Welcome to RNZAF Wigram – The spiritual home of the RNZAF.
This cache is one in a series to remember the Base that was once here, and the iconic aircraft that are remembered in the street names.
This particular cache is not so much for a specific aircraft, but rather a manufacturer that played a major role in both Military and Civilian aircraft development – the Douglas Aircraft Co.
Douglas was formed on 22 July 1920 in Santa Monica California. An early achievement was the first circumnavigation of the world, completed by the US Army Air Service in 1924 using four modified Douglas DT aircraft. Spare engines, pontoons (it was a seaplane) and other spares were prepositioned along the route. The 4 aircraft took off from Seattle on 06 April 1924, and three made it back on 28 Sep, with one being forced to ditch in the Atlantic and sunk. This cemented Douglas at the forefront of aircraft design. Incidentally, these aircraft were designed by Jack Northrop, who later on formed his own company and designed some extraordinary aircraft in his own right.
But back to Douglas… they produced a multitude of Military and Civilian aircraft. Even today many of these are still held in the highest regard for their contribution to aircraft design and were at the leading edge of technology for their time. Designs such as the DC3, DC6, DC8 found widespread use as civilian and military transports, and the Globemaster I and II certainly advanced heavy transport and later lead to the Globemaster III, a frequent visitor to ChCh in the summer for Op Antarctica. It also produced a wide range of potent fighter aircraft and bombers. Into the 50’s, Douglas designed various experimental aircraft that were used in the race to break the sound barrier, and later on into space.
Douglas also branched out into missile systems, ejection seats and possibly most famously the rocket motors on the Saturn IV Stage, IB and V motors that took man to the moon.
The RNZAF operated many Douglas aircraft throughout the years, including 49 DC3 “Dakotas” (NZ3551 is on display in the RNZAF Museum), 69 Dauntless dive bombers and 3 DC6 passenger aircraft, and also a total of 24 A4 Skyhawks, which were designed by Douglas prior to merger with McDonnell – 2 of which can be seen at the RNZAF Museum.
However, by the 1960’s, in spite of their success, Douglas was struggling to expand production to meet demand for DC-8 and DC-9 airliners and the A-4 Skyhawk military attack aircraft. The company was also struggling with quality and cash flow problems and DC-10 development costs. So in 1967 Douglas merged with McDonnell, to form McDonnell Douglas and 1997, McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing.
Although the name is gone, the Douglas legacy will continue to live on for many years to come in the historic aircraft that are still flying, but also in the current fleet of aircraft such as the MD10 (stretched and modernised DC10), MD80 (stretched and modernised DC9) and the MD90 (stretched and further modernised MD80).
A small area on the edge of a park where you can have a seat and watch the world go by. You're looking for a darkened eclipse container, behind a rock.