More Info →Polished prop a reminder of early aircraft

Description

The propellor, stored by the Horowhenua Historical Society, is the only remnant of Levin's first home - made plane.

Constructed between 1927 and 1932 by a young motor mechanic, Mr M. R. (Jack) Butler, in Milne's garage op­posite "The Chronicle", the wings and fuselage were built to Gerber Monoplane plans sent from America. The fuselage and wing ribs were made of redwood and the spars of boxed ply.

Ford Engine

Powered by a Model A Ford engine with a modified radiator, the propellor fitted direct to the crankshaft, and the whole unit left uncowled, it was taken out to Waitarere Beach on July 15, 1932. Mr Butler, who was aged about 22 years, assembled it on the beach. Unfortunately, when he revved up at 2pm, a gas­ket failed and take-off was delayed until 4pm.

After making several short hops, Mr Butler managed to coax the aircraft to a height of about 300 metres, with con­siderable difficulty, due to his inexperience and the engine's lack of power.

As Mr Butler later recalled, the crash at the end of his maiden flight was due to in­experience.

"My difficulty in getting off the ground proved to be that I was attempting to lift off by using the stick be­fore gaining sufficient speed," he said.

"After numerous failures, I held the stick forward and al­lowed the plane to gather maximum speed - at this stage the plane rose easily. I flew up and down the beach several times, and then notic­ing the radiator was boiling furiously, decided to land.

Mr F. Carpenter, who was watching the flight, said later: "After 15 to 20 minutes, Jack's machine seemed to have a long vapour trail be­hind it - steam - so that I began to hope he would come down before the kite got too hot.

Mr Butler recalled throttling back to descend.

Dropping

"The plane appeared to be gliding to a normal landing," said Mr Butler. "In fact - as bystanders told me at a later date - it was dropping al­most vertically. This became apparent to me only when I was near the ground - I pushed the stick forward to glide, but instead caused the plane to dive for the ground.

"Attempts to come out of the dive were just too late and the wheels hit the beach, the plane bounced and fell back, and the fuselage broke at the cockpit, allowing engine and wing to fall forward. I escaped without Injury."

Mr Arthur Tapp helped in the building of the plane and recalls covering the framework and wings with a fine cloth sewn at his emp­loyers, a vehicle upholstery run by Bill Harding in Oxford Street, near Milne's garage.

Mr Butler had gained his solo licence as a member of the Levin Aero Club, attached to the Palmerston North club, then based at Milson. Some­times the Palmerston North machines would visit Levin twice a week for training. One of Mr Butler's instructors, Gerry Cowper, checked out Mr Butler in a Tiger Moth with a 10 minute flight shortly be­fore the ill-fated test flight.

Identification

Date

March 1981