More Info →Violet Hibbard & John Mackie, Dannevirke Aerodrome

Violet Hibbard (at right) accompanied Captain R Russell on the first flight to land in Palmerston North, 31 July 1920, at the age of 15 years. The flight was re-enacted in 1970 for the Palmerston North Centennial celebrations. This flight was piloted by J J Mackie of Hastings, in his Tiger Moth built 1945, and took 30 minutes. Accompanying them is the 6 bouquets of flowers that Violet Hibbard was to drop over Woodville and Palmerston North, as she did on the first flight.