the Dominion gave an account of the building. The largest commercial building of its type in New Zealand, Union Airways' huge hangar at Milson, stands as a monument of progress in air travel in New Zealand… It faces northwest, overlooking a wide apron of tarmac, and is 164ft long by 74ft deep. In addition, there is a huge workshop, 74ft by 41ft. The hangar has a concrete floor space of 12,130 square feet, flanked at each end of its facade by a strong concrete pylon. A departure from the orthodox in its construction is the aluminium finish, which provides light reflection on the inside and also enables the hangar to be easily picked up from the air. For the walls, the strongest weather-resisting material has been used, and this has been treated with bitumen. The roofing consists of three-ply bitumen, laid on wood.

Visitors to the hangar are invariably impressed with the solidity of the building and, in particular, of the huge sliding doors, which, in themselves, represent an expenditure of £14,000. There is a garage attached to the hangar and the workshop has been divided into three sections comprising a woodwork division, an engine shop, and a fuselage shop. Adjoining the hangar is Union Airways administrative building, the furnishings and appointments of which are in keeping with the enterprise of the company.

A smaller hangar was also completed at Dunedin’s Taieri aerodrome in 1936.

On the 16th of March Union Airways commenced carrying mail with the thousands of letters carried on the inaugural mail-carrying flights. The NZ Herald reported Ten bags of air mail, aggregating 75 pounds, and containing a total of over 5000 letters, were loaded aboard the machine this morning at Palmerston North. Twenty pounds of mail was received already bagged from Auckland by the Limited express. There were two bags each for Blenheim, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin and one each for Timaru and Oamaru. There was a small official gathering at the aerodrome, including Mr J Hodgens, MP, Mr A E Mansford, Mayor, and Mr N S Falla, chairman of Union Airways. Brief speeches were made prior to the machine's departure. The chief postmaster, Mr Black, handed over the bags and the All Black footballer, Mr R M McKenzie, assisted in the stowing of the mail. Meanwhile the northbound flight from Dunedin carried four bags of mail weighing 63lb and containing 3589 letters. This is only one-third of the mail capable of carriage, but it is considered a good start.

New Zealand Post Office advertising in Dunedin's Evening Star, 11 March 1936

From the 29th of April the northbound service between Dunedin and Palmerston North was retimed with the flight leaving Dunedin at 8.15am, instead of 11.30am.

Southland Times, 30 April 1936

Otago Daily Times, 16 June 1936

Six months later, in early July, Union Airways announced it had made the decision to apply for a licence to operate daily flights between Auckland and Wellington with stops at Palmerston North and New Plymouth with a yet undecided aircraft type. While the prospect of flights between Auckland and Wellington was welcomed there was general dismay that the new proposed timetable would not connect with Union Airways’ service between Palmerston North and the South Island centres.

Later in the same month Union Airways announced in the first six months of the service it had flown 1307 hours in the air and carried 2847 passengers. The service carried 2,027lb of freight and 8,806lb of mail.

As part of show casing their aircraft and services 1936 saw a Union Airways De Havilland Express visit both Invercargill and Masterton. Funds raised by these visits were used to augment the national fund for the dependants of the late Squadron-Leader McGregor. 

On the 5th of April 1936, a week later than originally planned, De Havilland Express ZK-AEG, Karoro, visited Invercargill with many people taking the opportunity to go for a flight in the new airliner.

Otago Daily Times, 27 March 1936

The visit to Masterton was a case of third time lucky with inclement weather precluding a visit but on the 23rd of June 1936 De Havilland Express ZK-AEH, Korimako drew a large crowd to the air display arranged by the Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Club. During the afternoon many people took the opportunity of a flight in the Korimako. 

Manawatu Standard, 20 June 1936

Wairarapa Age, 22 June 1936

The Evening Post reported more interesting statistics on the development of New Zealand’s airlines on the 19th of November 1936… The efficiency of the commercial services was reduced during the winter months, neither Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., on the West Coast, nor Union Airways, Ltd., being able to maintain their 100 per cent, rating gained last quarter. Air Travel came nearest with a 99.3 per cent., having missed only two of the 309 flights scheduled. Union Airways came next with 94 per cent., having missed five trips out of 182. Cook Strait Airways' record shows a further drop to 82.9 per cent, but its lower figure is accounted for by the peculiar physical conditions with which it has to contend.

Cook Strait Airways leads in the number of passengers carried, its total of 2945 being nearly double that of Union Airways, 1521. Air Travel, with its small machines, carried 285 passengers. In the amount of mail carried the trunk service heads the list with 10,545lb, followed closely by Air Travel with 10,245lb. Cook Strait carried 4761lb. Cook Strait Airways carried the most freight, 4242lb, Air Travel taking 2666lb and Union Airways 1753lb. The totals for the quarter as compared with the previous three months show a decrease of 300 in the number of passengers, but an increase of nearly 200lb in the amount of freight and of 2600lb of mail.

De Havilland Express ZK-AEH flying over Christchurch

On the 3rd of December 1936 the Minister of Transport, the Honourable R Semple, announced he had given Union Airways approval to use three Lockheed Electra on the proposed new service between Wellington and Auckland that was to fly via Palmerston North and New Plymouth. The NZ Herald reported, The three aeroplanes ordered are all metal machines, with twin engines, and with a top speed of approximately 200 miles an hour. They will carry 10 passengers and two pilots and have liberal provision for luggage and freight. The machines have retractable undercarriages, and the equipment will include all the latest safety instruments and two-way wireless… Commending the enterprise of Union Airways, Mr Semple said the company was introducing to New Zealand a machine that had marvellous record for safe flying. Referring to Rongotai aerodrome, the Minister said he was prepared to do the most he possibly could to help the Wellington City Council by way of a subsidy to make this landing field as safe and useful as possible. The aeroplane mentioned by the Minister is the Lockheed Electra model 10A. It has two 440 horse-power Pratt and Whitney Wasp Junior engines. The main cabin, with seats for 10, is 15ft, long, 58in. wide, and 60in. high. The machine has a span of 55ft.

A couple of days later the Minister was again reported in the Herald justifying the choice of an American aircraft over a British aircraft, a debate that would continue in New Zealand domestic skies into the late 1960s… "The action of the Government in putting its imprimatur on American aeroplanes was determined by necessity, not by choice," said the Minister of Transport, the Hon R Semple, at Greymouth, when asked why he had sanctioned the use of Lockheed Electra monoplanes for Union Airways' North Island service. It would be impossible at present to obtain delivery from England of the type of aeroplane required for the Wellington-Auckland service, Mr Semple said. It was very difficult to-day to procure anything in the machinery line from Great Britain. Had there been any question of deciding between British and American monoplanes, the Government would undoubtedly have used its influence in favour of British machines. A certain type of machine was wanted in a hurry for the inauguration of the projected new service, and as the monoplanes needed were unprocurable in England, Union Airways had no option but to go to the next best country for their purpose, the United States, the Minister said. The diversion of the bulk of her manufacturing units into the making of armaments precluded England from accepting orders from overseas with any expectation of delivery within a reasonable period.

In preparation for the Auckland-Wellington service an agreement was made between Union Airways and the Auckland Aero Club for the use of the Mangere aerodrome. A contract was let for the erection of a hangar to house one or more of the Lockheed Electras which was to include a workshop fully equipped for routine overhaul of the aircraft and engines.

Work was also done to enlarge the landing field and it was reported that the main runway could be further extended to a total length of 1200 yds and as the approaches are clear of obstructions this distance would be in effect greater than on many aerodromes. When all the undulating ground is levelled and depressions are filled three good runways will be provided, enabling the field to be used by large passenger aeroplanes under most conditions.

A year after the start of the service on the NZ Herald reported, Over 1,500,000 passenger miles stand to the credit of Union Airways, Limited, as a result of the first year of operation on its service connecting Palmerston North, Blenheim, Christchurch and Dunedin. The company's machines have flown 350,835 miles and carried 6,871 passengers, 6,363lb of freight and excess baggage and 34,885lb of mail, the mail service extending only to March 16, 1935. The three DH Express airliners maintained 98.78 per cent of regularity on schedule during the year… The company has adopted the policy of "delays rather than accidents," and on days when fog has temporarily blanketed the southern section of the route landings have been made at Timaru or Ashburton until reports have been received that visibility has become good again near Dunedin. Even delays, however, have been rare, and of 736 trips scheduled, 727 have been completed.

To promote the forthcoming introduction of Union Airways’ service to Auckland de Havilland Express ZK-AEG, Karoro, became the first four-engine airliner to visit Auckland on the 11th of March 1937 after flying north from Palmerston North under the command of Flying-Officer B. A. Blythe and Flight-Lieutenant A. G. Gerrand. A landing was made at New Plymouth enroute.

On the 29th of May 1937 Union Airways’ first two Lockheed Electra were unloaded in Auckland. The aircraft had only been partly dismantled with the fuselages and centre-section of the wings placed on the ship as deck cargo. The other parts were in cases in the ship's hold. Upon arrival the aircraft were transferred to waiting barges, which were towed to the Royal New Zealand Air Force Base at Hobsonville where they were assembled.  

The first Electra, ZK-AFD, made its first test flight from Hobsonville on the 3rd of June before flying to Palmerston North. The following day the Manawatu Standard reported, Within an hour and a-half of leaving Auckland, the first of the new Lockheed Electra monoplanes to be used in the Wellington-Auckland air service was flying over Palmerston North yesterday. It made a beautiful picture with the early afternoon sun showing up its graceful lines to perfection, and as it circled the city hundreds of interested eyes were turned skywards. The Lockheed went down for her landing at Milson at about 65 miles an hour and came to a stop after a comparatively short taxi-ing run. Naturally it excited the attention of the staff at the aerodrome, who inspected the ’plane with particular interest.

Mr Moye W Stephens, Junior, the American pilot who was sent to New Zealand to make the test flights, was at the controls yesterday. “We had a great trip down, but there is really nothing to say about it,” he said. The reliance placed by Mr Stephens and his company on the airworthiness and efficiency of the machines is shown by the fact that the flight was undertaken following only one test flight at Auckland yesterday morning, when the instruments, wing flaps, landing gear, etc, were tested. Mr Stephens emphasised that this was possible because of the thorough examination of every part before it left the production works. The engineers had been able to assemble the ’plane with a minimum of delay.

The pilot kept the machine at an altitude of about 8000 feet during most of the flight. They took a course via Egmont, but did not touch down at New Plymouth. No attempt was made to test the new Lockheed for speed, the trip being made as an ordinary cruise. “I am delighted with its performance,” said Mr F Maurice Clarke, manager for Union Airways, who, after visiting Auckland during the assembling of the new machines and to transact business in connection with the inauguration of the new service returned with Mr Stephens yesterday.

In keeping with Union Airways practice of using Māori bird names for their aircraft, ZK-AFC became Kotare (kingfisher), ZK-AFD, Kuaka (godwit) and ZK-AFE, Kereru (wood-pigeon).

Lockheed Electra ZK-AFC at Palmerston North's Milson aerodrome

ZK-AFD, Kuaka, made its first visit to Wellington on the 14th of June, the Evening Post that day capturing the occasion… The first of the new Union Airways Lockheed Electra planes, the Kuaka, arrived at Rongotai this morning after a 30-minute run from Palmerston North and captured everyone on the aerodrome by the finished, shining beauty of her lines, and later astonished those who know landing technique by the way in which she was brought in, gliding at a steep angle, directly over the signal station ridge, to finish her landing run with two-thirds of the field still untouched. There is no question whether the Lockheeds can operate at Rongotai with an ample margin. The machine, left Palmerston North at 10.23, with a full complement of passengers, including Mr F Maurice Clarke, general manager of Union Airways, Mr B Blythe, chief pilot of Union Airways, Pilots A G Gerrand and G R White, Messrs. L Mangham and N Paterson, ground engineers, Messrs. W H Hindle and N A Adam, of Brown and Duncan, Ltd, and Dale Hixon, the Lockheed engineer. The flight was made in 30 minutes, but Mr Stephens took the plane in two wide circles before landing on an aerodrome new to him, so that the time "from tarmac to tarmac" was 40 minutes. It may have been that Mr Stephens opened up the engines well and truly for the approach - he did not say - but the approach was most impressive in its speed.

On the 18th of June 1937 it was New Plymouth’s first opportunity to view the new Electra aircraft with the Kuaka, ZK-AFD, flown by Commanders B A Blythe and C M Duthie, arriving on a survey flight. 

On the 26th of June 1937 Union Airways’ air service between Auckland and Wellington was inaugurated by the Honourable F Jones, Minister of Defence. The Mayor of Auckland, Sir Ernest Davis undraped flags from the nose of the Electra to reveal the name Kuaka in scarlet letters. Unusually heavy rain from early that morning prevented the large attendance which was anticipated. At 10.24am Lockheed Electra ZK-AFD, flown by Commanders B A Blythe and G R White took off for New Plymouth and Palmerston North. A similar ceremony was held in Wellington where Kotare was “christened” by the Mayor of Wellington, Mr T C A Hislop. At 11.30am ZK-AFC took off for Palmerston North flown by Commanders A G Gerrand and C M Duthie.

Lockheed Electra ZK-AFD flying over the Waitemata Harbour

At the Palmerston North ceremony the Acting Prime Minister, the Honourable Peter Fraser, said, he would not recapitulate the remarkable record of Union Airways, but he doubted if, anywhere in the world, any company had a better flight record, with freedom from accidents. It appeared that Auckland, Wellington and New Plymouth, through the service, would become suburbs of Palmerston North, the centre of the organisation. Mr Fraser added that the members of Cabinet were pleased to be able to participate in such an important occasion. He paid a tribute, on behalf of the Government, to the civil aviation pioneers who had built up the air sentiment of the country, through their devotion of intense thought and study to the problem. The Minister congratulated Union Airways on their enterprise in launching their Palmerston North-Dunedin and Wellington-Auckland services. He fielded that this opened up a wonderful field of speculation for the future, and he was convinced that the Wellington-Auckland route would be as successful, as sure and as safe a service as those already operated. The occasion of the opening of the latest service would be long remembered in the annals of New Zealand aviation. It marked a decided advance in the history and welfare of the Dominion.

Honourable R Semple joined with the acting-Prime Minister in offering his personal congratulations to Union Airways Ltd. He said it would he admitted that New Zealand, with its mountainous country, fogs and prevailing winds was not the easiest of countries for fliers. Mr Harold Gatty had informed the speaker that New Zealand pilots would measure up in standard with those of any part of the world. The Minister briefly traversed the remarkable development of aviation to the distance and speed achievements of the present day. It would not be long, he predicted, before passengers could breakfast in Wellington or Palmerston North, and have dinner in Sydney. Tasman flight pioneers like the late Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Messrs Ulm and O’Hara, had made the supreme sacrifice, as had the late Squadron-Leader M C McGregor, the most courageous pilot New Zealand had ever possessed.

 

The Dominion, 25 June 1937

Scheduled services Union Airways’ Auckland-New Plymouth-Palmerston North-Wellington service began the following day, the 27th of June 1937. This marked Auckland’s first scheduled air service. Commander C M Duthie with W J Peel as co-pilot flew Lockheed Electra ZK-AFD on the first northbound service as far as Palmerston North where a crew change was made and Commander B A Blythe with E A Robinson flew the Palmerston North-New Plymouth-Auckland sectors. Commander G R White with Second Officer P A Matheson flew ZK-AFC on the southbound Auckland-New Plymouth-Palmerston North-Wellington service.

The new flights operated daily departing with three hours scheduled for the flights between Auckland and Wellington. The southbound service departed Auckland at 12 noon to arrive at New Plymouth at 1.04pm. Departing ten minutes later it was scheduled to arrive at Palmerston North at 2.12pm. After another 10 minute stop it was scheduled to arrive at Wellington at 3.00pm. The northbound service departed Wellington at 12 noon to arrive at Palmerston North at 12.38pm. Departing at 12.50pm it was scheduled to arrive at New Plymouth 1.46pm and, after a 10 minute stop, at Auckland at 3.00pm.

Otago Daily Times, 22 June 1937

Various first day covers were flown airmail on the 27th...

Meanwhile the third Electra, ZK-AFE, arrived at Auckland by ship on the 30th of June. It was subsequently towed behind a truck to Mangere aerodrome for assembly. Named Kereru it made its first flight on the 5th of July and entered service on the 8th when southbound passengers were transferred to it at Milson for the final stage of their flight to Wellington. From this point one of the Electra’s was overnighted at the airline’s Palmerston North facilities and a change of planes was made at Palmerston North on the daily northbound flight.

The 22nd of September 1937 saw a change in Union Airways and Cook Strait Airways air services through Blenheim. Both airlines had until this date been using Woodbourne aerodrome for their Blenheim flights but on this day the airline made the move to the “Municipal Airport” which is more commonly known today as Omaka aerodrome.

Blenheim, Christchurch and Dunedin received an unusual visitor on the 23rd and 24th of October 1937 with Lockheed Electra ZK-AFD replacing the normal de Havilland Express aircraft. The Electra operated the southbound schedule on the 23rd and the northbound schedule on the 24th. The Marlborough Express of the 23rd reported on its Blenheim visit…

The arrival of the Union Airways Lockheed Electra liner Kuaka attracted quite a large crowd of spectators to the Blenheim aerodrome this morning and for a brief period the drome presented a scene of busy activity. After circling the town the liner was brought down to a perfect landing and it made a splendid sight as it taxied up to the buildings, its silver-painted body and wings sparkling in the sunlight, and when it drew up alongside the aerodrome buildings it was the object of very close attention. After a brief stay it took off for Christchurch and Dunedin, and to-morrow it will be at Blenheim again on the return trip from the south.

The Evening Star of the same day recorded its visit to Taieri… Evidence that the public of Dunedin is gradually becoming more air-minded was given in the number of people who motored to the airport to witness the arrival of the Union Airways Lockheed Electra monoplane. Arrangements were made by the company for this machine to take the southward trip today and the northward tomorrow in order that residents in the south might see the type of machine used on the Auckland-Palmerston North run. The machine selected for the trip was the Kuaka, commanded by Commander B A Blythe. The first officer is Commander K A Brownjohn. The Lockheed Electra… was developed to meet the demand for a fast passenger and light freight transport machine combining safety with “payability,” and has features which would make it suitable for some routes in New Zealand. Features of this type are the retractable undercarriage, and the wing flaps.

Delay in the refuelling arrangements at Christchurch was responsible for the machine reaching Dunedin about three-quarters of an hour behind schedule. Shortly after 1.30pm the machine was sighted in the direction of Lookout Point. Quickly she approached the airport, circling the aerodrome before losing height. The retractable undercarriage was seen to drop into place as she neared the ground, and then the big silver aeroplane was brought into a perfect three-point landing.

Union Airways’ Auckland-Wellington and Palmerston North-Dunedin services were connected on the 30th of October 1937. The new schedule from that day enabled a through connection from Auckland to Dunedin in 6 hours 45 minutes. From the same day a second Auckland-Wellington service was inaugurated with the afternoon services flying direct between Palmerston North and Auckland. Coinciding with this East Coast Airways extended their air service between Gisborne and Napier south to Palmerston North to connect with the Union Airways’ flights.

The new schedule saw an Electra departing Auckland at 8.15am having a brief stop at New Plymouth before arriving at Palmerston North at 10.25am. The de Havilland Express flight to the South Island departed 5 minutes later arriving in Blenheim at 11.35am, Christchurch at 1.10pm and Dunedin at 3.00pm. The second southbound Electra flight departed Auckland at noon arriving into Palmerston North at 1.35pm and after a 15 minute stop arriving into Wellington at 2.30pm.

The Express departed Dunedin’s Taieri aerodrome at 8.15am and Christchurch at 10.05am arriving at Palmerston North at 12.45pm. This enabled connections to the 12.55pm direct service to Auckland, the 1.00pm East Coast Airways service to Napier and Gisborne or the 3.50pm Electra service to New Plymouth and Auckland. The northbound Electra flights from Wellington saw the first Electra depart at noon and flying via Palmerston North to arrive into Auckland at 2.30pm. The second Electra departed Wellington at 3.00pm and flying via Palmerston North and New Plymouth to land at Auckland at 6.00pm.

The first direct northbound Palmerston North to Auckland flight was flown on the 30th of October and the first southbound direct flight on the 31st. Both flights were flown in Lockheed Electra ZK-AFC by Commander G R White with Second Officer G Harvey.

Sadly this Electra was destroyed some six months later. On the 10th of May 1938 ZK-AFC, Kotare had arrived from Wellington and after the normal servicing it was set to return to Wellington. The Auckland Star gave an eye-witness account… "I was working on a farm a few hundred yards away," said a youth, Ray Andrews. "I first saw the 'plane just as she was clearing the aerodrome buildings, and then I noticed that the left-hand engine had cut out. This caused me to watch the 'plane closer, and I saw it turn through south-west and west and towards the north-east. It was starting to lose height, and when it reached the trees I saw the whole machine split in half. The wings struck the trees near one of the engines.

"The machine was banking steeply when it crashed, and I could see clearly that the left-hand engine had stopped. I ran as hard as I could toward the clump of trees and lost my shoes in the mud on the way. The 'plane was a mass of flames when I reached it, and I could do nothing."

Sadly Commander Duthie, and his co-pilot, Second Officer W J Peel, were burned to death. There were no passengers.

On the 30th of June 1938 Union Airways took over East Coast Airways and their two De Havilland DH84 Dragon aircraft, ZK-ADS, Tui, and ZK-AER, Huia, and the air service between Gisborne, Napier and Palmerston North. Ironically Union Airways had been operating East Coast Airways’ service from the 28th of May 1938 with their de Havilland DH86 Express aircraft while the East Coast Airways’ Dragons were undergoing their half-yearly overhaul. The Dragons were later painted in Union Airways colours. In August 1938 Union Airways announced that following the rebuilds at the Palmerston North workshop the Dragons would the Express on the Palmerston North-Gisborne-Napier service and one would be used between Hawera, Wanganui and Palmerston North. The latter service never eventuated.

In Union Airways livery, De Havilland Dragon ZK-AER at Palmerston North

NZ Herald, 27 July 1938

With the loss of Electra ZK-AFC it was announced in early June 1938 that Union Airways had ordered two further Lockheed Electras. ZK-AGJ made its first flight on the 26th of August 1938 and ZK-AGK its first on the 6th October 1938. Both Electras were “christened’ on the 18th of October 1938 at Palmerston North. Mr C G White, acting-chairman of directors of the company said, Union Airways looked upon the occasion as another definite step forward in the development of civil aviation in the city. Union Airways had endeavoured to keep in the forefront of the aviation movement and were in reality ahead of requirements. He hoped the public of New Zealand would appreciate their enterprise by a recognition of the service in an adequate manner. He had much pleasure, he said, in calling upon the Mayor, who was the head of the controlling authority for the aerodrome, and Mr Smillie, who had also shown great interest in the advancement of aviation in the district and was president of Milson Aerodrome Incorporated, to christen the ’planes, Kahu (ZK-AGJ) and Kaka (ZK- AGK).

Lockheed Electra ZK-AGK at Wellington's Rongotai aerodrome

The addition of the two new Electras enabled them to replace the de Havilland Express aircraft on the flights between Christchurch and Dunedin. On the 21st of October ZK-AEF, Kotuku, operated the last De Havilland 86 Express out of Dunedin having operated the inbound final service the day before. Leaving Taieri airport at 8.15am Commander M C McLeod circled over the city as a farewell gesture.

Electra ZK-AGJ, Kahu, operated the first southbound Electra flight on the 21st of October 1938 and the first northbound service on the 22nd with Commander A G Gerrand and Second Officer J Winefield in the cockpit. Newspaper coverage reported the Lockheed monoplane Kahu arrived at 2.31 yesterday afternoon to complete the first flight of the new service. The Kahu reduced the scheduled time for the trip of the De Havilland’s by 15 minutes. With these new liners it will now be possible to fly from Dunedin to Auckland without changing aeroplanes at Palmerston North. When the liner leaves for the north this morning she will have her full complement of 10 passengers. From Christchurch the Electra flew north to Wellington and then on Palmerston North and Auckland.

Marlborough Express, 20 October 1938

The Dominion carried a nice article about the changed service which also gives a glimpse into air services through Rongotai in the late 1930s… “Will passengers for Christchurch and Dunedin please board machine ZK-AFD - Kuaka.” This brief announcement, made over the loudspeaker system at Rongotai aerodrome, Wellington, on Saturday morning was the prelude to the inauguration of the new direct airmail and passenger service between Wellington and Dunedin.

The scene at Rongotai was similar to that witnessed on any other day of the week, for there was no ceremony to mark the forging of yet another link in New Zealand’s chain of airways. Shortly before the southbound Lockheed Electra monoplane left Rongotai with a full passenger list on Saturday morning, ZK-AGJ (Kahu christened at Palmerston North last week), the Dunedin-Auckland machine, came winging in from over the sea. There was a brief pause while the big monoplane taxied up to the tarmac, then Kuaka’s twin Pratt and Whitney motors roared into life and the first airliner was gone. People who had flown from Dunedin that morning - some were through passengers to Auckland - stepped out from ZK-AGJ and casually lit pipes and cigarettes. An international rule forbids smoking on board aircraft.

“Will passengers for Blenheim please board machine ZK-AEE - Jupiter.” In the same nonchalant way typical of aerodromes six passengers who 25 minutes later would be landed at Blenheim boarded the D.H. Dragon Rapide for a Cook Strait crossing which has even been known to take several days in the years gone by. There was no hustle and. bustle, or smoke and soot, or ringing of bells at Rongotai on Saturday, in spite of it being one of the busiest days on record.

At one stage about 30 outward and inward passengers were at the aerodrome at the same time; and apart from aerodrome officials, who moved quietly and quickly about their work of attending to mails and luggage and refuelling aircraft, nobody appeared to be in a hurry. The two Lockheeds between them drank approximately 142 gallons of petrol, and although refuelling two airliners in a short space of time was a big task, it is doubtful whether anybody except those doing the work even realised it was being done.

As the summer months advance, Rongotai, now the busiest aerodrome in New Zealand, will become a scene of even greater activity. Toward the end of the year Union Airways’ Auckland-Wellington service will be duplicated and feeder services established in other parts of New Zealand, particularly between Palmerston North, Wanganui and Hawera. The D.H. Dragon operated by Cook Strait Airways between Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson and Greymouth will also make more trips.

With the de Havilland Express no longer operating to Dunedin from the 22nd of October 1938 the DH Express schedule was somewhat changed. An Express overnighted at Gisborne departing there at 7am for Christchurch, via Napier, Palmerston North, and Blenheim. A return service was operated in the afternoon. In addition, two extra services operated by a de Havilland Dragon were provided between Gisborne and Napier. These departed Gisborne at 9.00am and 12 noon. The return Dragon flights arrived back at Gisborne at 11.15am and 3.00pm with the DH Express arriving at 6.00pm. A Dragon also operated a Gisborne-Napier-Palmerston North services on Sundays. The number of flights between Gisborne and Napier was a reflection that the railway line between the two centres did not open until 1942 and so the air service was an attractive alternative to the torturous road journey.

De Havilland Express ZK-AEG at Napier with ground transport to and from the city

Another photo of a De Havilland Express at Napier. Photo : Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-17002-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22873498

Poverty Bay Herald, 24 October 1938 

Poverty Bay Herald, 24 October 1938 

The Press, 12 November 1938

Further extension was to continue to the north-west. With the completion of the aerodromes at Tauranga and Opotiki, Union Airways set to commencing an Auckland-Tauranga-Opotiki-Gisborne service using de Havilland Express aircraft. On the 14th of January 1939 an Express visited Opotiki for the first time. The Opotiki News reported, The first big passenger aeroplane to land on the Opotiki aerodrome arrived at Opotiki on Saturday morning and was welcomed by a crowd of several hundred. Weather conditions were favourable and the big machine was first seen as a tiny speck high above the ranges up the Otara valley. The plane quickly came down the valley and circled the town once before making a perfect landing on the eastern end of the aerodrome. The machine was taxied up in front of the buildings and as it came to a stop was greeted with clapping by the crowd. By the courtesy of Union Airways the crowd was allowed to make a close-up inspection of the big machine which looked very graceful in a new coat of paint.

After a stay of over half-an-hour, the party entered the plane and the engines were started up. The airliner taxied to the far end of the aerodrome and turned into the wind, the engines were opened, out and the big machine left the ground as smoothly as it had landed and slowly rose above the aerodrome and was soon gaining height over the town before flying along the coast to Tauranga for the opening of the new aerodrome. In the presence of over three thousand people the Whareroa (Tauranga), Aerodrome, to serve the whole of the Tauranga District, was officially opened by the Minister of Defence on Saturday afternoon, by the Hon F. Jones. Minister of Defence. After performing the opening ceremony and witnessing an air pageant the Minister left for Gisborne by ’plane at 5.30pm.

Union Airways’ new thrice-weekly service between Gisborne, Opotiki, Tauranga and Auckland began on the 20th of March 1939. Planes left Auckland for Gisborne on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and departures from Gisborne were on Tuesdays, Thursdays .and Saturdays. The eastbound service left Auckland at 8.10am to arrive at Tauranga at 9am. After a 10 minute stop the Express was scheduled to arrive at Tauranga at 9.50am. After another 10 minute stop the Express arrived at Gisborne at 10.40am. The westbound service departed Gisborne at 7.30am arriving at Opotiki 8.10am, Tauranga at 9am and Auckland at 10am. 

FARES                          £    s  d

Auckland-Tauranga       1 15  0

Auckland-Opotiki           3   2  6

Auckland-Gisborne        4   0 0

Tauranga-Opotiki           1   7 6

Tauranga-Gisborne        2 15  0

Opotiki-Gisborne            1   7  6

Ahead of the scheduled service survey flights were flown over the route on the 17th and 18th of March. These were operated in ZK-AEH, Korimako, with Commander G E White and Commander Brownjohn as co-pilot. Various company, local  body and media officials were on board. On the return flight Commander G. E. White was again at the controls, with Commander A. G. Gerrand, as co-pilot.

The first scheduled flight from Auckland to Gisborne was operated on the 20th of March 1939 in ZK-AEH, Korimako, under the command of Commander G R White and Second Officer K A Brownjohn. It departed Auckland with 8 passengers, 2 for Tauranga, 1 for Opotiki and 5 for Gisborne. From Opotiki 3 passengers flew to Gisborne. The Poverty Bay Herald carried this account…

The air service between Auckland and Gisborne - a link which completes a look of services connecting the main centres of the North Island - was inaugurated under ideal flying conditions this morning, 11 passengers being carried in the course of the trip. Following the final survey flights last week, when the Union Airways liner Korimako flew from Auckland to Gisborne and back, the same liner set out from Auckland at 8.10 o'clock this morning to make the first of the regular passenger journeys. Gisborne was reached at 10.30am, a few minutes ahead of schedule, after short stops had been made to set down or pick up passengers at Tauranga and Opotiki. Although Auckland city this morning was under fairly heavy clouds, at Mangere the sky was clear and these conditions prevailed for the greater part of the journey. Tauranga, the longest stage on the route, was reached in about fifty minutes, and after a stay of about 15 minutes there, the flight was continued to Opotiki, this section being covered in little more than half an hour and another half-hour sufficing to reach Gisborne.

The return flight to Auckland the next day carried 8 passengers from Gisborne, 2 for Tauranga and 6 for Auckland. Three Auckland-bound passengers were picked up at both Opotiki and Tauranga.

Bay of Plenty Times, 18 March 1939

For a more detailed examination of Union Airways' services to Gisborne see - http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2021/09/union-airways-gisborne-air-service.html 

For a more detailed examination of Union Airways' services to Opotiki see - https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2022/05/opotikis-union-airways-service.html 

Lockheed Electra ZK-AGJ, Kahu, had an incident at New Plymouth airport on the 23rd of July 1939. Operating the morning service from Auckland the aircraft was landing in rain with slight cross-wind conditions. On landing the aircraft skidded on the runway’s wet grass surface and failed to stop before it struck the boundary fence, along which it travelled for about 60 feet, finally slewing round again and breaking through the fence, hitting the small bank between the level of the flying field and the main highway. It stopped with its nose on the highway reserve just over the fence and clear of the bitumen. None of the crew of two or the three passengers was injured. The undercarriage and propellers of the plane appeared to be fairly extensively damaged and some other damage was done but after Union Airways engineers had made an inspection it was announced that the plane would be flown to Palmerston North for overhaul in a few days.

The declaration of War on the 3rd of September 1939 was to usher in massive changes for New Zealand’s domestic airlines and Union Airways was not exempted with aircraft being impressed into the Royal New Zealand Air Force and services curtailed.

The first service to be suspended was the Palmerston North-Blenheim-Christchurch service operated by De Havilland Express aircraft. This was operated for the final time on the 15th of September. Express ZK-AEF was recorded as impressed into the RNZAF as NZ552 on the 17th.

On the 13th of October 1939, the final Auckland-Tauranga-Opotiki-Gisborne service was flown with the final return Gisborne-Opotiki-Tauranga-Auckland service flown the following day.

The final Union Airways service to be suspended was the Gisborne-Napier-Palmerston North route. The final northbound service from Palmerston North to Gisborne operated on the 24th of October and the final southbound service operated on morning of the 25th.

This left the main trunk flight from Auckland to Dunedin operated by Lockheed Electras. From the 15th of October, however, the twice daily service between Auckland and Wellington was reduced to one daily flight departing Auckland at 8.00am via New Plymouth and Palmerston North to arrive at Wellington at 11.00am. The return service to Auckland departed at noon. At Wellington connections were made to the South Island service. An Electra departed Wellington for Christchurch and Dunedin at 11.20am daily while the northbound service departed Dunedin for Christchurch and Wellington at 8.30am.

Meanwhile the remaining de Havilland Express aircraft were impressed. ZK-AEG became NZ553 on the 13th of October, and ZK-AEH became NZ554 on the 25th. The two ex-East Coast Airways’ de Havilland Dragons were also impressed into the RNZAF in October 1939, ZK-ADS became NZ550 and ZK-AER became NZ551.

De Havilland Dragon ZK-ADS

The latter aircraft was returned to civilian life in March 1944 as ZK-AHT and was deployed to Air Travel (NZ) of Hokitika. Sadly it was destroyed in a fatal accident while on a flight between Nelson and Westport on the 30th of June 1944. In RNZAF service de Havilland Express ZK-AEH was destroyed after crashing at Ohakea on the 13th of November 1940. Sister ship ZK-AEF and Dragon ZK-ADS were both sent to Fiji and they were “struck off charge” in 1943.

With all Cook Strait Airways’ aircraft impressed Union Airways began operating their flights between Wellington and Nelson and Blenheim with Electras from the 10th of November. Two weekday return flights were offered to each of the South Island centres. The first Nelson flights were flown by Commander K. R. Johnston and R. L. McGregor as co-pilot in Electra ZK-AFD, Kuaka.

Lockheed Electra ZK-AGJ at Woodbourne, Blenheim

The Cook Strait Airways timetable with Union Airways operating their flights between Nelson and Wellington and Air Travel (NZ) operating their flights to Westport, Greymouth and Hokitika. Nelson Evening Mail, 11 November 1939

On the 8th of April 1940 Union Airways’ flights through Christchurch moved from the historic Wigram aerodrome to Harewood, now Christchurch International Airport. Lockheed Electra ZK-AFD, Kuaka, flown by J N Jackson, made the first Union Airways’ landing at Harewood.

Another tragedy hit Union Airways on the 7th of May 1942. Lockheed Electra ZK-AFE, Kereru, was operating the morning service from Wellington to Nelson with Commander Keith Johnston and co-pilot W Smiley in the cockpit with three passengers. The Nelson Evening Mail reported, The plane left Wellington at 7.35 o’clock this morning as usual for Nelson and Cook Strait Airways were in communication with it by wireless till 8.17, when the commander was given his bearing. The plane was then due to arrive within a few minutes, and its position was somewhere south-east of the Nelson aerodrome. The actual message was to the effect that the machine was coming into land and to listen to the engines… The weather in Wellington at the time of the departure of the plane is understood to have been fine. Between Blenheim and Nelson there was thick fog with a strong north-east wind blowing.

The wreckage of the plane was found 5 days later on the 12th of May on the north-east face of Mt. Richmond. The discovery was made by Flying Officer Strand, of Woodbourne aerodrome, who went out in a Harvard plane from Nelson. The Lockheed was well smashed up and lying above the snowline. One wing was intact and the pilot thought he could identify the plane’s marks ZK AFE. In reporting back to the Nelson aerodrome the pilot said that he saw no sign of life. Richmond is 5,777 feet high, being the highest peak in the vicinity, and the plane struck it almost at the top. Given the difficulty of access to the crash site and the weather conditions it took another five days to recover the bodies of all on board.

The loss of the Kereru and a shortage of pilots due to the War necessitated a reduction of services from the 8th of June 1942. Cook Strait Airways, with the Government's approval, decided to limit Nelson to one Union Airways’ operated service each day instead of two daily. Both Blenheim and Nelson lost Sunday services. Dunedin and New Plymouth were also eliminated from Union Airways schedule. A daily Auckland-Christchurch service from Mondays to Saturdays, was maintained, but it was impossible to fly from Christchurch to Auckland in one day though planes arrived at Wellington in time for passengers to connect with the afternoon express.

Dunedin interests were quick to mobilise and on the 23rd of June Minister of Transport, Mr R. Semple, issued a statement that the airliner service between Dunedin and Auckland would be resumed from the 6th of July. The revised schedule for the service was similar to that which has been operated. From Monday to Friday inclusive a plane left Auckland each day at 8am to arrive at Wellington at 10.30am. leaving Wellington 1.00pm for Christchurch and Dunedin, arriving there at 4pm. The northbound flights departed Dunedin at 8.30am Tuesday to Saturday, arriving at Christchurch at 10am and at Wellington at 11.30am. The flight departed Wellington at 1.15pm arriving at Auckland via Palmerston North at 3.45pm The stops at New Plymouth have been eliminated.

An unusual addition to Union Airways’ fleet was de Havilland DH60G Moth ZK-ADT which was named Huia. It was registered to the company on the 2nd of December 1942 and based in Palmerston North flying parts and engineers to planes that had gone unserviceable.

De Havilland Moth ZK-ADT at Palmerston North in 1945. Photo : Caribou's Dad - for more on ZK-ADT see https://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2014/08/more-photographs-from-caribous-dad.html 

Another Electra incident happened on the 5th of February 1943 as reported by the Otago Daily Times the following day. Carrying nine passengers in addition to the pilot, co-pilot, and a quantity of mail, the Union Airways interisland Lockheed-Hudson airliner Kuaka (it should read Lockheed Electra – ZK-AFD) crashed on the Wakari side of Flagstaff Hill shortly after 8 o’clock yesterday morning when leaving Dunedin for the north. Heavy mist and rain prevailed at the time of the accident, and when the plane’s port wing grazed the side of a ridge while visibility was almost nil, the machine swerved round and, after being brought to an even keel by the pilot, landed in a patch of tall gorse. This broke the force of the crash and prevented serious injury to the passengers or major damage to the plane.

The occupants of the airliner had miraculous escapes from serious injury or death, as the locality is strewn with boulders and stumps, and is broken by small gullies and depressions. Only a few yards from where the machine now lies is a fence which might easily have overturned the plane had a portion of the machine touched the wire. It was impossible to see more than a few chains through the mist and rain during the morning, and if there had been serious injury to anyone on board some time might have elapsed before first-aid parties could have located the occupants. Fortunately, the plane was brought level with the ground before landing in the gorse, and it did not overturn. The only injuries received were bruises and cuts, but the engines and port wing of the plane were considerably damaged.

The first intimation that a crash had occurred was the breaking of the aeradio beam, on which the co-pilot, Mr Hadfield, was operating at the time. Information was immediately conveyed to the police authorities. It was impossible to determine the exact location of the crash, and an extensive search was instituted over a wide area, in which the police, together with army, air force, and naval parties, took part.

When the police party arrived at the scene all the passengers were in good humour, although some were obviously suffering from the shock of their experience. Mrs Holland had rendered first aid to those injured, and all luggage and mail had been removed to a place of safety as a precaution against fire. Within the cabin and around the machine was sufficient evidence of the cuts received by the passengers, while broken windows and the confusion within the plane made evident the force of the crash. The engines had apparently struck the ground with considerable force, and the damage to them appeared to have been the most serious of that suffered by the plane. Members of the medical section of the air force attended to the injured, and within a few minutes of the discovery of the plane passengers and searchers were on their way down the hill, through drizzle and mist, loaded with luggage and mail. At the Halfway Bush power station the passengers and pilots were picked up by Union Airways taxi and police cars and conducted to the city, where those requiring further medical attention were immediately examined.

Within a few days the Kuaka was dismantled and transported to Taieri for rebuilding.

The on-going War continued to impact on the levels of service but the 1st of November 1943 saw a major development with Union Airways introducing a 15-seat Lockheed 18 Lodestar ZK-AHR into service and the additional of a main trunk service between Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch. A couple of days before the Press reported on the benefits for Christchurch… Supplementing the present through service between Auckland and Dunedin by the addition, on most days of the week, of a second trip each way between Wellington and Christchurch, the new service will increase the daily passenger capacity of the air line from 10 to 25. For Christchurch air travellers the new timetable will offer a greatly improved service, with two trips northward on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and two trips from the North Island to Christchurch from Monday to Friday inclusive. Under the new time-table passenger machines will leave Christchurch for the North Island at 10.15am and 12.10pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, at 12.10 on Monday, and at 10.15 on Saturday, Machines will arrive from the North Island at 11.50 and 1.55 daily from Monday to Friday. There will be no southward trip to Christchurch on Saturday. The first Lodestar flights were under the command of J N Jackson and Second Officer R O Chatfield.

The first Lockheed Lodestar, ZK-AHR, at Palmerston North. Photo : K E Niven and Co :Commercial negatives. Ref: 1/2-224227-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22905720

From the same date the Union Airways’ operated Cook Strait Airways service increased the schedule back two trips each way daily on the Wellington-Nelson service.

On the 15th of August the Lodestar ZK-AHR was reregistered as ZK-AHU and named Karoro. At this time the Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet used ‘Roger’ for the letter R as opposed to ‘Romeo.’ Roger was also the word used to acknowledge a message was understood and the change of registration avoided any confusion.

The reregistered Lockheed Lodestar ZK-AHR as ZK-AHU at Mangere in December 1944. Photo : Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-00313-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/29943056 

ZK-AHU being refuelled at Palmerston North in November 1944. Photo : Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-00313-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/29943056

Further development occurred a year later when from the 6th of November 1944 flights between Dunedin and Invercargill Electra were added. Weekday flights were timed to leave Dunedin at 3.15pm and arrive at Invercargill at 4.05pm and departing on the return trip at 4.15pm and reaching Dunedin at 5.05pm. The fare was 35/- one way. The new service enabled passengers from Auckland and intermediate centres to travel to Invercargill in one day. Passengers from Invercargill travelling north, however, had to stay overnight in Dunedin to enable the aircraft’s overnight maintenance schedule. Lockheed Electra ZK-AFD operated the first service using the new Invercargill airport with Commander J. Neville Jackson and Co-pilot R. Walton in the cockpit. The Southland Times reported, Yesterday was an important day for Invercargill. It marked the inauguration of a regular passenger and mail air service between Dunedin and Invercargill. Thus the last stage of an air service from Auckland to Invercargill was completed after many years of waiting and agitation by the people of Invercargill. There is little doubt that but for the war the service would have been inaugurated several years ago. The plane which inaugurated the service was a 10-seater, twin-engined Lockheed Electra belonging to Union Airways. It was due to arrive from Dunedin at 4.05pm It was over the city a few minutes before 4 o’clock and touched down at the aerodrome at 4.03pm, coming in from the south side of the field against a northerly wind. After landing on the field, it taxied round and came to rest facing south. The arrival of the plane was not marked by any official ceremony, and the small crowd of people at the aerodrome consisted mainly of passengers for the return trip, Union Airways officials and schoolboys to whom the opportunity of a close-up view of a passenger plane was obviously a thrilling experience. The plane brought eight passengers to Invercargill and departed with a full load of ten. 

Southland Times, 3 November 1944

With the War in Europe drawing to an end, moves were made for the reinstatement of the East Coast air service. Approval was given for this in mid-February and a de Havilland DH86 Express ZK-AHW was made available. The aircraft was no stranger to Union Airways, its pre-War identity being ZK-AEG, Karoro. It saw service with the RNZAF in New Zealand and Fiji as NZ553 before being returned to New Zealand in March 1943 for a rebuild that went through until November 1944. Placed back on the civil register as ZK-AHW it was named Korimako. It was handed over to Union Airways on the 28th of February 1945 but delays in preparing the aircraft for civilian use delayed the start of the service until the 26th of March.

A series of photos of De Havilland Express ZK-AHW arriving into Auckland's Mangere aerodrome with passengers disembarking and boarding a Union Airways' bus on 30 May 1946. Photo : Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-02337-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/30649968

Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-02339-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/30650231

 Photo : Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-02338-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/30635403

After operating a survey flight the week before the East Coast service resumed on the 26th of March 1945. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday flights departed Palmerston North at 2.30pm to arrive at Napier at 3.20pm and after a ten minute stop continued on to Gisborne arriving at 4.15pm. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the Express departed Gisborne at 7.45am arriving at Auckland at 9.45am. The return flight departed Auckland at 2.15pm arriving at Gisborne at 4pm. On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays the aircraft departed Gisborne at 7.45am and Napier at 8.40am to arrive in Palmerston North at 9.30am.

Gisborne Herald, 24 March 1945

The 8th of May 1945 saw VE day but sadly a few days later it was a day of destruction for Union Airways. On the 13th a young Union Airways apprentice “stole” the airline’s 15 seat Lockheed Lodestar ZK-AHU, Karoro, with the intention of flying it to Australia. The following day the airline issued a statement saying, At approximately 9.30 last evening a junior engineer of Union Airways, without authority, broke into the hangar at Mangere through the garage and over the top of the oil store. He opened the hangar doors from the inside and took the Lodestar out, thereafter careering round the aerodrome with lights switching on and off, eventually hitting a dummy 'plane on the aerodrome. The aircraft burst into flames and was totally destroyed. "The hangar was securely locked by the station engineer before leaving the aerodrome at about 5pm on Sunday. "With the aircraft available Union Airways will carry out every possible service to the original timetable, with only those alterations necessary, in the readjustment of which due notice will be given." Frederick was given a three-year probation and a £100 fine.

The Lodestar had proven its worth, however, and with the Japanese in retreat the development of domestic air services was imminent. The company envisaged introducing a fleet of up to fifteen Lodestars and foreseeing the need for a large number of trained pilots, it was decided to obtain a Hudson aircraft from the RNZAF to be used for pilot training. On the 6th of August 1945 Lockheed Hudson IIIA ZK-AHY was registered to the company. It had been delivered to Milson on the 22nd of June 1945 before being overhauled and modified for its new role and went into service as ZK-AHY on 12 October 1945.

Union Airways' training aircraft Lockheed Hudson, ZK-AHY, at Palmerston North on 18 April 1946. Photos : Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-02195-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/30642652

A replacement Lockheed 18 Lodestar ZK-AHX was registered to Union Airways on the 31st of July 1945. Ex-NZ3507, the aircraft was named Karoro and its arrival enabled Union Airways to recommence the Auckland-Palmerston North-Wellington-Christchurch route from the 20th of August. The service operated daily, except on Sundays, with a trip in each direction.

A second Lodestar was registered to Union Airways on the 5th of November 1945. ZK-AIQ, previously NZ3512, was named Kotuku.

A couple of photos of Lockheed Electra ZK-AIQ at Mangere on 20 December 1946. Photo : Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-04710-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/30650399

Photo : Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-04716-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/30642918

As 1945 ended Parliament’s passing of the New Zealand National Airways Act on the 7th of December 1945 signalled the end of Union Airways. This Act was to make provision for the Incorporation of the New Zealand National Airways Corporation for the Purpose of Establishing and Operating National Air Transport Services to meet the Needs of the People of New Zealand and for the Purpose of Fostering and Encouraging the use of Air Transportation within New Zealand and between New Zealand and other Countries. Paragraph 14 stated, (1) The Corporation, with the approval of the Functions as Governor-General in Council, shall have and may exercise in relation to air services between any place in New Zealand and any place outside New Zealand the like powers as it has in relation to air services within New Zealand. (2) The Corporation, with the approval of the Governor-General in Council, may acquire any shares or other interests in any other organization, whether a body corporate or not, which is carrying on or interested in the establishment, maintenance, and operation of any air service between any place in New Zealand and any place outside New Zealand, or may, with such approval as aforesaid, enter into and carry out any agreement with any organization for the purpose of the establishment, maintenance, and operation of any such air service as aforesaid.

With the Act passed Union Airways last sixteen months were a transition period with its services increasingly operating under the NZNAC banner.

The 16th of March 1946 saw another incident involving Lockheed Electra ZK-AGK. The Press reported… When landing on water-logged ground at Rongotai airport on Saturday afternoon, the Lockheed Electra, Kaka, carrying 10 passengers, bounced off its proper course and over a low fence and came to rest on rough ground about 20 yards beyond. None of the passengers and neither of the pilots was injured. The accident was caused by the wheels skidding on slippery ground when the brakes were applied. Though going at only 10 miles an hour, the aircraft received damage to its undercarriage and to both propellers. The passengers were aware that something untoward was happening when the aeroplane skidded, but they were not unduly alarmed. Working teams were quickly organised to bring the machine back to the tarmac. Mr F. Maurice Clarke, manager of Union Airways, said that it would be between four to six weeks before the aeroplane could be flown again. The pilot was Commander D. Campbell.

In April 1946 Lockheed Lodestars replaced the Lockheed Electras on the Auckland to Invercargill service. A survey flight was made on the 4th of April in Lodestar ZK-AIQ before the same aircraft operated the first Auckland-Palmerston North-Wellington-Christchurch-Dunedin-Invercargill-Dunedin southbound service with Commander R J Walton and Second Officer A M Singer being the air crew. The following day the same crew and aircraft flew the first Dunedin-Christchurch-Wellington-Palmerston North-Auckland northbound service.

Despite the end being nigh, the period between July 1946 and January 1947 was a time of massive expansion for Union Airways laying the foundation for NZNAC.

Three ex-RNZAF Lockheed Lodestars were registered to Union Airways in July 1946. On the 16th NZ3508 became ZK-AKX, named Kereru, and on the 19th NZ3513 became ZK-AJM, Kotare and NZ3515 became ZK-AKW, Kopara.

Two Lockheed 10 Electras were bought from Guinea Airways of Adelaide, South Australia and these were registered to Union Airways on the 28th of August 1946. VH-UXH became ZK-ALH, Koreke, and VH-AAU became ZK-ALI, Koweka.

Lockheed Electra ZK-ALI at Mangere aerodrome

Two ex- United States Army Air Force Lockheed Lodestars were bought from Australia in November 1946. Lodestar 42-68349 had been assigned to the Allied Directorate of Air Transport in Australia in November 1942 who in turn assigned it to Guinea Airways becoming VH-CAC. It returned to the USAAF in August 1944 before being sold to Aircrafts P/L of Brisbane in May 1946 as VH-ARY. On the 29th of November 1946 it was registered to Union Airways as ZK-ALZ, Koriri. It was destroyed at Palmerston North on the 10th of February 1947 when petrol fumes ignited during cleaning. The aircraft never entered service.

The second Lodestar had a similar story. Lodestar 42-68347 had been assigned to the Allied Directorate of Air Transport in Australia in December 1942 who in turn assigned it to Qantas Empire Airways as VH-CAA. It returned to the USAAF in May 1944 before being sold to Aircrafts P/L of Brisbane in August 1946 as VH-ARZ. On the 16th of December 1946 it was registered to Union Airways as ZK-ANA, Kawatere.

Two further Royal New Zealand Air Force Lodestars were registered to Union Airways on the 21st of November 1946. NZ3509 became ZK-ANB, Karuwai, and NZ3514 became ZK-ANC, Kerangi. In addition to these two Lodestars, three more were sourced from Royal Australian Air Force and were registered to Union Airways on the 31st of January 1947. Lodestar A67-1 became ZK-AOP, Koropio, Lodestar A67-3 became ZK-AOT, Korohia and A67-4 became ZK-AOS, Kea. Upon arrival at Union Airways these Lodestars underwent major refurbishment to change them from a military aircraft to a civilian airliner. By late 1946 the NAC branding was already extensively in use with Union Airways operating these flights. There is scant information as to whether the later Lodestars entered service before the complete NAC takeover.     

The 2nd of September 1946 finally a return to New Plymouth with the Auckland-New Plymouth-Palmerston North-Wellington service being flown under the National Airways Corporation’s banner with Lockheed Electras. The Monday to Saturday timetable had an aircraft depart Auckland at 7.50am to arrive at New Plymouth at 9.05am, Palmerston North at 10.15am and Wellington at 11.10am. The return flight departed Wellington at 11.45am to arrive at Palmerston North at 12.30pm, New Plymouth at 1.50pm and Auckland at 3.15pm. Connections were made at Wellington with the services to the South Island, namely, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, Blenheim and Nelson.

At the same time Union Airways’ bid farewell to the De Havilland DH86 Express. On the 31st of August 1946, ZK-AHW, previously Union Airways’ pioneer ZK-AEG, flew the Saturday morning Gisborne-Napier-Palmerston North service, leaving Gisborne with a full complement of 12 passengers. The aircraft was subsequently returned to the RNZAF as NZ553 and was reduced to spares in April 1947. Regrettably there are no DH86 Express aircraft preserved.

From the 3rd of September Gisborne received a third Lockheed Electra flight to Auckland each week. The Napier-Palmerston North flights continued to operate three days each week but on two days the southern terminal was extended from Palmerston North to Wellington meaning Gisborne passengers did not need to change aircraft at Palmerston North.

Additional Cook Strait services were also introduced from the 2nd of September with the introduction of two RNZAF de Havilland Dominies. These replaced the Union Airways’ Lockheed Electra service. The Domines only had accommodation for only six passengers, compared with the Electra’s ten seats but five trips a day each way were made between Blenheim and Wellington which made available 180 seats a week in place of 160. Four flights each way were made between Nelson and Wellington.

Further expansion came on the 2nd of December 1946 when Union Airways, acting for the National Airways Corporation, commenced a daily circular route round the North Island each day resulting in a reorganisation of services through New Plymouth and Gisborne. Two Electras were used. One left Auckland daily at 2.55pm flying direct to Gisborne and arriving at 4.30pm. After an overnighting at Gisborne, the plane left for Wellington at 7.45 the following morning, stopping at Napier and Palmerston North and reaching Wellington at 10.30am. At 11.10am it left for Auckland, landing at Palmerston North and New Plymouth and arriving at Mangere at 2.35pm, about half an hour before it was due to take off for Gisborne on the start of the circular flight again. The second aircraft left Mangere at 7.50am each morning, flying the service to Wellington through New Plymouth and Palmerston North, reaching Wellington at 11.10am. It left Wellington at 11.45am, flying through Palmerston North, Napier, and Gisborne to arrive back at Auckland at 4.25pm the same day.

The first flight out of Gisborne was flown by Commander R J Walton and Second Officer H E Boyes through to Palmerston North in Electra ZK-AFD, thence, by Commander G R White and Second Officer B D New in ZK-AGJ. The first flight out of Auckland was flown by Commander J W Winefield and Second Officer R E Overell in Electra ZK-AGK, the crew and aircraft flying all seven sectors.

December 1946 saw Lockheed Hudson ZK-AHY, which had been used for pilot training, returned to the Royal New Zealand Air Force as NZ2079. It was broken up for scrap in 1947.

In 1947, on the 20th of January, Union Airways again acting for the National Airways Corporation, introduced a new, second Electra service between Gisborne and Auckland that operated via Tauranga. This resumed Tauranga’s pre-War service, but sadly for Opotiki it did not regain its air service. From Auckland a new Northland Auckland-Whangarei-Kaikohe-Kaitaia service was offered. The scheduled saw an Electra depart Gisborne in the morning, then operate the Northland service before returning to Gisborne in the afternoon. The first service was operated by Lockheed Electra ZK-AGJ under the command of Commander G R White and Second Officer D M Thomas. This was to be the last new service Union Airways operated before the full NZNAC takeover.

On the 31st of March 1947 notice was given that at a meeting of shareholders of Union Airways Of New Zealand, Limited held at the registered office of the company, in Wellington, a special resolution was passed :- “That the company be wound up voluntarily” and “that Mr D E Foley of Wellington be appointed liquidator for the purposes of such winding up.”

The following day the New Zealand National Airways Corporation came into being with the following aircraft passing from Union Airways to NZNAC: 

Lockheed 10 Electra : ZK-AFD, -AGJ, -AGK, -ALH, -ALI

Lockheed 18 Lodestar : ZK-AHX, -AIQ, -AJM, -AKW, -AKX, -ANA, -ANB, -ANC, -AOP, -AOS, AOT

De Havilland DH60G Moth : ZK-ADT 

The Moth, ZK-ADT, continues to fly our New Zealand skies being the only Union Airways aircraft preserved. At Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology there is a Lockheed 10A Electra painted as Union Airway’s ZK-AFD but is in fact South Island Airways ZK-BUT. Sadly none of the airline’s other aircraft were preserved.

Still flying, De Havilland Moth ZK-ADT at Masterton on 19 January 2013

The legacy of Union Airways is that 90 years on, domestic main trunk air travel has long replaced trains and buses as the principal passenger mover for public transport in New Zealand. I think the staff of Union Airways would be amazed at the transformation or air travel. At the same time the air crew and passengers of today should look back in awe of what the early aviation pioneers did to build the foundation of domestic air travel.