He was Martin Ronald (Jack) Butler, aged 60, of Taita, and formerly of Levin. He was attending the golden jubilee celebrations of St Joseph's Parish and Convent School.

Mr Butler was married to Joan, daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Harry George, well-­known residents in their time.

He was also noted for a monoplane that he built in 1932.

According to "The Chroni­cle" files of July 15, 1932, Mr Butler held a trial of his plane at Waitarere Beach on July 14. It stated that "the 'plane was of smart appear­ance and when the engine was started at 2pm everyone felt confident that success would attend the efforts of the young engineer-aviator.

"Just as he sped up the engine, the gasket blew out and a flood of water through the carburettor brought the engine to a standstill. Although this caused considerable delay it was fortunate that the weakness was manifest before the 'plane took off.

"At 4pm the 'plane took off. As this was only a trial it was lot Mr Butler's intention to make for altitude, and after a very fine landing he took off again.

"A perfect landing was then made on the second occasion and the machine taxied back along the sand where, a few hours ago, it had been brought in a motor truck in sections and had been assembled there.

"The monoplane, with a wing spread of 28 feet and a 40 horse-power motor with 200 revolutions a minute, had taken Mr Butler two years of work in his spare time to build."

Mr Butler is survived by his widow, one son Martin (Mt Isa, Australia) and two daughters (Mrs K. Gilberd, Porirua) and Miss Joan-Maria Butler.

A stroll along Waitarere Beach on Saturday was extra special for Paraparaumu woman Joan-Marie O'Dea.

Her visit to the beach marked 75 years since more than 300 people had gathered to watch her father Martin Butler take to the skies.

"It's always been said he was the pioneer aviator in Levin," she said.

Mr Butler was in his early twenties when he worked at Milnes Garage in Levin as an apprentice.

Over a few years he along with some others built a Gerber monoplane after getting the plans from the United States.

After taking flying lessons at the Levin Aero Club, Mr Butler found himself racing along Waiterare Beach at the controls of the 40 horse powered Ford engine plane for its trial flight.

He took off and flew up the beach to the Manawatu River and back twice taking the turns with ease.

On the second return he circled twice around the crowd showing he really had it under control.

Disaster struck though when the plane landed on the beach after 20 minutes and ran over some soft sand.

The nose struck the ground forcing up the under carriage and causing the plane to tip onto its side.

The tail swung upwards and the strain broke the fuselage just below the cockpit, damaged the end of a wing and broke a propeller blade.

"I think the people on the beach were pretty worried about Dad. He wasn't injured but he was really badly shocked."

He intended to repair the plane and fly again but it never eventuated. Mrs O'Dea believes bureaucracy got in the way.

She said her father, commonly known as Jack, was someone who always had the need to understand why things worked like they did.

"And I also think he had a burning desire to achieve."

For years Mrs O'Dea has tried to find out as much as she could about her father and his achievements, which also included inventing a ~ reversible trailer.

"I've sourced heaps of things about him I didn't know. I've spent years just snippeting at it. "It's like a big puzzle and I'm nearing the end of it which is cool."

She thought she might compile the information about her father for National Archives of New Zealand.

Interestingly the second propeller made for the plane is now on loan at Kapiti's Museum of Aviation.

Although the intention had not been broadcasted, there was a good crowd at Waitarere beach yesterday when Mr Martin Butler, of Levin, tried out the monoplane that he has devoted his spare time for the past two years to building. The plane was transported to the beach in sections by motor lorry and assembled there. When this task was complete, she presented quite a smart appearance and when the engine was started at 2 p.m., everyone felt confident that success would attend the efforts of the young engineer-aviator.

Just as he speeded up the engine, however, the gasket blew out and a flood of water through the carburetor brought the engine to a standstill.

Although this caused considerable delay it was fortunate that the weakness was manifest before the plane took off.

At 4.10 p.m. the machine made a short run along the beach into the face of a stiff southerly breeze and in a short distance lifted nicely into the air. As this was entirely a trial it was not Mr Butler’s intention to make for altitude and after a short flight he made a very fine landing and took off again.

As the atmosphere was bitterly cold and the hour was late this was deemed sufficient trial for the day.

A perfect landing was made on the second occasion and the machine taxied back along the sand and was put away for the time being.

After one or two minor adjustments another trial will be made in a few day’s time.

Mr Butler expresses himself as entirely satisfied with the way the machine behaved and is looking forward to favourable conditions for the next attempt.

The machine is a monoplane with a wing spread of 33 feet. The engine is a Ford model A and develops 40 horse power with 2000 revolutions per minute and the cruising speed is estimated at 75 miles per hour. The work of construction was carried out at Mr J.C. Milnes’ Ford Garage.

At his trials yesterday My Butler was assisted by Mr Milnes and members of his staff, Mr W. Harding, Major Cowper (Instructor to the Levin Aero Club), Mr F. Carpenter and Mr Syd. Butt.

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.

He was Martin Ronald (Jack) Butler; 60, of Taita, and formerly of Levin.

Mr Butler became ill while attending St Joseph's Parish and Convent School golden jubilee celebrations in Levin on Saturday.

He held a trial of his plane at Waitarere Beach on July 14, 1932.

A report in the Levin Chronicle said the plane was of smart appearance. Just as he sped up the engine, the gasket blew out and a flood of water through the carburetor brought the engine to a standstill. This caused delay but after a short flight he made a fine landing and repeated the process.

The monoplane, with a wing spread of 28 feet and a 40 horsepower engine with 2000 revolutions a minute took Mr Butler two years of work in his spare time to build.

Mr Butler is survived by his wife and three children. - N.Z.P.A.

Dearly loved husband of Joan Butler (nee George), and loved father of Margaret (Mrs K. Gilberd, Porirua), Martin (Australia) and Joan-Marie (Taita) and loved grandad of Kerry and Mark.

Aged 60 years.

R.I.P. Requiem Mass will be celebrated at St Joseph's Catholic Church, Levin on Wednesday, February 25, 1970, at 10 a.m.; thereafter at Levin Cemetery.

The Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday.

Messages to 50 Goldsmith Crescent, Levin - Harvey's Funeral Service, Levin.