FLYING BOATS
I have been sent the above collection of b/w photos that John Bullivant found on a British seaplane site, it appears a lot of the photos are from our national library or similar. They give a snap shot into the Teal flying boat history in Wellington. In them we see a large clinker launch, a work boat (Wild Duck which has an identical sister), a Civil Aviation flarepath launch (the dark stepped cabin launch to right of jetty) two different Teal launches (one from Auckland for some reason) Len Southwards Red Head racing one of the planes and a few views of the larger Teal launch.
The Teal launch appears to have the engine box towards the stern so may have had a v-drive (more room in the cabin / safety / noise perhaps?) The group of fine gentlemen in the Teal launch (pipes and all) are some of the 1951 All Blacks departing for the test in Australia.
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Just noticed that the launch (‘Wild Duck’, re fueling the plane) now belongs to the Tino Rawa Trust and is used as their classic race start boat (in a much different form than original)
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Mr Google has it that G-ADUT “Centaurus” an Empire class flying boat of Imperial Airways visited Auckland on a proving flight on26.12.1937, and landed in Wellington 1.1.1938. Her captain was Capt. John Burgess…a son of Capt JW Burgess who was captainof the NZ Govt. Steamer “Matai”.
The picture of aircraft registration G-AGJL was a converted Sunderland bringing the British Minister of Civil Aviation to Wellington on Feb 1946 for a South Pacific Air Transport Council conference.
The Solent 4 ZK AMM was one of the first of these new TEAL aircraft visiting Wellington 18.10.1949.
RossDawson
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Note it has UK registration (G) so Is not TEAL which would be ZK.
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The 1st pic shows a Short Flying boat (C or Empire class) – possibly the one that Capt Burgess flew here in the late 1930’s on a proving flight.
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