Hood Aerodrome, Masterton: aircraft past

First Air Pageant in Masterton, March 1931 - 07-8/22.digital.
Photo shows a number of bi-planes on the grass.

To mark the 2013 Wings over Wairarapa, Wairarapa Past brings you a selection of aircraft and events associated with Hood Aerodrome, dating from the 1930s to the 1950s.

The photos are provided by Wairarapa Archives.

C-47 Dakota, Hood Aerodrome - 00-198/99.digital, 1943,
Military Air Attache, American Legation, Wellington.

Miles Gemini aeroplane outside the Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Club hanger, Hood Aerodrome, circa 1950 - 00-198/94.digital

DHC-1 Chipmunk Aircraft, Hood Aerodrome, circa 1954 - 00-198/90.digital

RNZAF Bristol Freighter of 41 Squadron, with nose doors open, at Centennial Air Show,
Hood Aerodrome, 1954.  00-212/17.digital

Passengers leaving the 'Southern Cross' aeroplane at Hood Aerodrome, February 1933. 04-162/5.digital
Charles Kingsford-Smith sold joyrides at both Hood Aerodrome and Martinborough during his visit to the Wairarapa.

Charles Kingsford-Smith's Fokker aircraft 'Southern Cross' at Hood Aerodrome, circa 1933  00-198/95.digital

SOUTHERN CROSS
MASTERTON TO LEVIN

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") MASTERTON, This Day.
The arrivals and departures of aeroplanes at the Hood Aerodrome yesterday totalled ten, a particularly busy day for the Masterton airport. Among the departures was the Southern Cross, with Air Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and party, who left for Levin late in the afternoon.

In the morning Sir C. Kingsford Smith accompanied by Flying-Officer J. Buckeridge, pilot-instructor of the Wairarapa Aero Club, visited Dannevirke in the club's aeroplane ZK-ACD to inspect the landing ground there. 

The Southern Cross is to leave Levin for Ashburton at noon to-morrow.

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 50, 1 March 1933, Page 10

HOOD AERODROME
NEW CLUBHOUSE OPENED
(Special to the "Evening Post.")

MASTERTON, March 2, 1936

Evidence of the increasingly keen interest being taken in aviation in the district was provided at the Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Saturday afternoon when a crowd of over 2000 gathered in the bright, warm sunshine to witness an entertaining aerial programme arranged in connection with the official opening of the new club house. Two thrilling parachute descents were made by Mr. G. W. Sellars.

The Mayor, Mr.T. Jordan, officially opened the club house and an enjoyable cabaret, at night, rounded off a highly successful day. 

The events resulted as follows:— 

Senior Landing Competition (McDonald Rose Bowl).—

A. W. Buchanan (Wairarapa), 1;
K. Merhtens (Western- Federated), 2;
K. S. McMaster (Wairarapa), 3. 

Senior Bombing (J. M. James Cup). —

H Franklin (Western-Federated), 1;
J. V. A. Reid (Wairarapa),
2; R. D. Brown (Hawke's Bay and East Coast),
3. Mr. Franklin, was not eligible for the cup, which was won by Mr. Reid, with Mr. I. Barton and Mr. A. W. Buchanan second and third respectively. 

Junior Landing (Sir William Hunt Cup).—

C. G. Cunningham (Dannevirke), 1;
A.; Henderson (Hawke's. Bay), 2;
C. A. Dickens (Wairarapa), 3.

Aerobatics (P. J. Borthwick Trophy).—

J. V. A. Reid (Wairarapa, 76. points, 1;
A. W. Buchanan (Wairarapa), 73 points, .2;
P. Barker (Hawke's Bay), 57 points, 3.

Inter-branch Competition (Mr. J..W. Buchanan's Trophy).—

Martinborough (Messrs. J. V. A. Reid and K. S. McMaster), 8 points, 1;
Masterton, 7 points, 2;
Dannevirke, 3 points, 3. 

Inter-club Competition.—

Wairarapa, 8 points, 1;
Western-Federated, 5 points, 2;
Hawke's Bay and East Coast, 4 points. 3;
Wellington, 1. point, 4.

Evening Post , Issue 53, 3 March 1936, Page 16

DH82 Tiger Moth and DH94 Moth Minor ZK-ALN at Hood Aerodrome - 00-198/91.digital

Puss Moth ZK-ABR was flown to New Zealand by Francis Chichester and F.D. Herrick and later operated by Air Survey and Transport Co of Hobsonville, Auckland.
The aircraft at left is a De Havilland DH80 Puss Moth, ZK-ABR, while DH-60 ZK-ABE of the Wairarapa Aero Club is at right.  04-162/2.digital

Arvo Ten tri-motor 'Faith in Australia' at Hood Aerodrome, belonging to Charles Ulm, 9 January 1934 - 07-117/4.digital

Hastings Transport of RNZAF flying over Hood Aerodrome, during Masterton Centennial Airshow, 1954.
00-212/18.digital

Shows Sir Tim Wallis standing by his Spitfire Mk 16 in front of the Sport and Vintage Aviation Society hangar,
Hood Aerodrome, c1990-1996 - 08-73/1-6.digital

George Hood, 1891-1928

Digital copy of George Hood in RFC (Royal Flying Corps) uniform, circa 1917.
The photograph was taken in Bradford, England.  06-163.digital
The original had a slight tear on the surface. One digital copy is original, the other has been retouched.

George Hood was born in Masterton, the son of Francis (Frank) Hood.

He was a member of the Wellington Mounted Rifles and left with the Main Body in Dec 1914. He served in Egypt and probably Gallipoli before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps. 

He was injured in a flying training accident, losing a leg. He returned to New Zealand about August 1918 but returned for further service with the RAF. He married Laura Wells, nee Clay in 1920. The couple came to New Zealand in 1922. 

He worked in Masterton as a car salesman and was a member of the New Zealand Air Force (territorial unit). In 1928 he and John Moncrieff attempted the first trans-Tasman flight from Sydney to Trentham but were lost en route. The new aerodrome at Masterton was named after George Hood at the first North Island air pageant at Masterton, 14 March 1931.

A black and white negative of an aerial view of Hood Aerodrome.
Taken from 10,000 feet, it shows the wartime runways and land surrounding the airfield.
The Waingawa River runs south of the aerodrome - 96-11/2c.R5B3S1

Hood Aerodrome as RNZAF station for 42 Squadron, 1942 - 95-113/3.digital.
The photograph looks south with Waingawa River beyond the aerodrome and the Aorangi Range in the distance. The runways can be seen, with blast bays for aircraft at left of left runway, and at places below the runways.South Road runs vertically from bottom right. Manaia Road intersects with South Road and runs horizontally, below Hood Aerodrome.