More Info →First aeroplane to fly into Nelson area

Description

The first plane to land in the Nelson region touched down on 11 November 1921. The flight was organised by Thomas Newman, who ran the local coach and service-car company. The plane was an Avro 504 – a converted First World War aircraft which had flown from Wellington and had landed in Marsden's paddock at Stoke. The pilot was Thomas Newman and the accompanying aviator was Philip Fowler.

Shown are Philip Fowler (2nd from left) and Thomas Newman (far right). Mr T. Ranesh, the mechanic, is also said to be in the photograph (perhaps 1st at left).

Philip Fowler (1895-1970) had served as a pilot in WWI. On his return he worked for the New Zealand Air Transport Company in Timaru transporting passengers, and then for Walsh Brothers, Kohimarama, Auckland.

Identification

Object type

Image

Archive

P K Fowler

Relation

CA: P K Fowler, Series 3, Envelope 3

Date

November 11, 1921

Digitisation ID

2019Pa_Fowler-S3E3_026121

Format

B&W print

Held In

Community Archives